and theological discourse. Most of his discourse concerned Allah Most High. He encountered some polytheists known as the Sumaniyyah. They became acquainted with Jahm and said to him, ‘We will debate you. If our argument prevails over yours, you will embrace our religion; if yours prevails over ours, we will embrace yours.’

Among the questions they put to Jahm was: ‘Do you not claim that you have a god?’ Jahm replied, ‘Yes.’ They asked, ‘Have you seen your god?’ He replied, ‘No.’ They asked, ‘Have you heard Him speak?’ He replied, ‘No.’ They asked, ‘Have you detected any scent from Him?’ He replied, ‘No.’ They asked, ‘Have you perceived Him with your senses?’ He replied, ‘No.’ They asked, ‘Have you felt Him by touch?’ He replied, ‘No.’ They asked, ‘Then how do you know that He is a god?’

Jahm was bewildered, and for forty days he did not know whom he worshipped. Then he came up with an argument like that of the heretics among the Christians. These Christian heretics claim that the spirit within Jesus—may Allah bless our Prophet and him—is from the spirit of Allah Most High and from the essence of Allah