Imam Ahmad, other trustworthy imams of the early generations, and all other affirmers of the attributes. Thus Imam Ahmad said, as reported by Hanbal in “The Book of the Ordeal”: “Allah has always been All-Knowing, Speaking, and All-Forgiving.” He thus affirmed Allah’s knowledge—a purely essential attribute—His “forgiveness,” which is among the “attributes of action,” and His speech, which shares features of both. He stated that Allah has always possessed these attributes and names.
In his “Refutation of the Heretics and the Jahmiyyah,” Imam Ahmad mentioned Jahm’s statement, “He speaks, but His speech is created.” Ahmad said:
“We said to him: ‘Likewise, the speech of human beings is created. According to your doctrine, there was a time when Allah did not speak, until He created speech. Likewise, human beings do not speak until He creates speech for them. You have thus combined disbelief with likening Allah to His creation.’”
They also related in “The Ordeal” the evidence Imam Ahmad cited during the debate. He argued from Allah’s words:
“But the word from Me will come to pass.”
He said: “If the word is from anyone other than Allah, then it is created.”
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As for the claim that Ahmad said this only out of fear of people, its falsehood is known to every rational person who has heard anything of Ahmad’s life. Whoever says this is in greater need of severe punishment for his slander against the imams than of an answer. For