Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (15/87)

as meaning “recites it” takes the pronoun to refer to the Quran and regards the witness as something other than the Quran. Yet the Quran has not previously been mentioned. He only said:

“Is one who stands upon clear proof from his Lord…”

“Clear proof” cannot be interpreted as memorizing the Quran, for all believers stand upon clear proof from their Lord, even if they have not memorized the Quran. Insight into the religion, however, is different: anyone who lacks insight from his Lord is not truly a believer, but is among those who will say to Munkar and Nakīr, “Ah, ah! I do not know. I heard people saying something, so I said it.” The Quran’s praise is for the person who stands upon clear proof from his Lord: he possesses guidance, light and insight, whether or not he has memorized the Quran. If following the Quran is intended, that is faith itself. Moreover, most of the Quran had not yet been revealed when this verse was revealed.

It has already been explained that what is distinctive about Gabriel and Muhammad is their conveying the message from Allah and their truthfulness in doing so. As for the truth of Allah’s message, this is what every messenger bears witness to. The two of them are not distinguished by this; rather, they believe in it just as every angel and every believer does. Their testimony that the Prophet and the believers are upon the truth belongs to this second, shared category.

Had He said, “A messenger from Allah conveys it and brings it down,” their interpretation would have been tenable, as He says:

بِمَعْنَى يَقْرَؤُهُ جَعَلَ الضَّمِيرَ فِيهِ عَائِدًا إلَى الْقُرْآنِ وَجَعَلَ الشَّاهِدَ غَيْرَ الْقُرْآنِ. وَالْقُرْآنُ لَمْ يَتَقَدَّمْ لَهُ ذِكْرٌ إنَّمَا قَالَ: {أَفَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ} وَالْبَيِّنَةُ لَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ تَفْسِيرُهَا بِحِفْظِ الْقُرْآنِ فَإِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كُلَّهُمْ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَحْفَظُوا الْقُرْآنَ؛ بِخِلَافِ الْبَصِيرَةِ فِي الدِّينِ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ مُؤْمِنًا حَقًّا بَلْ مِنْ الْقَائِلِينَ - لِمُنْكَرِ وَنَكِيرٍ - آهْ آهْ لَا أَدْرِي سَمِعْت النَّاسَ يَقُولُونَ شَيْئًا فَقُلْته. وَالْقُرْآنُ إنَّمَا مَدَحَ مَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَهُوَ عَلَى هُدًى وَنُورٍ وَبَصِيرَةٍ سَوَاءٌ حَفِظَ الْقُرْآنَ أَوْ لَمْ يَحْفَظْهُ وَإِنْ أُرِيدَ اتِّبَاعُ الْقُرْآنِ فَهُوَ الْإِيمَانُ وَأَكْثَرُ الْقُرْآنِ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَزَلَ حِينَ نُزُولِ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ إنَّمَا يُخْتَصُّ بِهِ جِبْرِيلُ وَمُحَمَّدٌ فَهُوَ تَبْلِيغُ الرِّسَالَةِ عَنْ اللَّهِ وَصِدْقُهُمَا فِي ذَلِكَ. وَأَمَّا كَوْنُ رِسَالَةِ اللَّهِ حَقًّا فَهَذَا هُوَ الْمَشْهُودُ بِهِ مِنْ كُلِّ رَسُولٍ وَهُمَا لَا يُخْتَصَّانِ بِذَلِكَ بَلْ يُؤْمِنَانِ بِهِ كَمَا يُؤْمِنُ بِذَلِكَ كُلُّ مَلَكٍ وَكُلُّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَشَهَادَتُهُمَا بِأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى حَقٍّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ الثَّانِي الْمُشْتَرَكِ وَلَوْ قَالَ: وَيُبَلِّغُهُ وَيَنْزِلُ بِهِ رَسُولٌ مِنْ اللَّهِ لَكَانَ مَا قَالُوهُ مُتَوَجِّهًا كَمَا قَالَ: