The Words | 25. Word | 433
(375-476)

FIFTH QUALITY OF ELOQUENCE: The Qur'an sometimes mentions material, particular matters which are subject to change and are the means of various circumstances, then in order to transform them into the form of constant truths, summarizes them with constant, luminous, universal Divine Names, and ties them up. Or it concludes with a summary which encourages thought and the taking of lessons. An example of the first meaning:

And He taught Adam the Names, all of them, then placed them before the angels, and said: "Tell me the Names of these if you are right." * They said: "Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed You are All-Knowing, All-Wise!"128

First of all this verse mentions a particular matter, which is, "In the question of Adam's vicegerency, it was knowledge that gave him superiority over the angels." Then within this event it mentions that of the angels' defeat before Adam in respect of knowledge. Then it summarizes these two events with two universal Names: Indeed You are All-Knowing, All-Wise. That is: since You are All-Knowing and Wise, You instructed Adam and he prevailed over us. And since You are All-Wise, You treated us according to our abilities and gave him preference in accordance with his abilities.

An example of the second meaning:

And verily in cattle you will find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies, between excretions and blood, We produce for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable for those who drink it

until,

Wherein is healing for men; indeed in this is a sign for a people who thinks.129

These verses point out that Almighty God makes creatures of His like sheep, goats, cattle, and camels into springs of pure, delicious milk for man, and artefacts like grapes and dates into cauldrons and trays laden with deliciously sweet bounties for him, and tiny miracles of His power like the honey-bee into makers of a sweet, health-giving sherbet, and then conclude with the words, Indeed in these are signs for a people who thinks, thus urging man to think and take lessons and compare these with other things.

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128.Qur'an 2:31-2
129.Qur'an 16:66-9

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