individual instances of each attribute—that is, His willing of this particular occurrence and this particular individual. The attribute itself has always existed.

On this basis, it may be said: Even if He were to create “speech” within His essence, or originate speech within His essence, or if His speech were something that comes into being or is originated, speech itself—that is, this attribute and its kind—is neither something that comes into being, nor originated, nor created. As for particular speech, “such as the Quran,” it is not created, either within His essence or outside His essence. Rather, He spoke it by His will and power, and it comes into being within His essence.

May it be said that He originated it within His essence? There are two views, the sounder of which is that this may be said, as Allah Most High says:

“No new reminder comes to them from their Lord.”

And the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Allah brings about whatever He wills of His command, and among what He has newly ordained is that you must not speak during prayer.”

Al-Bukhārī devoted a chapter to this in his Sahīh, on a subject supported by the Book and the Sunnah.

This differs from creating something. Neither reason, revelation, nor language provides any basis for a person to call the actions and speech that subsist in him his own creation, saying, “I created that.” Rather, he says, “I acted and spoke.” He may also say, “I brought about these words and actions,” as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Beware of newly introduced matters, for every innovation is misguidance.”

He also said:

“Medina is a sanctuary between ‘Ayr and Thawr. Whoever introduces an innovation there or shelters an innovator incurs the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people.”

Although what he means here by “introducing” is narrower than bringing something about in the general sense of performing an action