and brought out the inkwell and pen. Abū ‘Abd Allāh crossed out the words, ‘My utterance of the Quran is uncreated,’ and wrote in his own hand between the two lines: ‘The Quran is uncreated, however it is conveyed.’
“He said, ‘I have never heard anyone say anything about this,’ and he denounced anyone who said, ‘My utterance of the Quran is uncreated.’”
Al-Khallāl said in The Sunnah:
“Zakariyyā ibn al-Faraj al-Warrāq informed me: Abū Muhammad Fawrān related to us, saying: Sālih came to me while Abū Bakr al-Marwazī was with me. He summoned me to Abū ‘Abd Allāh and said, ‘My father has heard that Abū Tālib has reported him as saying, “My utterance of the Quran is uncreated.”’
“I rose to go to him, and Sālih followed me. Sālih went round by his door, and we entered Abū ‘Abd Allāh’s presence. He was intensely angry, his anger plainly visible on his face. He said to Abū Bakr, ‘Go and bring me Abū Tālib.’
“Abū Tālib came. Before his arrival, I had been trying to calm Abū ‘Abd Allāh, saying, ‘He deserves respect.’ Abū Tālib sat before him, his face having changed colour. Abū ‘Abd Allāh asked him, ‘Did you report that I said, “My utterance of the Quran is uncreated”?’
“He replied, ‘I was only stating my own view.’
“He said, ‘Do not report this as either your statement or mine. I have never heard a scholar say this’—or ‘the scholars’; Fawrān was unsure which.
“He also told him, ‘The Quran is the speech of Allah, uncreated, however it is conveyed.’
“I said to Abū Tālib, while Abū ‘Abd Allāh was listening, ‘If you have reported this to anyone, go and tell him that Abū ‘Abd Allāh has forbidden