What is meant by 'the complete' is that it is read with both the yā and the tā. The yā indicates that the term 'the secret counsel' is feminine in a non-literal sense and is a separator. Or it could mean that nothing of the secret counsel exists. The secret counsel is the act of whispering, so it must either refer to three people, meaning: from the secret counsel of three individuals, or it is described as such, meaning: from the people of secret counsel of three, omitting the people. Or they made the secret counsel within themselves an exaggeration, as His saying: 'They whispered secretly.' Ibn Abī 'Aīla read: three and five, in the accusative case as a state, implying 'they are whispering,' because the secret counsel indicates it. Or it could be interpreted as 'the secret counsel' meaning 'those who are whispering,' and its accusative is implied in it. If you say: what is the reason for specifying three and five? I say: there are two views. One is that a group of hypocrites gathered to whisper in order to provoke the believers with these two numbers: three and five. It was said: none of them whispers three or five as you see them whispering, nor less than their numbers nor more, except that Allah is with them, hearing what they say. It has been narrated from Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that it was revealed concerning Rabī'ah and Habīb, the sons of 'Amr, and Safwān ibn Umayyah: they were once talking, and one of them said: Do you think that Allah knows what we say? The other said: He knows some of it and does not know some of it. The third said: If He knows some of it, then He knows all of it, and that is true. Because whoever knows some things without a cause has knowledge of all of them, since being knowledgeable without a cause is established for Him with every known thing. The second view is that he intended to mention what is customary regarding the numbers of those who engage in secret counsel and those who consult and those who are invited for that purpose. They are not just anyone; rather, they are a selected group of those with understanding and wisdom, and a few from the people of opinion and experience. The first number is two, increasing to five, to six, and so on, according to the situation and the ruling of what is preferred. Do you not see how 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, left the matter as a consultation among six and did not go beyond to a seventh? He mentioned three and five and said: 'nor less than that,' indicating two and four, and said: 'nor more,' indicating what follows this number and is close to it. In the manuscript of 'Abdullah: 'except Allah is their fourth,' and 'nor four except Allah is their fifth,' and 'nor five except Allah is their sixth,' and 'nor less than that nor more except Allah is with them when they whisper.' It is also read: 'nor less than that nor more,' in the accusative case, as 'no' negates the kind. It is permissible that 'nor more' is in the nominative case, coordinated with the position of 'nor less,' as in your saying: 'there is no power nor strength except by Allah,' with 'power' in the nominative and 'strength' in the nominative. It is also permissible that they are both in the nominative as a beginning, as in your saying: 'there is no power nor strength except by Allah,' and that their elevation is coordinated with the position of 'from secret counsel,' as if it were said: 'what is less or more except He is with them.' It is also permissible that they are genitive, coordinated with 'secret counsel,' as if it were said: 'what is from less or more except He is with them.' It is read: 'nor greater,' with the bā. The meaning of being with them is that He knows what they whisper about and nothing is hidden from Him regarding what they are in, as if He is witnessing them and present with them, and He is exalted above place and witnessing. It is read: 'then He will inform them,' in a lighter form.