Presenting a question to the students in order to test them, just as the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—posed the question to ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him.

The hadith also permits a person to say, “Allah and His Messenger know best,” without having to say, “Allah then His Messenger know best.” The knowledge of the sacred law that reaches the Prophet—peace be upon him—originates with Allah; thus the Messenger’s knowledge is derived from the knowledge of Allah, exalted is He. For that reason it is correct to say, “Allah and His Messenger know best,” as in the verse, “If only they had been content with what Allah and His Messenger gave them” (al-Tawbah 9:59). The Qur’an does not say “then His Messenger” because the act of giving mentioned here is a legal (sharʿī) giving, and the Prophet’s legal giving comes from Allah’s giving. Therefore, in matters of the Shariah one may say, “Allah and His Messenger,” without inserting “then.” In matters of the created order—such as will or other worldly affairs—one should not say, “Allah and His Messenger,” but rather, “Allah then His Messenger.” For this reason, when a man said to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—“Whatever Allah wills and you will,” he replied, “Have you made me a peer with Allah? Instead, say: Whatever Allah alone wills.”

The hadith further indicates that when a questioner asks about something he already knows so that others may benefit, he is regarded as their teacher. In our narration the one who supplied the answer was the Prophet—peace be upon him—while Gabriel was the questioner; although Gabriel did not teach the people directly, he was the cause of an answer from which they profited. Some scholars have consequently said that when a student of knowledge sits in a gathering with a scholar, he should ask about matters that concern those present, even if he already knows their rulings,