(1) In his book Al-Ibana, Ibn Battah bases his argument on what Imam Ahmad states here in refutation of the Jahmiyya; see Al-Ibana, 2/166-167. Ibn Battah further writes (2/169): “Likewise, because the ‘command’ (amr) is distinct from ‘creation’ (khalq), God separated them with the conjunction waw, saying: ‘Unquestionably, to Him belongs the creation and the command’ (Q 7:54). The command is His command—His speech—whereas the creation is His creation; and by His command He brought the creation into being, for God, exalted is He, commands what He wills and creates what He wills. The Jahmi alleges that the command is created just as the creation is created, so that the meaning of God’s words would become, in effect, ‘to Him belongs the creation and the creation’; thus the Jahmi combines what God has kept distinct.” Al-Ajurri reports in Kitab al-Shariʿa, 1/504-505, no. 171: Abul-Qasim also narrated to us, saying, Saʿid b. Nasir Abu ʿUthman al-Wasiti, during the lesson of Khalaf al-Bazzar, said, “I heard Ibn Uyayna remark, ‘What is that little insect saying?’—meaning Bishr al-Marisi. They replied, ‘Abu Muhammad, he claims that the Quran is created.’ Ibn Uyayna said, ‘He lies. God Most High declares: “Unquestionably, to Him belongs the creation and the command.” The creation is God’s creation, and the command is the Quran.’” The editor, Dr. Abdullah al-Damiji, judges the chain of transmission to be hasan (sound).