respects.”

He continued:

“It has also been said that this means prayer is valid through its recitation, but not through that of another surah, and that no other surah can take its place. This interpretation, however, is not unanimously accepted.”

I say:

He means that scholars disagree over this point—namely, that prayer is valid only with its recitation. This indicates that scholars agree on the first description: that it is the most excellent surah.

The same applies to what the Quran and Sunnah state concerning the Quran’s superiority to the rest of Allah’s speech—the Torah, the Gospel, and all the other scriptures. All the early Muslim generations acknowledged this. None of them said, “It is all Allah’s speech,” and therefore refused to regard the Quran as superior to the others. Allah Most High says:

“Allah has sent down the best discourse: a Book consistent in its parts, repeating its teachings.”

He thus declares that it is the best discourse. He also says:

“We relate to you the best of narratives through Our revelation to you of this Quran, although before it you were among the unaware.”

Regarding “the best of narratives,” some have said that it is a verbal noun, while others have said that it is a direct object.

According to the first interpretation, the meaning is: “We narrate to you in the finest manner,” just as one might say, “We speak to you in the finest manner,” or, “We explain to you in the clearest manner.”

Al-Zajjāj said:

“We explain to you in the clearest manner. A narrator is someone who relates a story as it truly happened.”

He explained that His words,

“through Our revelation to you of this Quran,”

mean, “by Our revealing this Quran to you.” Whoever holds this view says, “through Our revelation to you of this Quran.” According to this interpretation, it is like saying, “We recite