the Reminder, and indeed We will preserve it.” Allah Most High also says:

“If guidance comes to you from Me…”

—through to His words—

“Thus did Our signs come to you, but you forgot them; and likewise today you will be forgotten.”

Forgetting them means abandoning faith in them and failing to act upon them, even if one has memorized their wording. Ibn ʿAbbās said:

“Allah has guaranteed that whoever recites the Quran and acts upon what it contains will neither go astray in this world nor suffer misery in the Hereafter.”

He then recited this verse. Whoever follows the Scripture and wisdom with which Allah sent His Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, will be guided by Allah and granted happiness. Whoever turns away from them will go astray and suffer misery, and Satan will lead him astray and bring him misery.

The phenomena bestowed by the Most Merciful and the miraculous gifts granted to His pious allies arise from faith, for this is the condition of His allies. Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, the allies of Allah will have no fear, nor will they grieve—those who believe and are mindful of Him.”

These are blessings from Allah upon His believing servant in his religious and worldly affairs: they provide evidence in matters of religion and meet the believers’ worldly needs. Likewise, the miracles of our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, provided evidence in matters of religion and met the Muslims’ needs. Examples include the blessing bestowed upon food and drink, such as water springing from between his fingers; rain falling in response to prayers for rain; the defeat of disbelievers and the healing of the sick through supplication; and truthful, beneficial accounts of matters hidden from those present. The reports given by the prophets are never false.

As for those who experience satanic phenomena, they are like soothsayers: sometimes they lie and sometimes they speak the truth, and their deeds necessarily involve disobedience to Allah’s commands. Allah Most High says in these two verses:

“Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend? They descend upon every sinful liar.”

For this reason, one finds such a person in contact with foul things—ritual impurities and filth