—let him consult the books and historical chronicles; otherwise, let him stay in his house and keep the people safe from his mischief. Let him either remain silent with forbearance or speak with knowledge, for every situation has its proper discourse and every contest its champions. Part of learning is to say, when you do not know: “Allah and His Messenger know best.”

The Generation of al-Shāfiʿī and Aḥmad ﵄

171 – The compiler cites it through the narration of Aḥmad ibn Ibrāhīm al-Dawraqī: “ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Shaqīq reported to us….”
I remark: This chain is sound; its transmitters are trustworthy. ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad also recorded it in al-Sunnah ⦗6 and 6–7⦘ by two routes from Abū al-Wazīr Muḥammad ibn Aʿyan: “I heard al-Naḍr ibn Muḥammad recount it,” adding:
“I went to ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak and informed him, whereupon he said, ‘Abū Muḥammad has spoken the truth—may Allah grant him well-being. Allah would never command us to worship something created.’”
Its chain is authentic. Abū Dāwūd likewise recorded it ⦗267⦘ through one of the two routes.

A statement similar to that of Ibn al-Mubārak is what al-Bukhārī relates in al-Afʿāl ⦗70–71⦘ from Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd al-Hāshimī, who said:
“Whoever claims that the Qur’an is created is an unbeliever. If, as they allege, the Qur’an were created, then why should Pharaoh be more deserving of eternal punishment in the Fire for having said, ‘I am your supreme lord’ (Q 79:24)? They assert that this utterance is created. Yet the One who said, ‘Indeed, I am Allah; there is no deity but Me, so worship Me’ (Q 20:14)—this too, according to them, would be a created claim! Why then should Pharaoh be more entitled to everlasting Fire than that, when both, in their view, are created?” When this was conveyed to Abū ʿUbayd, he approved of it and admired it.

172 – I add: The earliest person whose name is explicitly cited in this matter among the Salaf is ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, as mentioned in his biographical entry ⦗149⦘; he died in 126 AH. As for the Companions, I know of no explicit, sound text from any of them—apart from the general wording quoted from ʿAmr ibn Dīnār earlier, which I suspect was meant prevailingly. What is authentically reported from them is their declaration that the Qur’an is the speech of Allah, even though they did not add “uncreated,” for there was then no need to do so.

Imām Aḥmad (may Allah have mercy on him) alluded to this when he was asked: “Is a man allowed to say, ‘[The Qur’an is] the speech of Allah,’ and then keep silent?” He replied, “And why should he keep silent? Were it not for what people have fallen into, silence would have sufficed him. But now that they have spoken as they have, why should he not speak as well?” This was narrated from him by Abū Dāwūd ⦗263–264⦘.

For that reason al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAdī said: