the meaning of what he was saying. There is no power or might except through Allah, the Most High, the Most Great!

According to the fifth, stronger alternative, he said this so that a particular meaning would be understood from it, knowing that this meaning was false. He therefore intended people to understand falsehood—the very opposite of the truth—and described realities contrary to what they actually were. In effect, this means that he knowingly told a lie so that people would believe that lie and hold that false belief, and thereby benefit from it.

According to those who ascribe ignorance to him, claiming that he did not understand the meaning of the Quranic verses and hadiths concerning the divine attributes that he uttered and related, no good could come of his addressing them in this way. For on either assumption, he neither conveyed any truth to them nor addressed them with words through which truth could be known. Yet if the speech were in a foreign language and were not translated for them, they would neither be misled nor guided by it. If, however, it were in Arabic, and its apparent meaning were false—as these people claim—then people would understand its apparent meaning and thereby be led astray.

Thus, they did not stop at claiming that he himself did not understand its meaning: when he addressed people with it, they understood from it what constitutes unbelief and misguidance. This is especially so since no one has reported that he forbade people to believe