—such as His saying: “Is the one who walks stumbling on his face better guided, or the one who walks upright upon a straight path?” (67:22). And when He set forth the qualities of the Messenger, the substance of his call, and the character of those who opposed him most fiercely, He said: “Indeed, either we or you are upon guidance or in manifest error” (34:24); “Soon you will see, and they will see, which of you is the one who is truly afflicted” (68:5–6); “There is no compulsion in religion—right guidance has become distinct from deviance” (2:256); and: “Say, ‘The truth is from your Lord; whoever wills, let him believe, and whoever wills, let him disbelieve’ ” (18:29). Once things have been fully set apart and their respective ranks in good and evil, perfection and deficiency, made clear, any further explicit statement of preference becomes unnecessary—and Allah knows best.