161 — Abū Hafs Umar ibn Ayyūb al-Saqatī related to us, saying: ⦗497⦘ al-Hasan ibn al-Sabbāh al-Bazzār related to us, saying: A brother of mine from the Ansār related to me, from Abū Zakariyya Yahyā ibn Yūsuf al-Zimmī, who said: “I heard Abd Allah ibn Idrīs when a man asked him about someone who says, ‘The Quran is created.’ He asked, ‘Is he one of the Jews?’ The man replied, ‘No.’ He asked, ‘One of the Christians?’ He replied, ‘No.’ He asked, ‘One of the Magians?’ He replied, ‘No.’ He asked, ‘Then to whom does he belong?’ He replied, ‘To those who affirm Allah’s oneness.’ He said, ‘Allah forbid that such a person should be among those who affirm His oneness! He is a heretic. Whoever claims that the Quran is created has thereby claimed that Allah Most High is created. Allah Most High says, “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful” [al-Fātiha: 1]. The Most Compassionate cannot be created, the Most Merciful cannot be created, and Allah cannot be created. This is the very foundation of heresy.’”

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ⦗498⦘ said: Ahmad ibn Abī Awf also related to us, saying: I asked al-Hasan ibn Alī al-Hulwānī, “The people among us have differed concerning the Quran. What do you say—may Allah have mercy on you?” He replied, “The Quran is the uncreated speech of Allah. We know of no position other than this.”

Ahmad ibn Abī Awf said: I heard Hārūn al-Qazwīnī say, “I have never heard any scholar in Medina or any adherent of the prophetic traditions who did not condemn anyone who said, ‘The Quran is created,’ and declare him an unbeliever.” Hārūn said, “I too uphold this Sunnah.” Ahmad ibn Abī Awf said to us, “I hold the same position as Hārūn.” ⦗499⦘

Ibn Abī Awf said: I heard Hārūn say, “Whoever suspends judgment concerning the Quran out of doubt and does not say that it is uncreated is like one who says that it is created.”