himself; however, since the foundational doctrine of the Jahmiyya and the Muʿtazila was that no attributes, actions, or speech subsist in the Lord, they were compelled to say:
“His speech is separate from Him and is created [as one of His created things] (1).”
The first person known to have espoused this (2) was al-Jaʿd ibn Dirham (3), followed by al-Jahm [ibn Safwān] (4); it was then adopted by the Muʿtazila.
[Statements of the Imams of Islam Concerning the Quran]
When this doctrine emerged, they questioned the imams of Islam, such as Jaʿfar al-Sādiq (5) and others like him. They asked Jaʿfar [al-Sādiq] (6), “Is the Quran a creator or is it created?” (7) He replied, “It is neither a creator nor created; rather, it is the speech of Allah.”
It is well known that by saying, “It is neither a creator nor created,” he did not mean [that it] (8) was neither a liar nor a fabricated lie. Rather, he meant [that it] (9) is neither the Creator of created things nor itself one of those created things; instead, it is the speech of the Creator.
The same applies to what has been transmitted from ʿAlī ibn Abī Tālib—[may Allah be pleased with him] (10)—when it was said
(1) “Among His created things”: omitted from N and M.
(2) N and M read: “This became manifest through him.”
(3) In the margin of manuscript ʿ, after several of the preceding passages have been copied, the following appears: “I say: Jaʿd ibn Dirham was slaughtered by Khālid ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Qasrī with his own hand after he had stepped down from delivering the sermon on Eid al-Adha. During his sermon, he said: ‘O people, this Jaʿd claims that Allah Most High did not take Ibrāhīm as an intimate friend and did not speak directly to Mūsā. Rise and offer your sacrifices—may Allah accept from us and from you—for I intend to sacrifice Jaʿd ibn Dirham.’ He then stepped down from the pulpit and slaughtered him with his own hand while the people looked on.” This report appears in Ibn al-Athīr’s *al-Kāmil*, 5/104.
(4) “Ibn Safwān”: an addition in ʿ.
(5) M reads: “They asked that foremost luminary, Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq.”
(6) “Al-Sādiq”: an addition in ʿ.
(7) ʿ reads: “Is the Quran created or a creator?”
(8) “That it”: omitted from N and M.
(9) “That it”: omitted from N and M.
(10) “May Allah be pleased with him”: omitted from N; M reads: “Peace be upon him.”