to mention seeking refuge from human whispering, since it follows from the whispering of the jinn.”

The reply is:

Rather, whispering is of two kinds: one comes from the jinn, and the other from human souls. As He says:

“We have certainly created man and know what his soul whispers to him.”

Evil thus comes from both sources. Humans have their devils just as the jinn have theirs. Waswasah (whispering) is akin to washwashah (hushed speech), written with the dotted letter shīn. One says, “So-and-so yuwashwishu (whispers to) so-and-so,” or “washwashahu (he whispered to him),” when he speaks secretly into his ear. Waswasah is used similarly; hence the expression waswasat al-huliyy (the soft jingling of jewelry). However, the form with the undotted letter sīn has a more specific meaning.

The Lord of humankind is the One who nurtures them through His power, will, and governance. He is the Lord of all worlds, the Creator of them all and of their deeds.

“The Sovereign of humankind”

is the One who commands and forbids them. A sovereign exercises authority through speech. Inanimate things have no sovereign, since they cannot understand speech addressed to them, but they do have an owner. Sovereignty applies only to those who understand their sovereign. Animals understand one another, as He says:

“We have been taught the language of birds.”

“An ant said, ‘O ants!’”

Thus, animals may have a sovereign of their own kind or of another kind, as Solomon was their sovereign.

The God is the One worshipped, to whom all intentions and deeds are directed, as has already been explained at length.

It has also been said that humankind are singled out for mention because they are the ones seeking refuge, or because they are