the earlier and later records, with no discrepancy between them. This is what Ibn ‘Abbās and others stated. If He has recorded what He creates, which is separate from Him, before creating it, how would He not record His speech with which He sends His angels before sending them?

As for the claim that Gabriel took it from the Book and did not hear it from Allah, it is false on several grounds.

One is that He, glorified be He, wrote the Torah for Moses with His own hand. The Children of Israel thus received His speech from the Book He wrote, whereas Muhammad would have received it from Gabriel, who took it from the Book. They would therefore rank one degree higher.

Whoever says that He conveyed meanings to Gabriel, who then expressed them in Arabic, is saying that He inspired him. Yet such inspiration is granted to individual believers, as in His words:

“And when I inspired the disciples, ‘Believe in Me and in My Messenger.’”

“And We inspired the mother of Moses.”

This would then be superior to the way Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, received it.

Furthermore, He, glorified be He, said:

“Indeed, We have revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him”—up to His words—“And Allah spoke to Moses directly.”

This indicates several things, including that He speaks to a servant in a way that goes beyond revelation, which is a distinct category alongside speaking in its specific sense. For both terms—speaking and revelation—have a general and a specific sense. Thus, speaking