He wills (1), and among what He brought about was that you not speak (2) during prayer.” (3)
It is well known that what He brought about was His command that they not speak during prayer—not their actually refraining from speech during prayer, for that occurs by their own choice. Indeed, some of them spoke after the prohibition, though they had been forbidden to do so. That is why the Prophet said:
“Allah brings about from His command whatever He wills.” (4)
[Countering the Imāmīs’ Arguments with Those of Other Innovators]
The point here (5) is that (*) (6) this Imāmī (7) should be told: “These brethren of yours maintain that their position, not yours, is the truth. Yet you have offered no proof for your position other than merely asserting, ‘He is not a body,’ (7 while these brethren of yours say, ‘He is a body’ 7) (8). Debate them, for they are your brethren regarding the Imamate but your opponents regarding tawhīd (divine unity).
“Likewise, you ought to debate the Kharijites, who are your opponents. As for (9) Ahl al-Sunnah, they occupy a middle position between you and your opponents, yet you cannot decisively refute [your opponents—either] this group or that (10).”
(1) N and M read: “whatever He wills.”
(2) N reads: “that they should not address anyone.”
(3) The hadith is narrated from Ibn Masʿūd—may Allah be pleased with him—with some variation in wording. See al-Bukhārī, 9/152 (Book of Tawhīd, chapter “The Saying of Allah Most High: ‘Every day He is engaged in some affair’”); Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 1/335 (Book of Prayer, chapter on returning greetings during prayer); Sunan al-Nasāʾī, 3/16–17 (Book of Forgetfulness, chapter on speaking during prayer); and al-Musnad (al-Maʿārif ed.), 5/200 (no. 3575), 5/339–340 (no. 3885), 6/21 (no. 3944), and 6/91 (no. 4145).
(4) N and M read: “whatever He wills.”
(5) The word “here” is omitted from ʿ.
(6) The extensive lacuna in A and B ends here; it began on p. 249.
(7) B reads: “Then it is said to this Imāmī”; A: “Then it is said to this imam”; N: “He says to this Imāmī.” The reading adopted in the text is from ʿ and M.
(8) The passage between the two markers numbered 7 is omitted from A and B.
(9) ʿ reads: “As for.”
(10) B and A read: “in decisively refuting these and those among your opponents”; N and M: “yet you are unable to refute your opponents, either these or those.” The reading adopted in the text is from ʿ.