Among the people of Khurasan, it is related from Muhammad ibn Aslam al-Tusi: “Whoever says that the Quran is created by virtue of its wording has thereby claimed that the Quran is created.”

589 - The same is related from Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Dhuhli, who said: “He is an innovator,” and he ordered that such a person be dissociated from and avoided. It is related from Ali ibn Khashram al-Marwazi: “Whoever says, ‘The Quran as I utter it,’ or, ‘My utterance of the Quran,’ or, ‘The Quran as I recite it,’ or, ‘My recitation of the Quran’—whether he puts one expression first or last—it is all the same.” ⦗389⦘ He said: “I do not approve of this wording; there is no difference between them.” He would marvel at those who distinguished between them, saying: “The statement of anyone who adopts the utterance formula leads to the doctrine of the Ruhaniyyah, a class among the heretics.”

591 - It is related from Ahmad ibn Sa'id al-Darimi: “Whoever claims that his utterance of the Quran is created is a disbeliever.”

592 - It is related from Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Shabbuwayh and Ahmad ibn al-Sabbah, known as Ibn Abi Surayj, that they said: “The Jahmites are disbelievers.”

593 - The same is related from Ahmad ibn Sa'id al-Taba'i.

594 - Abd al-Rahman said: Harb ibn Isma'il al-Kirmani al-Hanzali wrote to me: “The manifest, upright truth and correctness upon which we found the people of knowledge is that whoever claims that our utterances of the Quran and our recitation are created is a wicked, innovating Jahmite.”

595 - It is related from Abu Mas'ud Ahmad ibn al-Furat that he said: “Whoever says, ‘My utterance of the Quran is created,’ is a Jahmite.”

596 - The same is related from Abu Zur'ah and Abu Hatim, except that Abu Zur'ah said: ⦗390⦘ “My utterance of the Quran,” or, “The Quran as I utter it.”

597 - Abd al-Rahman said: Abu Zur'ah was asked about the actions of servants, and he replied: “They are created.” It was then said to him: “Our utterance of the Quran is among our actions.” He said: “This is not to be said.” It is related from Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari: “Whoever claims that I said, ‘My utterance of the Quran,’ is a liar.” This report will come in full at the end of this chapter, if Allah wills.

598 - It is related from Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Sha'rani: “Whoever says that his utterance of the Quran is created has said that the Quran is created.” Muhammad ibn Jarir held the same view as Ahmad and argued for it. Thus, the import of these imams’ statements—may Allah be pleased with them—is that the Quran is truly heard from Allah. When a reciter reads it, the Quran does not become the reciter’s utterance in the way that human speech, when a person utters it, is created. Allah’s speech does not resemble their speech, for it is uncreated; likewise, it differs from human speech when recited. This is the meaning to which Abu Ubayd—may Allah have mercy on him—alluded.