602 – Ubayd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad informed us; he said: Ahmad ibn Kamil related to us; he said: Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari said:

As for the question of people’s utterances of the Quran, we know of no report concerning it from any Companion who passed away, nor from any Successor who followed after him—except from one whose words bring healing and sufficiency, whose way brings sound judgment and guidance, and who, in our estimation, holds the rank of the early imams: Abu Abd Allah Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal.

For Abu Ismaʿil al-Tirmidhi related to me that he heard Abu Abd Allah Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal say: “The Lafziyyah are Jahmites. Allah Most High says: ‘until he hears the words of Allah’ [al-Tawbah: 6]. From whom does he hear it?”

Ibn Jarir said: I also heard a group of our companions, whose names I do not recall, relate from him that he used to say: “Whoever says, ‘My utterance of the Quran is created,’ is a Jahmite; and whoever says, ‘It is not created,’ is an innovator.”

Ibn Jarir said: We have no position on this matter that we may state other than his position, for we have no imam other than him whom we follow. His position is sufficient and satisfactory, and he is the imam to be followed.