Meeting with God’s Special Servant

When Moses and Joshua son of Nūn returned to the meeting of the two seas (majmaʿ al-baḥrayn) (the appointed place), they met one of God’s special servants; a servant who was blessed with both “special divine mercy” (raḥmat-i wīzha ʿind Allāhī) and “divinely-bestowed knowledge” (ʿilm ladunnī) taught directly by God: “Then they found one of Our servants upon whom We had bestowed mercy from Us and whom We had taught knowledge from Our presence”.(85) This special servant of God was endowed with all perfections in both theoretical wisdom (ḥikmat naẓarī) and practical wisdom (ḥikmat ʿamalī). He was not only versed in practical wisdom such as mercy, asceticism, forgiveness, pardon, and clemency, but he was also knowledgeable and well-versed in theoretical wisdom.

Note: When a ruling is contingent upon an attribute, such as the attribute of “servitude” (ʿabdan min ʿibādinā) in the verses under discussion, or something that functions as an attribute, it indicates that attribute’s influence in bringing about that ruling. Of course, not all divine favors are given as rewards; however, the role of worship in attaining special mercy and reaching exclusive knowledge is praiseworthy.