—as we have already quoted from his words in his Refutation of the Jahmiyya (1). For when the Jahmī said, “Allah has never spoken and will never speak,” he was denying the future just as he had denied the past.

Aḥmad (2) replied, “What will they do with the ḥadīth of ʿAdī ibn Ḥātim? The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: ‘There is not one of you except that Allah will speak to him, with no interpreter between him and Allah’ (3).”

Aḥmad then added, “When the limbs testify against the disbelievers—[and they will say, ‘Why did you testify against us?’] (4)—Allah says: {They will reply, ‘Allah, Who has endowed all things with speech, has made us speak.’} (5) Do you imagine those limbs will speak with a cavity, lips, a mouth, and a tongue? Rather, Allah will make them speak as He wills; likewise, Allah Himself speaks as He wills, without our saying that He possesses a cavity, a mouth, lips, or a tongue.

Thus he affirmed that Allah speaks however He wills (6), whereas those who hold the first view say that His speech is not subject to will, for in their understanding only a newly originated thing—something created and external—can depend on will.

Aḥmad also said (7): “In the report transmitted by al-Zuhrī it is stated that when Moses heard the speech of his Lord he said, ‘My Lord, is this speech that I hear truly Your speech?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Moses, it is My speech. I have addressed you with the power of ten thousand tongues; I possess the power of all tongues, and I am mightier than that. I have spoken to you only in proportion to what your body can bear (9); had I spoken to you with more than that, you would have died.’”