One of the fundamental questions for a believer is why the Qur’an, the traditions of the Infallibles, and Nahj al-Balagha always remain fresh and alive, never losing their vitality with the passage of time, while many human works—even profound and valuable ones—gradually fade. The answer lies in the source and origin of these teachings.

The source of the Qur’an and the words of the Infallibles is divine knowledge. God’s knowledge is neither limited by time nor subject to decay or change. The Qur’an states:

“Does He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the All-Aware?” (Qur’an 67:14)

Knowledge that issues from such a source can never have an expiration.

From the perspective of Islamic philosophy and mysticism, God is al-Ḥayy (the Ever-Living)—a being whose essence is life itself, pure awareness, and absolute actuality, not a life that arises or perishes. The Qur’an declares:

“Allah—there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all.” (Qur’an 2:255)

When the Divine Essence is life itself, His knowledge is living, and the word that flows from this knowledge is likewise a living word—one that addresses every age and every reader anew.

For this reason, Imam ʿAli (peace be upon him) says regarding the Qur’an:

“Its wonders never cease, and its marvels never come to an end.”

Its perpetual freshness is not due to changing words, but to the living reality behind them.

Nahj al-Balagha and the sayings of the other Infallibles share this same quality, for the Infallibles, in the language of mysticism, are manifestations of the Divine Names and Attributes. They are mirrors in which the Name al-Ḥayy is reflected. Thus, their words are not merely personal insights or historical expressions; rather, they are the flow of divine life clothed in human language.

According to Transcendent Theosophy, the speech of the Infallible is temporally originated yet connected to a transhistorical truth. Every time one reads the Qur’an or opens Nahj al-Balagha, one encounters a living reality that discloses meaning in proportion to the reader’s spiritual capacity. This is why a single verse or sermon can reveal new meanings in every age without diminishing its earlier ones.

Therefore, the secret of the Qur’an’s and the hadith’s eternal freshness is this: the Word of God is the word of the Living God, and the speech of the Infallibles is the speech of those united with divine life. The stronger the connection to Absolute Life, the more living, flowing, and everlasting the word becomes