Do you imagine that the mountains glorified Him by means of a chest, a mouth, a tongue, and two lips? And when people’s very limbs testify against the unbelievers, they will say:

“Why did you testify against us?” The limbs will answer, “Allah, the One Who has given speech to all things, has made us speak.” (Fussilat 41:21)

Do you suppose those limbs will speak with a chest, a mouth, and a tongue? Rather, Allah will make them speak in whatever manner He wills. Likewise, Allah Himself speaks as He wills, without any need for an interior, a mouth, lips, or a tongue.

Ahmad—may Allah be pleased with him—said: When the proof tightened around his opponent’s neck, the man exclaimed, “Allah did speak to Moses, but the speech He addressed to him is something other than Himself.” We responded, “And is that ‘other’ created?” He replied, “Yes.” We said, “This is exactly your original claim; you are merely softening its ugliness with new phrasing.”

Al-Zuhri narrated: When Moses heard the speech of his Lord he said, “My Lord, is what I have just heard truly Your speech?” He replied, “Yes, O Moses, it is My speech. I spoke to you only in proportion to what your body could bear; had I spoken to you with more than that, you would have died.” When Moses returned to his people they asked, “Describe for us the speech of your Lord.” He answered, “Glory be to Allah! How could I ever describe it to you?” They said, “Then give us a comparison.” He said, “Have you ever heard the sound of thunderclaps coming toward you, in the sweetest resonance your ears have ever perceived? It is something like that.”1