Abū al-Wafā’ ibn ‘Aqīl, who said in his al-Kifāya, in response to this hadith when the Mu‘tazilites cited it as evidence that the Quran was created:

“The answer is that what is meant here is its reward, as indicated by the saying, ‘Protect yourselves from the Fire, even with half a date.’ It is well known that a date cannot protect a person from it, let alone half a date; rather,