people do not understand its meaning, even though He Himself intended a meaning by it. Thus, this view that he attributes to the Hashwiyyah cannot be traced to any particular proponent. Whether or not such a proponent is known, the argument he gives is weak on his own premises. For the dispute concerns speech composed of letters, which he considers created, and he allows that Allah may create anything without any wise purpose, even if rational people regard this as pointless. On his view, Allah is not to be held above such things. His argument is therefore weak on his own premises. Yet it is impossible for Allah to act pointlessly, and his premise denying this impossibility is false, as has been explained in detail elsewhere.