and deemed it lawful to withhold their rights and punish them.

When some of what Allah sent the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, with remains unknown to people, they are either just or unjust. The just person acts upon whatever teachings of the prophets have reached him and does not wrong others; the unjust person transgresses against others. These people commit injustice while knowing that they are doing so, as Allah Most High says:

“And those who were given the Scripture did not become divided until after the clear evidence had come to them.”

Had they instead followed the justice they knew, they would have allowed one another to hold their respective views. Such is the case with followers of the leading jurists who recognize that they themselves are unable to ascertain the ruling of Allah and His Messenger on those questions. They therefore take their imams as representatives of the Messenger and say, “This is the utmost we are capable of.” The just among them neither wrong others nor transgress against them in word or deed—for example, by claiming that the view of the imam they follow is correct without presenting any evidence, and disparaging someone who disagrees with them even though that person is excused.

Those who subjected Ahmad and others to the inquisition were among these ignorant people. They introduced ambiguous language through which they denied the truth. When they debated Ahmad during the inquisition and mentioned the term “body” and similar expressions, he answered them, saying: “I say as Allah Most High says:

‘Say: He is Allah, the One.
Allah, the Eternal Refuge.’

As for the term ‘body,’ it is a newly introduced, innovated expression that no one is obliged to use at all. Its intended meaning is ambiguous, and you have not explained what you mean so that we may agree with you on the correct meaning.”

He therefore said: “I do not understand what you are saying.