the proof against him became evident, he said: ‘Allah may speak, but His speech is created.’

“We said: ‘The speech of the children of Adam is also created. You have thus likened Allah to His creation by claiming that His speech is created. According to your doctrine, there was a time when He did not speak, until He created speech. Likewise, the children of Adam did not speak until He created speech for them. You have thus combined disbelief with likening Allah to His creation. Exalted is Allah above such a description!

‘Rather, we say that Allah has always been One who speaks whenever He wills. We do not say that He existed without speaking until He created speech. Nor do we say that He once did not know until He created knowledge and then knew. Nor do we say that He existed without power until He created power for Himself. Nor do we say that He once existed without light until He created for Himself