from Allah Most High in every respect, and similar claims. Imam Ahmad, the imams of his time generally, his companions, and other scholars rejected this. Their denunciations and refutations of all these innovations are recorded in reliably transmitted works, such as The Book of the Sunnah by al-Khallāl, al-Ibānah (The Elucidation) by Ibn Battah, the books on the ordeal transmitted by Hanbal and Sālih, The Book of the Sunnah by ‘Abd Allāh ibn Ahmad, The Sunnah by al-Lālakā’ī, The Sunnah by Ibn Abī Hātim, and numerous other works.

As for refuting the Jahmiyyah, who deny the divine attributes and maintain that the Quran is created, much concerning this is found in the statements of the Successors, those who followed them, and the renowned imams. There are very many transmitted reports concerning the question of the Quran.

Among these is what Ibn Abī Hātim, Ibn Shāhīn, al-Lālakā’ī, and others narrated through several chains of transmission from ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib—may Allah be pleased with him—that he was told on the day of Siffīn, “You appointed two men as arbitrators.” He replied, “I did not appoint a created being as arbitrator; I appointed only the Quran.”

‘Ikrimah reported: Ibn ‘Abbās was attending a funeral. When he had placed the deceased in the burial niche, a man stood up and said, “O Allah, Lord of the Quran, forgive him.” Ibn ‘Abbās sprang towards him and said, “Stop! The Quran is from Him.”

Another version reads: “The Quran is Allah’s speech and is not subject to lordship. From Him it came forth, and to Him it will return.”

‘Abd Allāh ibn Mas‘ūd said: “Whoever swears by the Quran owes an expiation for every verse. Whoever disbelieves in a single letter of it has disbelieved in it all.”