, which is holy—unless Allah teaches him this, as the Messiah, peace be upon him, said:

“You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, You alone are the Knower of all unseen things.”

The angels said:

“We have no knowledge except what You have taught us.”

And He said:

“They encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills.”

And He said:

“He does not disclose His unseen to anyone except a messenger whom He approves.”

Thus, He does not disclose the unseen that He has reserved for Himself to anyone except a messenger whom He approves. The angels do not know the unseen that the Lord has reserved for Himself. As for what He has disclosed to His servants, He teaches it to whomever He wills. The devils may overhear some of what the angels discuss. But this is not part of His unseen or the knowledge within Himself that He reserves exclusively for Himself. Rather, He has disclosed it to whomever He wills among His creatures. He, glorified be He, said:

“But Allah bears witness to what He has sent down to you; He has sent it down with His knowledge.”

He thus bore witness that He sent it down with His knowledge through the signs and proofs demonstrating that it is His speech and that the Messenger is truthful.

Likewise, He said in Surah Hūd:

“Then produce ten fabricated surahs like it, and call upon whomever you can besides Allah, if you are truthful.”

Having challenged them to produce its like in His words:

“Then let them produce a discourse like it,”

He then challenged them to produce ten surahs like it. They were unable to meet either challenge. Then He challenged them to produce a single surah like it, and they were unable to do so. Created beings cannot produce its like, nor even a single surah like it; and if