All of them, therefore, argue for the Qur’an’s pre-eternity by means of their well-known proof—the very foundation of the school (1). Al-Ashʿari and his companions relied on it, as did al-Qadi Abu Yaʿla (2), Ibn ʿAqil (3), Abu al-Hasan al-Zaghuni (4), and others. We referred to this argument earlier (5) when presenting the first group’s basic position on the authority of Abu al-Maʿali, for he thought he had formulated it in a way that would ward off certain objections. We have already mentioned this and have shown that he built it on the premise that accidents cannot inhere in Him. Here we shall cite the proof exactly as these scholars set it forth, for it is famous throughout their writings. The followers of al-Ashʿari have admitted that this method is his mainstay, and likewise the mainstay of their other leading figures, such as al-Qadi Abu Bakr (6), Abu Ishaq (7), and Ibn
(1) In the copy: “ahl.”
(2) His definition has already been given above.
(3) He was Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Aqil al-faqih al-Baghdadi, known as Abu al-Wafa, one of the leading figures of his time in both transmitted and rational sciences; he was born in 432 AH and died in 513 AH. See: Tabaqat al-Hanabila by Ibn Abi Ya‘la, 2/259; al-Muntazam by Ibn al-Jawzi, 9/212–215; Mizan al-I‘tidal by al-Dhahabi, 3/146. In his book Dar Ta‘arud al-‘Aql wa al-Naql (8/61), Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) states: “In his writings there is abundant eloquent and praiseworthy material, and also material contrary to the Sunnah and the truth, which is blameworthy and refuted.”
(4) He was Ali ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Nasr ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Sahl ibn al-Zaghuni al-Baghdadi al-Hanbali, known as Abu al-Hasan; a vast reservoir of knowledge and author of numerous works, including al-Idah fi Usul al-Din (Clarification in the Fundamentals of Religion). He also composed a treatise on phonetics, which has been subject to critique. He died in 527 AH. See: al-Muntazam by Ibn al-Jawzi, 10/32; Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ by al-Dhahabi, 19/605–607; Shadharāt al-Dhahab by Ibn al-‘Imad, 4/80–81.
(5) In the copy: “he mentioned them both.”
(6) His definition has already been given above.
(7) He was Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Mihran al-Isfarayini, known as Abu Ishaq and nicknamed Rukn al-Din, one of the mujtahids of his era. Ibn Khallikan records that al-Hakim said: “I took from him…”