teach him the Book, and the Wisdom.' ¹ 'We gave of old the Scriptures and the wisdom to the line of Abraham.' ² 'And when I taught thee (Jesus) the Scripture, and Wisdom, and the Law, and the Evangel.' ³

It is this same 'Wisdom' which has been bestowed on Muhammad. 'Now hath God been gracious to the faithful, when He raised up among them an apostle out of their own people, to rehearse unto them His signs, and to cleanse them, and to give them knowledge of the Book, and of Wisdom.' ⁴ ' And God hath caused the Book and the wisdom to descend upon thee.' ⁵

It is difficult at times to say whether Muhammad distinguishes between the Qur'an itself and this Wisdom. They are, in some passages, spoken of in such a way as to lead to the conclusion that Muhammad practically identified them.⁶ But it is probable that 'the Wisdom' refers to moral and religious teaching, or rather to moral and religious enlightenment which comes to those who accept the divine revelation. For the 'Wisdom' is not described by Muhammad in such a way as to compel us to say that it is confined to what is in the Qur'an. It was given to other prophets before the time of Muhammad. ⁷ Nay, it may be given to any whom God pleaseth. 'He hath given wisdom (literally, the Wisdom) to whom He will; and he to whom wisdom

(literally, the Wisdom) is given, hath had much good given him; but none will bear it in mind, except the wise of heart.' ¹

In one passage it is clearly used in reference to a preceding part of the Sura in which is given what some commentators regard as a summary of the teaching and commands given to Moses on the Mount. 'This is a part of the Wisdom which thy Lord revealed to thee.' ²

It seems, therefore, best to interpret the expression as meaning very much the same as it did in the mouths of the Jewish thinkers — practical, moral teaching and inspiration.

The source of this teaching and inspiration is God. It is He who has caused it to descend upon mankind, for He is 'the Wise' (Al-Hakim). God is not only 'the Knowing', He is 'the Wise'. In other words, God's knowledge is not mere mental or intellectual acquaintance with facts and truths, but has as its basis a moral conception of the true value and the proper relation of all things. God sees all things and knows all things according to their essential and intrinsic values. He views things from a moral standpoint, and all His actions and all His commands have as their foundation this Wise Knowledge.

This is the thought which seems to have been in the mind of Muhammad when he used, as he so frequently does, the refrain, 'God is Mighty and Wise'.

5. God manifests His Omnipresence and His Omniscience through His Sovereign Will which is Omnipotent