heard (1) from the reciter (2), or else they are part of the sound (3) heard from the reciter. The majority of them, however, together with the majority of rational people (4), rejected this, saying, “This is contrary (5) to rational necessity.”
The fifth (6) is the view of those who say that it consists of letters and sounds, but that He began to speak it (7) after previously not having spoken. His speech is a temporal occurrence (8) in His essence, just as His act is a temporal occurrence in His essence, whereas before He had neither spoken nor acted. This is the view of the Karrāmiyya and others, and it (9) is the view of Hishām ibn al-Hakam and his counterparts among the Shia.
(* Among them are some who say, “It is temporal but not brought about,” while others say, “Rather, it is brought about [as well] (10).” Al-Asharī cited both views from them in al-Maqālāt and mentioned the disagreement between Abū Muādh al-Tūmanī and Zuhayr al-Atharī (11). The Karrāmiyya say, “Temporal, not brought about.” *) (12).
(1) (N) reads: “the totality heard.”
(2) (B) reads: “the fire,” which is a corruption.
(3) (N) reads: “or it is the tapping out of sounds,” which is a corruption; (M) reads: “or it is some of the sounds.”
(4) (ʿA) reads: “As for the majority of rational people.”
(5) (B) and (A) read: *hādhā mukhālafa* (“this is a violation”); (N) and (M) read: *hādhihi mukhālafa* (the same phrase with feminine agreement).
(6) (B) and (A) read: “Its fifth and sixth,” which is an error.
(7) *Bihi* (“it”) is omitted from (A) and (B).
(8) (B) and (A) read: *hādithun bihi* (“coming into being through Him”).
(9) (N) and (M) read: “and I think it is.”
(10) “Also” is omitted from (N) and (M).
(11) See *al-Maqālāt*, 2/231–232. The biography of Abū Muādh al-Tūmanī appeared previously at 1/422. For more on him, see also al-Asharī’s account in *al-Maqālāt*, 1/326. As for Zuhayr al-Atharī, I have been unable to identify him; however, al-Asharī discusses his views in detail in *al-Maqālāt*, 1/326.
(12) The text between the asterisks is omitted from (A) and (B).