He thus advanced a claim about the Quran designed to mislead people. When an uninformed person is asked, “Is the Quran Allah or something other than Allah?” he is compelled to choose one of the two replies. If he says, “It is Allah,” the Jahmi declares, “You have disbelieved.” But if he says, “It is other than Allah,” the Jahmi responds, “You are right—so why should something other than Allah not be created?” A doubt then takes root in the ignorant listener’s heart and inclines him toward the Jahmi’s view.

This question is one of the Jahmi’s deceptive tricks. Should he ask, “Tell us about the Quran: is it Allah or other than Allah?” the answer is: Allah—exalted be His praise—never said in the Quran, “The Quran is I,” nor did He say, “It is other than Me.” Rather, He said, “It is My speech.” We therefore call it by the name Allah Himself chose: the Speech of Allah. Whoever names the Quran with the name Allah has given it is among the guided, whereas whoever calls it by another name is among the misguided1.

Allah has also distinguished His speech from His creation. He said, “Unquestionably, to Him belongs the creation and the command” (7:54). When He said, “to Him belongs the creation,” every created thing was encompassed by that phrase; then He mentioned what is not created, saying, “and the command.” His command is His word—glorified be the Lord of all worlds above having His speech considered a creation.

He likewise said, “Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night—for We are ever warning—on which every wise command is decreed” (44:3-4), and the Quran itself continues, “as a command from Us” (44:5).