the leading imams of the Muslims never declared that this negation had to be affirmed—neither by the scholarly elite nor by the general public. Nor can its alleged obligatoriness be classed among recently arisen issues, for were this belief truly compulsory it would have been binding upon both the earliest and the latest generations just as obligatory (1) as believing (2) that there is no god but Allah, that the Hour is surely coming and admits of no doubt, and that Allah will resurrect those in the graves (3).
Since it is known (4) with indisputable certainty that the Lawgiver did not make this belief obligatory, the claim that sheer reason imposes it must be rejected. The Lawgiver has indeed endorsed the genuine rational duties and required them, just as He has enjoined truthfulness and justice and forbidden falsehood and oppression. Therefore, once it is established that this statement is not obligatory, no one has the right to impose it upon the people—much less to punish those who refrain from it and turn it (5) into a trial, befriending whoever concurs with them and [whoever] (6) dissents being treated as an enemy (7). This line of reasoning is one of the methods adopted by the scholars (8) in their refutation.
(1) The text enclosed in parentheses is an addition found in manuscripts S and T.
(2) The particle “annahu” is omitted in manuscript S.
(3) After the word “al-qubur” (the graves) there is a blank space in S and T roughly the length of one word; it may mark the end of one passage and the start of another.
(4) In the original, S reads “ma’lum” (known). I have adopted, as I judge correct, the reading from T.
(5) In manuscripts S and T: “yaj’aluhu” (he makes it).
(6) The text enclosed in parentheses is an addition found in manuscripts S and T.
(7) Originally “wa’adahu” (and his foes); I have adopted, as I judge correct, the reading from manuscripts S and T.
(8) For example, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) was tested on the doctrine of the created Qur’an under the caliphs al-Ma’mun, al-Mu’ta sim and al-Wathiq, enduring long imprisonment, severe flogging, threats of execution, and harsh torture instigated by malicious courtiers such as Ibn Abi Du’ad and Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, deputy of Baghdad, among others. He remained steadfast (may Allah have mercy on him) and insisted that “the Qur’an is the speech of Allah, revealed, not created,” a stance derived from the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger, and the statements of the Companions (Sahaba) and the Followers (Tabiun), as I detailed earlier in the study of the trial concerning the doctrine of the created Qur’an.
Similarly, Imam Ahmad ibn Nasr al-Khuza’i was tested on this doctrine during the caliphate of al-Wathiq and, persisting in the belief that the Qur’an is the speech of Allah, revealed, not created, he was killed.