- Ubayd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad informed us in a reading before him. He said: The judge Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Kamil informed us. He said: Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Jarir said:
“The first matter we shall address concerning this is the Speech of Allah and His sending it down, since this is among the meanings of affirming His oneness. The correct position on this, in our view, is that it is the uncreated Speech of Allah—however it is written, however it is recited, and wherever it is read: whether it is found in heaven or preserved on earth; whether it is written on the Preserved Tablet or inscribed on the writing tablets of children in Quran schools; whether it is engraved in stone or written on paper; whether it is preserved in the heart or uttered by the tongue.
“Whoever says otherwise, or claims that there is a Quran on earth or in heaven other than the Quran ⦗207⦘ that we recite with our tongues and write in our copies of the Quran; or believes otherwise in his heart, conceals it within himself, or professes it with his tongue as his religion—such a person is a disbeliever in Allah, whose blood may lawfully be shed. He is cut off from Allah’s protection, and Allah has disavowed him. For Allah, exalted is He, says:
“Rather, it is a glorious Quran, in a Preserved Tablet.” [al-Buruj: 22]
“And He—whose word is true—says:
“If any of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the Speech of Allah.” [al-Tawbah: 6]
“Thus, exalted is He, has informed us that it is written on the Preserved Tablet and heard from the tongue of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. It is one Quran: heard from Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace; written on the Preserved Tablet; preserved in people’s hearts; and recited by the tongues of the old and the young.
“Whoever relates from us, reports about us, fabricates words in our name, or claims that we have said anything other than this—upon him be the curse and wrath of Allah, as well as the curse of all who curse: the angels and all mankind. Allah will accept from him neither ransom nor compensation. May He tear away his covering and expose him before all witnesses:
“The Day their excuse will not benefit the wrongdoers; theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the worst abode.” [Ghafir: 52]
“As for the correct position in our view concerning the believers’ seeing their Lord on the Day of Resurrection—and this is the religion by which we worship Allah and upon which we found the people of the Sunnah and the united community—it is that the people of Paradise will see Him, as is established in the authentic reports from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
“The correct position in our view regarding the disputed question of the servants’ actions ⦗208⦘, their good deeds, and their evil deeds, is that all of this is from Allah. Allah decrees and directs it. Nothing occurs except by His will, and nothing comes to pass except by His decree. To Him belong creation and command.
“The correct position in our view is that faith consists of speech and action; it increases and decreases. This has been reported from a group of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and it is the position held by the people of religious commitment and virtue.
“As for the question of people’s utterance of the Quran, I know of no report concerning it from any Companion who passed on, nor from any Follower who came after, except from one whose statement contains healing and sufficiency—may Allah have mercy upon him and be pleased with him—and in following whom lie right conduct and guidance: Abu Abd Allah Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal. For Abu Isma‘il al-Tirmidhi related to me, saying: I heard Abu Abd Allah Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal say: ‘The Lafziyyah are Jahmites, due to the saying of Allah, exalted is He: “so that he may hear the Speech of Allah” [al-Tawbah: 6]—heard from one who hears.’
“As for the question of whether a name is the thing named or something other than it, this is among the newly invented foolish matters for which there is no precedent to follow and no statement of an imam to heed. Delving into it is a disgrace, while remaining silent about it is an adornment. It is sufficient for a person, in knowledge and speech concerning it, to stop at the words of the Truthful One, exalted is He:
“Say, ‘Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Compassionate—whichever you call upon, to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.’
“And His words:
“To Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them.” [al-A‘raf: 180]
⦗209⦘. And he should know that his Lord is the One who established Himself above the Throne; to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens, whatever is on earth, whatever is between them, and whatever lies beneath the soil. Whoever goes beyond this has failed and lost.
“Let those of you who are present, O people, convey this to those who are far away and those who are near: the religion by which we worship Allah concerning the matters we have mentioned is what we have explained to you, as we have described it. Whoever relates anything contrary to this, attributes anything else to us, or ascribes to us a different statement regarding it is a liar—an inventor of falsehood, a transgressor, and one who speaks by conjecture. He bears the burden of Allah’s anger and displeasure; upon him are Allah’s wrath and curse in both abodes. Allah will assuredly bring him to the place of arrival which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, promised to those like him, and will lodge him in the abode which the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, informed us that Allah will assign to others of his kind.”