and connected to Him, consisting of meaning. Thus, the former are more extreme in their innovation in denying that Allah truly speaks and in declaring His speech created.

The latter are more extreme in their innovation in excluding from Allah’s speech what actually belongs to it. In this they agree with part, though not all, of what al-Wahīd said, namely, in their claim: “Half of the Quran is not Allah’s speech, but human speech.”

Some of them may argue that, since it is attributed to the Messenger, he must have brought its letters into being. Yet anyone making this argument has failed to reflect and recognize that Allah attributes it on one occasion to a messenger who is Gabriel, and on another to a messenger who is Muhammad. In the first passage, He says:

“Indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger,
possessed of power and securely established with the Lord of the Throne,
obeyed there and trustworthy.”

This is Gabriel. In the other passage, He says:

“Indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger.
It is not the word of a poet—little do you believe!
Nor is it the word of a soothsayer—little do you take heed!”

This is Muhammad. If its attribution to the Messenger meant that he originated its letters and brought them into being, it could not properly be attributed to both of them, since it is impossible for each of them to have brought its letters into being.

Furthermore, He says:

“Indeed, it is the word of a messenger.”

This is a statement about the Quran—a designation more properly applied to its meaning, both in their view and in that of the people of the Sunnah. Had the Messenger originated it, the Quran would have come from him, not from Allah. Allah attributed it to the Messenger only because he conveyed it, delivered it, and brought it from Allah. Hence He said:

“The word of a messenger,”

rather than “the word of an angel” or “a prophet.” Instead, He used the designation “messenger” to make clear