except as something particular. Thus, there is no existence other than the existence of the Creator or the existence of a creature. Each creature’s existence is specific to it, although the term “existence” is general and encompasses all of these. Likewise, “knowledge” and “power” are general terms encompassing their individual instances. In external reality, however, there is only the Creator’s knowledge and the creature’s knowledge; each creature’s knowledge is specific to it and subsists in it.

The terms “speech” and “letters” encompass everything to which they apply, but in external reality there is only the speech of the Creator and the speech of creatures. Each creature’s speech is specific to it, while the term “speech” encompasses everything to which it applies. In external reality, there are only the letters Allah has spoken, which occur in the Creator’s speech, and the letters that occur in the speech of creatures.

Thus, if it is said that the Lord’s knowledge and power, together with His speech, are uncreated, and that the letters of His speech are uncreated, it does not follow that a servant’s knowledge, power, and speech are uncreated, or that the letters of his speech are uncreated.

Furthermore, the term “letter” encompasses both the spoken letter and the written letter. If it is said that Allah spoke the spoken letters, just as He spoke the Arabic Quran and His words “Alif Lām Mīm,” “Hā Mīm,” “Tā Sīn Mīm,” “Tā Sīn,” “Yā Sīn,” “Qāf,” “Nūn,” and the like, then this is His speech, and His speech is uncreated. When it is written in copies of the Quran, what is written of the Lord’s speech is uncreated, although the ink and the shapes it takes are created.

Furthermore, when people recite Allah’s speech, the speech itself is uncreated if Allah has spoken it. When someone conveying it recites it, it does not cease to be