needs the instruction and lessons conveyed by the narratives, promises, and warnings, nothing else can take their place. The affirmation of Allah’s oneness cannot replace these, nor can the narratives replace the commands and prohibitions, or the commands and prohibitions replace the narratives. Rather, people benefit from and need everything Allah has revealed.

When a person recites “Say: He is Allah, One,” he receives a reward equal in measure to the reward for a third of the Quran. Yet this reward need not be of the same kind as that obtained through the rest of the Quran. He may need the kind of reward obtained through its commands, prohibitions, and narratives, and “Say: He is Allah, One” neither replaces these nor serves in their stead.

Thus, if he does not recite “Say: He is Allah, One,” then, even if he receives a great reward, he does not obtain by reciting it the kind of reward obtained by reciting other parts of the Quran. Rather, he remains in need of the knowledge of commands, prohibitions, promises, and warnings through which his faith is perfected, even if he fulfills his obligations. The knowledge gained by reciting the rest of the Quran cannot be gained merely by reciting this surah.

In this respect, one who recites the entire Quran is better than one who recites this surah three times, because of the variety of rewards. Although someone who recites “Say: He is Allah, One” three times receives a reward equal in measure to that reward, it is of a single kind, lacking the various kinds that the servant needs. This is like one person possessing three thousand dinars, while another possesses food, clothing, dwellings, and money together worth three thousand dinars. The latter possesses what benefits him in all his affairs, whereas the former needs what the latter possesses, even though their possessions are equal in value. Likewise, if he possessed