the Last Day and the narratives, and called them “The Jewels of the Quran.” He also collected the verses concerned with practice and called them “The Pearls of the Quran.” He placed the first half of al-Fātihah among the jewels and the second among the pearls. Verses combining both meanings he assigns to whichever category predominates in them. Together, the verses he included in these two categories constitute a quarter of the Quran’s verses—approximately fifteen hundred verses.

He divided the meanings of the Quran into six categories: three fundamental subjects and three subsidiary ones. He described the Quran as the all-encompassing ocean from which the knowledge of earlier and later generations branches out.

He said:

“The secret of the Quran, its purest essence, and its ultimate purpose is to call people to the Most High, the All-Compelling, Lord of this world and the Hereafter, Creator of the lofty heavens and the earths below.

“The three essential subjects are: making known the One to whom people are called; making known the straight path that must be followed in journeying to Him; and making known their condition upon reaching Him.

“As for the three remaining subjects, the first concerns the circumstances of those who respond to the call and the subtleties of Allah’s dealings with them. Its inner meaning and purpose are to inspire longing and desire. It also makes known the circumstances of those who turn aside and shrink from responding, and how Allah subdues them and makes an example of them. Its inner meaning and purpose are to provide a lesson and inspire fear.

“The second recounts the statements of those who deny the truth and exposes their shameful failings and ignorance through debate and argument in support of the truth. With regard to falsehood, its purpose and inner meaning are to lay it bare, warn against it, and make it repellent; with regard to truth, to clarify, confirm, and establish it.

“The third explains how to maintain the way stations along the path, and how to obtain provisions, a mount, and the equipment needed to prepare.”

I say: What he has stated—that the foundations of faith are three—is indeed true, just as he has said.