just as the Christians likewise agree that the body of the Messiah was not of the Godhead but was created, they then go on to say:
‘The pre-eternal meaning was sent down through these created letters. Among us are those who call the letters themselves the speech of Allah in the literal sense, just as we call the meaning the speech of Allah in the literal sense; and among us are those who say, Rather, the letters are the speech of Allah only metaphorically—just as some Christians hold that the body is literally divine on account of its union and intermingling with the Godhead; and still others maintain that it is merely the locus and vessel of the Godhead.’
The Christians further declare: ‘This body is worshipped only because it manifests the Godhead: though it is not identical with it, it became so by way of union and serves as its receptacle by way of indwelling; hence it is to be venerated.’
Nor do these theologians stop there; instead they say: ‘These letters are not part of Allah’s speech, and it is impossible for Allah to speak them or converse by means of them—indeed, it does not so much as enter the smallest particle of divinity that He should speak by them. Rather, He created them in order to display through them the pre-eternal meaning and to point to it; for that reason they deserve reverence and their violation is forbidden…’ (1)
To this very dilemma Ibn al-Qayyim—may Allah have mercy on him—alluded when he said:
O people, Christians erred long ago
About the nature of speech, and found no guiding light;
So they made the Messiah their god, for it was said,
‘A word from the Compassionate, the Creator most high.’
They named him both humanity and timeless divinity—
Two now united after having been apart.
The same is said by one who claims His speech
Is but an ageless meaning, devoid of events,
While its other half is created—those very letters—
His humanity; yet the two are not the same.
Observe this curious accord, for it is wondrous;
Contemplate the way of the All-Merciful. (2)
2 – What follows from the opponents’ view is that there must be two Qur’ans.
The muṣḥaf that Muslims hold in their hands, recite with their tongues, and memorize in their hearts is—so they allege—not the speech of Allah at all; it is merely an expression or narration of the Divine Speech, and its being called ‘Quran’ or ‘speech’ is only figurative. In their view, it is created.
As for the pre-eternal meaning subsisting in the Essence, this alone is the true speech according to them: it consists of no letters and no audible sounds, but is a single, indivisible meaning that has existed from everlasting.