ʿUbayd Allah ibn ʿAmr narrated to us; Sulaymān ibn Bilāl transmitted; from Sharīk ibn ʿAbd Allah; from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), on the night of the Ascension, said: “I saw Moses in the seventh heaven, honored because Allah had spoken to him.”

Abū ʿAbd Allah then remarked: “If you were to claim that you make people hear Allah’s speech exactly as Allah made His speech heard by Moses—He said to him, ‘Indeed, I am your Lord’ (20:12)—that would amount to a claim of lordship, unless you clearly distinguish between your own recitation and the very speech of Allah.

“Allah the Exalted has said: ‘So remember Me; I will remember you’ (2:152), and, ‘Remember Allah as you remember your fathers’ (2:200). These verses show that the servant’s remembrance of his Lord is not the same as Allah’s remembrance of His servant. The servant’s remembrance is supplication and humble entreaty, whereas Allah’s remembrance is His response—just as Allah, exalted is He, has said—

“And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘I say nothing except what is in the Qur’an.’”