Section

This—and the point we have already mentioned, that the Qur’an is the Speech of Allah (1) in both its letters and its meanings—is the explicit stance of the leading imams and the early generations, and it is in full accord with the Book and the Sunnah.

As for their statements clarifying that His speech (2) is not limited to letters and sounds, but that the meaning as well is part of His speech, such texts are plentiful in the words of Ahmad and others. One example is what al-Khallāl relates in his Kitāb al-Sunnah (3) from al-Athram (4) and from Ibrāhīm ibn al-Hārith al-ʿAbbādī: that he entered upon Abū ʿAbd Allāh while al-Athram and ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīm al-ʿAnbarī were present. ʿAbbās began and said:

“O Abū ʿAbd Allāh, a people have arisen who say, ‘We do not say “created” nor “uncreated.”’ These are more harmful to ordinary folk than the Jahmiyyah. Woe to you! If you will not say, ‘It is not created (5),’ then at least say, ‘It is created.’”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh replied, “They are an evil people.”

ʿAbbās then asked, “What do you say, O Abū ʿAbd Allāh?”

He answered, “What I hold, adhere to, and have no doubt about is that the Qur’an is uncreated.” He then exclaimed, “Glory be to Allah! Who could doubt this?” Abū ʿAbd Allāh went on, regarding any doubt on the matter as something momentous, saying, “Glory be to Allah—is there any doubt about this? Allah the Exalted says: ‘Unquestionably, to Him belongs the creation…’”