—are used for weighing, or because of the multiplicity of the weights themselves. As for what they have said—that the number is large on account of the many meanings indicated by the various expressions—this is indeed correct. Yet once those expressions point to numerous meanings, it follows that the meanings conveyed by the expressions concerning the speech (1) of Allah are themselves numerous, and not a single meaning (2); that is precisely the point at issue.

Sixty-fifth Argument

The Quran explicitly employs the plural kalimāt (words) when plurality is intended, and the singular kalimah (word) when singularity is intended (3), as in His words:

“Had it not been for a Word that had already gone forth from your Lord, it would have become inevitable—and for an appointed term as well” (4) [Q 20:129];

and His words:

“Say, ‘If the sea were ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would run dry before the Words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We were to bring another like it to help it.’” (5) [Q 18:109];

and His words:

“Were every tree on earth to be pens, and the sea—followed by seven more seas—to supply the ink, the Words of Allah would not be exhausted.” (6) [Q 31:27].

He has thus clarified that were those Words to be written with the waters of the seas and the pens fashioned from the trees, they would never be depleted. The verb nafād denotes depletion or ending; therefore, it is understood that some of those Words would be written while others would remain unwritten. This is an explicit affirmation that they are so numerous that, after some are inscribed, many still remain. How, then, could anyone claim that by the plural “Words” He meant only a single word—especially when the very term “trees”—