are shielding yourselves from reproach.’ As for the report of al-Zuhrī, he said:

“When Moses heard Allah’s speech, he said, ‘My Lord, is what I have heard Your speech?’

“He said, ‘Yes, Moses, it is My speech. I have spoken to you only with the power of ten thousand tongues. I possess the power of all tongues, and I am more powerful than that. I have spoken to you only to the extent that your body can bear. Had I spoken to you with more than that, you would have died.’

“When Moses returned to his people, they said to him, ‘Describe your Lord’s speech to us.’ He replied, ‘Glory be to Allah! How could I describe it to you?’

“They said, ‘Then liken it to something.’

“He said, ‘Have you heard the sounds of thunderbolts approaching with the greatest sweetness you have ever heard? It was something like that.’”

In this passage, Ahmad stated that Allah, Most High, speaks however He wills. In the report he cited as evidence, he mentioned (that Allah spoke to Moses—peace be upon him—with the power of ten thousand tongues), that He possesses the power of all tongues and is more powerful than that, and that He spoke to Moses only to the extent that he could bear; had He spoken to him with more than that, he would have died.

This makes clear that, according to Ahmad, Allah’s speaking is connected with His will and power, as ‘Abd al-‘Azīz mentioned. This contradicts the view of those who make it like His beginningless life, necessarily inherent in His essence, which