it speak?’

“He replied, ‘No.’

“Jahm asked, ‘Have you perceived it through the senses or by touch?’

“He replied, ‘No.’

“Jahm said, ‘Likewise, Allah’s face cannot be seen, His voice cannot be heard, and no scent can be detected from Him. He is hidden from sight and is not in one place to the exclusion of another.’”

Imam Ahmad continued his discussion of “the Quran,” “seeing Allah,” and other matters until he said:

“Then Jahm made a claim, saying, ‘We have found a verse in Allah’s Book indicating that the Quran is created.’ We asked, ‘Which verse?’

“He replied, ‘Allah’s words: “The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah and His word which He conveyed to Mary, and a spirit from Him.” Jesus is created.’

“We said, ‘Allah has deprived you of understanding the Quran. Descriptions apply to Jesus that do not apply to the Quran, for Allah describes him as born, an infant, a child, and a boy. He eats and drinks, is addressed with commands and prohibitions, and is subject to promises and threats. Moreover, he is a descendant of Noah and a descendant of Abraham. We may not say of the Quran what we say of Jesus. Have you heard Allah say of the Quran what He said of Jesus?

“‘Rather, the meaning of Allah’s words, “The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah and His word which He conveyed to Mary,” is that the word He conveyed to Mary was His saying to him, “Be!” Jesus thus came into being through “Be!” Jesus is not himself “Be!”; rather, he came into being through “Be!” The word “Be!” is an utterance from Allah, and it is not created.’

“The Christians and the Jahmiyyah lied about Allah concerning Jesus. The Jahmiyyah said, ‘Jesus is Allah’s spirit and His word, but the word is created,’ while the Christians said: