al-Ma‘ālī—said: “The position of al-Shāfi‘ī and his followers concerning divine speech is not that of al-Ash‘arī.” Rational people generally say that the falsity of this position is self-evident. We know that translating the Torah into Arabic would not make it the Quran, and we know that the meaning of the Verse of the Throne is not the same as that of the verse on debt.

In His Book, Allah Most High distinguishes between His speaking to Moses and His sending revelation to others. He says:

“We have revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him,”

through to His words:

“And Allah spoke to Moses directly.”

He also says:

“It is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger who reveals, by His permission, whatever He wills.”

Thus, He distinguishes between the speaking granted to Moses and the revelation shared by the prophets. Moses heard Allah’s speech from Allah without any intermediary, as He, Most High, says:

“So listen to what is revealed.”

“Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me.”

When the Messenger conveys it to people, and people convey it from him, it is heard through the intermediary who conveys it. As Allah Most High says:

“If any of the polytheists seeks your protection, grant him protection so that he may hear the speech of Allah.”

Thus, His speech is heard as it is conveyed from Him through a created intermediary, unlike the way Moses, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, heard it. If a servant hears the Messenger’s words from those who convey them on his behalf, that is not like hearing them from the Messenger himself; how much more so in the case of Allah Most High.