one who speaks, revelation would be invalidated, commands and prohibitions would cease, and religion would no longer rest upon transmitted revelation. Gabriel, peace be upon him, would not have heard what he conveyed, nor would the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, have received what he delivered. Submission, hearing, and following authority would thus be nullified, leaving only the rational argument upon which they based their position. This accords with the statement of Uthmān ibn Saīd that Jahm founded his heresy solely upon denying that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, speaks.

These three principles, then, are the original structures of heresy. These men are the “male” heretics, as I heard Yahyā ibn Ammār call them. He also narrated, through his chain of transmission, from