All of this refutes al-Bayhaqi’s statement: “The wording ‘voice’ has not been authentically established in any hadith from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

He then figuratively reinterpreted the hadith, maintaining that the voice refers to an angel or someone else, as al-Hafiz related from him. He then indicated its refutation, saying:

“This is the substance of the argument of those leading scholars who deny the voice, and it entails that Allah did not let any of His angels or messengers hear His Speech; rather, He inspired it to them.”

I say: This is false and contrary to many texts. It is enough to cite Allah’s words in His speaking directly to Moses: “So listen to what is revealed.” [Ta Ha: 13] He then said:

“The sum of the argument for denying it is an analogy with the voices of created beings, since these are known to issue from points of articulation. The flaw in this is obvious, for a voice may exist without issuing from an outlet, just as sight may occur without rays making contact, as has preceded. Even if we grant this, we reject the analogy in question: the attributes of the Creator are not to be analogized with the attributes of created beings. Once the mention of the voice has been established in these authentic hadiths, it is obligatory to believe in it; then one must either consign it [to Allah] or figuratively reinterpret it. And success is granted by Allah.”

I say: Rather, we believe in it just as we believe in His other attributes, while consigning knowledge of their true realities to the One characterized by them, exalted is He, as He says: “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” [al-Shura: 111]

Furthermore, the hadith under the present heading was assigned the symbols (HM, N) in al-Fath al-Kabir—and consequently in Sahih al-Jamiʿ al-Saghir wa-Ziyadatuh. Perhaps the N is a corruption of Q, meaning al-Bukhari and Muslim. And Allah knows best. This should be checked against al-Suyuti’s al-Jamiʿ al-Kabir.