is not connected with either will or power.

In his discussion, he also explained that Allah, Glorified is He, has spoken and will speak, in refutation of the Jahmiyyah. As evidence that He has spoken, he cited the hadith in the two Sahīh collections, narrated from ‘Adī, in which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“There is not one of you but that his Lord will speak to him.”

He took the words “his Lord will speak to him” as evidence that He will speak. Thus he explained that, in his view, speaking necessarily entails addressing someone and includes speech; it is not merely the creation of perception in the person drawing the inference.

Imam Ahmad said:

“We said to the Jahmiyyah: ‘Who is it who will say on the Day of Resurrection:

“O Jesus, son of Mary, did you tell people, ‘Take me and my mother as two gods besides Allah’?”

(al-Mā’idah: 116)

‘Is it not Allah who says this?’

“They said: ‘Allah brings something into being, and it speaks on Allah’s behalf, just as He brought something into being that spoke to Moses.’

“We said: ‘Then who is it who says:

“We will surely question those to whom messengers were sent, and We will surely question the messengers. Then We will surely recount to them with knowledge”?

(al-A‘rāf: 6–7)

‘Is it not Allah who asks these questions?’

“They said: ‘In all these instances, something is merely brought into being and speaks on Allah’s behalf.’

“We said: ‘You have uttered an immense falsehood against Allah by claiming that He does not speak. You have thus likened Him to the idols worshipped besides Allah, for idols neither speak nor move, nor do they pass from one place to another.’

“Then, when