such people sometimes treat distinct realities as a single thing, just as they have treated all kinds of speech as a single meaning. A speaker’s words may be heard directly from him or from someone conveying them.

Thus, when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Actions are only according to intentions, and each person shall have only what he intended. Whoever’s migration is to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger. But whoever’s migration is for worldly gain he seeks to obtain or a woman he wishes to marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated,”

these words were spoken by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in both their wording and their meaning. Their wording is the Messenger’s wording, and their meaning is the Messenger’s meaning. When someone conveys them on his behalf, he conveys the Messenger’s speech in its wording and meaning. Yet the voice of the Companion conveying it is not the voice of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Likewise, the Quran is Allah’s speech in both its wording and its meaning. Gabriel heard it from Him and conveyed it from Allah to Muhammad. Muhammad heard it from Gabriel and conveyed it to his community. It remains Allah’s speech wherever it is heard, written or recited, as Allah Most High says:

“If any of the polytheists seeks your protection, grant him protection until he hears the speech of Allah, then escort him to a place of safety.”

Allah Himself spoke His speech, speaking it by His choice and power. It is not something created and separate from Him. Rather, it subsists in His essence, while He spoke it by His power and will; it does not subsist independently of His power and will.