verses pass before him, he learns their qualities, his knowledge of them grows, and his love for them deepens. He comes to appreciate their character and deeds—above all, the character and deeds of their leader and master, Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him. Accordingly, he strives to model himself on their conduct and actions to the extent that he is able. He realizes that faith in the messengers attains its perfection only through thorough knowledge of their lives, love for them, and adherence to their guidance. The Quran contains ample descriptions of them—more than enough for one who seeks sufficiency.

He also gains the benefit of imitating their lofty instructions, their guidance of humankind, their gracious speech, their gentle replies, and their consummate patience. Their stories were not revealed as mere tales for amusement; rather, they were sent down so that people might take heed and learn lessons.

Among the sciences of the Quran, moreover, is the knowledge of the people of felicity and goodness, and of the people of wretchedness and evil. Knowing these groups, their qualities, and their descriptions serves many purposes: it encourages one to follow the righteous, warns against the ways of the wicked, provides a clear criterion between the two parties, and explains the traits and paths by which the former reach the Abode of Bliss while the latter arrive at the Abode of Hellfire. Loving those devout individuals is part of faith, just as loathing the evildoers is part of faith. The better a servant understands their conditions, the more firmly he can realize these objectives.

Another Qur’anic science is the knowledge of divine recompense in this world, in the intervening realm (barzakh), and in the Hereafter for deeds of righteousness and deeds of sin.

This science, too, has lofty aims: affirming the perfection of Allah’s justice and the vastness of His grace; strengthening belief in the Last Day—whose full acceptance depends on knowing what will occur therein; inspiring hope and fear; and fostering a keen desire for the acts to which Allah has attached immense reward while instilling dread of their opposites.

Among the sciences of the Quran is also the science of commands and prohibitions.

Here the aims are likewise noble: to know the limits of what Allah has revealed to His Messenger. Indeed, the servants must know what they have been commanded and what they have been forbidden, and they must act accordingly—while knowledge necessarily precedes action. The way to achieve this is that, when the reader encounters a text containing a command