the Mu'tazilites was more manifestly unsound. The argument used to negate this—namely, that whatever is capable of receiving something (1) can never be devoid of both it and (2) its opposite—is weak. The most astute members of the various groups have acknowledged its weakness, and the fair-minded among them (3) have admitted that they possess no rational proof—nor, indeed, any revealed proof—for denying the subsistence (4) of temporal events in Him, except an argument that would negate the attributes altogether. That is utterly unsound. How, then, is it possible to arrive (5) at the other position—the position of the Salaf and the people of Hadith?

In sum, the doctrine that the Lord has never ceased speaking whenever He wills, as held by the people of Hadith, rests upon two premises: that volitional acts subsist in Him (6), and that His speech has no end.

Allah Most High said:

“Say, ‘If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought another like it as a replenishment.’”

[Surah al-Kahf: 109]

He also said:

“If all the trees on earth were pens, and the sea—replenished after it by seven more seas—were ink, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Indeed, Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.”

[Surah Luqmān: 27]

More than one scholar has stated that speech of this kind (7) is intended to demonstrate