A One More Knowing

Wa fawqa kulli dhi 'ilmin 'alim

"So he searched their saddle-bags before his brother's, then produced the cup from his brother's bag. This is how We planned for Yusuf, for he could not take his brother under the law of the king unless Allah so willed. We raise in status whom We please. And over everyone endowed with knowledge is one/One more knowing."

Does it mean that over everyone endowed with knowledge is a person more knowing, or that over everyone endowed with knowledge is the One who is All-Knowing?

The one does not exclude the other.

In either case, the impact upon us is the same.

When it comes to knowledge we are tormented by our status, taunted by the status of others,
and confronted by the status of God.

Knowledge belongs to God, and we carry the burden of lucidity in understanding and expressing God's knowledge. The infinite ability of human beings to produce absurdities only reminds us of our status. Over everyone endowed with knowledge is The One who is more knowing. The burden of lucidity taunts and torments us. The knowledge of the All-Knowing comforts us.

And we pray, "God ease the burdens of my heart and lift the impediments of my tongue so that they may understand what I say" (20:25-28)

{Khaled Abou El-Fadl, Conference of the Books}