Qādī Abū Ya‘lā(1)—[in his book entitled al-Talkhīs](2)—did not follow, in establishing the Maker, the method followed by [those] Mu‘tazilites(3) and those who agreed with them, [who first establish the temporal origination of the world by establishing the temporal origination of bodies, making this the method by which the Maker is established](4). Rather, they begin(5) by establishing the Maker and then establish the temporal origination of the world through the finitude of originated events. They need not maintain that every body is [temporally originated](6).
Overall, there are four possible cases. As for originated events, either an endless succession of them is possible, [or an endless succession of them is impossible and they must have a beginning](7). Under either possibility:
(1) (B), (A): “such as Qādī Abū Hāzim and Qādī Abū Ya‘lā”; (N), (M): “such as Qādī Abū Ya‘lā”; (ʿ): “such as Qādī Abū Hāzim ibn Qādī Abū Ya‘lā.” I considered the reading adopted in the text to be the most likely correct one. A biography of Abū Hāzim appeared earlier at 1/143 (biog. [0–9]). See also his biographies in *Shadharāt al-Dhahab*, 4/82; *al-Wāfī bi-al-Wafayāt*, 1/160; and al-Ziriklī, *al-A‘lām*, 7/249.
(2) The phrase “in his book entitled *al-Talkhīs*” is omitted from (N) and (M). This book is not mentioned in the biographies of Abū Hāzim found in the sources cited above.
(3) (N): “the Mu‘tazila follow it”; (B), (A), (M): “the Mu‘tazila followed it.”
(4) The passage between brackets is omitted from (N) and (M). In (ʿ), the following is written in the margin: “His statement, ‘where they first establish … etc.,’ is connected to his statement, ‘followed by those Mu‘tazilites.’”
(5) (B): “they begin.”
(6) The word “temporally originated” is omitted from (N) and (M).
(7) The passage between brackets is from (ʿ). In its place, (B) and (A) read: “or they must have a beginning”; while (N) and (M) read: “or they must be brought into existence.”