has become a king overnight—for the entire affair lies in Allah’s hand. And how many a proud man who imagines himself dominant over everyone is, overnight, reduced to the most humiliated of Allah’s servants! Conversely, a person who is despised today may be honored tomorrow, for sovereignty and judgment belong to Allah alone.

Likewise, legislative authority rests solely with Allah; no one else possesses it. Allah, exalted be He, is the One Who declares things lawful, unlawful, or obligatory, and no created being has the final word in such matters. Permitting, obligating, and forbidding all lie with Allah. For that reason He forbade His servants to pronounce something lawful or unlawful without His sanction, saying:

“Do not say, falsely uttering with your tongues, ‘This is lawful and that is forbidden,’ fabricating a lie against Allah. Those who fabricate lies against Allah will never prosper; their enjoyment is brief, and they will suffer a painful punishment.” (Al-Naḥl 16:116–117)

In short, the topic of faith in Allah is vast indeed. Were a person to speak about it fully, he could continue for many days, yet a brief indication spares us a lengthy discourse.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then said, “and His angels.” The angels are an unseen order of beings; Allah—glorified and exalted—created them from light and assigned each of them specific tasks. Every angel carries out exactly what Allah commands him. Concerning the angels of Hellfire, Allah says, “Over it are angels, stern and severe, who never disobey Allah in what He commands them but do precisely what they are commanded” (Al-Taḥrīm 66:6). They neither display arrogance toward the command nor are they incapable of carrying it out; they do whatever they are told and are fully able to do so. Human beings, by contrast, may refuse to obey or may lack the power to comply, whereas the angels were created solely to execute Allah’s commands—whether these relate to acts of worship assigned to them or to managing the affairs of creation.