religion were written by authors who mentioned only some of these views, since they knew no others beyond those they cited. Some mention two views, some three, some four, and some five; most of them do not know the view of the Salaf] (1)

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The first is:

The view of those who say that Allah’s speech consists of meanings that emanate into souls—either from the Active Intellect, according to some of them, or from some other source. This is the view of the Sabians and the philosophers who agree with them [such as Ibn Sīnā and others like him] (2), as well as those philosophical Sufis and speculative theologians who aligned themselves with them, such as the proponents of the unity of being.

In the writings of the author of the books entitled al-Madnūn bihā alā Ghayr Ahlihā (That Which Is Withheld from Those Unworthy of It) (* rather, al-Madnūn al-Kabīr (The Greater Withheld Work) and al-Madnūn al-Saghīr (The Lesser Withheld Work) *) (3), the epistle Mishkāt al-Anwār (The Niche of Lights), and similar works, there is material (4) that may allude to this. Elsewhere in his books, however, he says the opposite. His statements sometimes agree with these people and sometimes contradict them (5). Ultimately, his position settled on opposing them and studying (6) the Prophetic hadith (7).

The second is:

The view of those who say: (* It is created; Allah created it as something separate from Him (8). This is