a person on his own behalf—unlike when the witness is from Allah, for then Allah Himself is the witness. This resembles the claim that His words:

“Say, ‘Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you, as is whoever has knowledge of the Scripture.’”

refer to ‘Alī. This is a weak interpretation, because the testimony of a relative who has followed his religion and received guidance only through him does not constitute proof of his truthfulness or an argument against disbelief. By contrast, the testimony of those who possess knowledge of the earlier Scripture is proof and mercy, as He says in this surah:

“And before it was the Scripture of Moses, a guide and a mercy.”

He also says:

“And a witness from the Children of Israel testified to its like.”

And He says:

“So if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you.”

And so the verse continues. He also says:

“Those to whom We have given the Scripture know that it has been sent down from your Lord in truth.”

This witness from Allah is the Quran.

As for those who say that it is Gabriel, Gabriel said nothing of his own accord; rather, he conveyed the Quran from Allah. Gabriel bears witness that the Quran was sent down from Allah and that it is true, as He says:

“But Allah bears witness to what He has sent down to you: He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness. And sufficient is Allah as a witness.”

The one who says that it is Gabriel explains “follows him” as meaning “recites it,” as in His words:

“So when We have recited it, follow its recitation.”

That is, when Gabriel recites it, follow what he recites. He also says:

“He was taught by one mighty in power.”

Those who say that the witness is his tongue take the aforementioned pronoun to refer to the Quran, although it has not been mentioned, because they understand the clear evidence to be the Quran. Yet if the clear evidence were the Quran