I will be uploading specific responses from one of the most prominent online salafi websites in regards to the traditional sunni position on the Quran being uncreated, namely, Islam Question & Answer (IslamQa). In particular I will cite what this site writes in respect to al-Bukhari’s view of the Quran, one that initially got him in trouble. All emphasis will be mine.
The following is titled: Is the Quran Created? – Islam Question & Answer.
Is the Quran Created?
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Publication: 03-09-2024
Views: 108957
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Question
I know that the Quran is one of the attributes of Allah, like His Eye, His Hand and so on, and that it is the word of Allah in a real sense, that was sent down to the Prophet through Jibril, and that the Quran is not created. But what is meant by that? Does that mean that the words of Allah are not created, even when we read them, although we are created by Allah and everything we say or do is part of the creation of Allah? Is thinking in this way regarded as a kind of overstepping the mark? I do not want to do that, all I want is to ensure that my belief is sound.
Summary of answer
The Quran is the word of Allah and is not created. What is meant by that is that Allah spoke the words of the Quran, which Jibril heard from Him, and brought down to and conveyed it to Prophet Muhammad.
Answer
Related
Is the Quran Created?
The Quran is the word of Allah and is not created . What is meant by that is that Allah, may He be exalted, spoke the words of the Quran, which Jibril heard from Him, and brought down to the Prophet, and conveyed it to him.
All of the attributes of Allah are uncreated; they are eternal, with no beginning. The words of Allah are among these attributes, and that includes the Quran. Therefore, the scholars said that the Quran is not created, because it is the words of Allah , and that is one of His attributes.
Are people’s actions created?
With regard to people’s actions, they are created. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“While Allah has created you and what you do [or make].” [As-Saffat 37:96]
There are two issues that we must distinguish between:
- The first is the words of Allah that He spoke initially, and Jibril heard them from Him, and the Prophet conveyed them to us. This is an attribute of Allah that is not created in its letters and words; the same applies to His voice with which Allah spoke initially, and Jibril heard it from Him.
All of this comes under the heading of the words of Allah, nothing of which is created, no matter how it is written, recited or heard.
- The second is the actions of the person, who is the vessel which carries the words of Allah, so he writes them in a book, reads them and hears them. All that comes from a person and that he does is created.
So the hand of the person is created, the ink with which he writes is created, the paper on which he writes is created, the person’s tongue is created, his voice that belongs to him is created. All of these are vessels in which people carry the word of Allah and transmit it and convey it.
More than one of the leading scholars have explained this issue and differentiated between these two matters. Foremost among them is the leader of hadith scholars, Imam Muhammad ibn Isma`il Al-Bukhari. He wrote a book on this specific topic entitled Khalq Af`al Al-`Ibad. Among other things he said in it (2/70):
“Abu `Abdullah ibn Isma`il said: I heard `Ubaydullah ibn Sa`id say: I heard Yahya ibn Sa`id say: I always heard our companions say that people`s deeds are created.
Abu `Abdullah said: Their movements, voices, actions and writing are created. As for the Quran that is recited, RECORDED IN THE MUS-HAF, written, and memorised in people’s hearts, it is the word of Allah and is not created. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Nay, but they, the clear Ayat (i.e., the description and the qualities of Prophet Muhammad written like verses in the Tawrat (Torah) and the Injil (Gospel)) are preserved in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge (from the people of the Scriptures)
But it is clear revelations in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge.” [Al-`Ankabut 29:49]
Is-haq ibn Ibrahim said: “As for the vessels, who would doubt that they are created?”
Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
“When we recite the Quran, we recite it with our voices that are created, that cannot resemble the voice of the Lord. The Quran that we recite is the word of Allah, conveyed from Him and not heard directly from Him. Rather we recite it with our voices. The words are the words of the Creator, but the voice is the sound of the reciter, as is indicated by the Quran and Sunnah, as well as common sense. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Quran), and then escort him to where he can be secure.” [At-Tawbah 9:6]
And the Prophet said: “Make the Quran beautiful with your voices.” (Majmu` Al-Fatawa, 12/98) (See also: Majmu` Al-Fatawa, 12/53)
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said:
“What we are required to believe concerning the Quran, which is the view of Ahl As-Sunnah wal Jama`ah, as indicated by the Quran and Sunnah, is that the Quran is the word of Allah in a true sense. Its letters and meanings were sent down, not created . It came from Him and will return to Him. It is the word of Allah when it is recited and when it is written. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“(It is) in Records held (greatly) in honour (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfudh).
Exalted (in dignity), purified,” [`Abasa 80:13-14]
“A Messenger (Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) from Allah, reciting (the Quran) purified pages (purified from Al-Batil (falsehood, etc.))
Containing correct and straight laws from Allah.” [Al-Bayyinah 98:2-3]
The Quran that we read is the word of Allah but we recite it with our voices. So the words are the words of the Creator and the voice is the voice of the reciter.” (Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da’imah, 3/21)
For more details on this issue, please see Mukhtasar As-Sawa`iq Al-Mursalah by Ibn Al-Qayyim (503-510)
Here’s what IslamQA says elsewhere (the link to which is found in the aforementioned post):
Ten textual and rational proofs that the Quran is the word of Allah and is not created
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Publication: 18-01-2016
Views: 49789
Question
I hope that you can advise me how to deal with the specious argument of the innovators, especially the innovated view that says that the Quran is created. I hope that you can give a detailed refutation of their specious argument, mentioning the books of trustworthy scholars who spoke at length in refuting the innovators concerning this issue.
Answer
Refuting innovation should be based on the fundamentals of the Sunnah and the fundamentals of ‘aqeedah, as knowledge should follow sound methodology that is based on Quran and Sunnah.
That type of knowledge cannot be acquired from random fatwas or reading at random; rather it is done through the methodical pursuit of knowledge, studying that is truly founded on the fundamentals, in which the seeker of knowledge spends years of his life researching, memorising, understanding and learning. Only then will he be able to understand the specious arguments and to understand the words of the scholars, and he will be able to have deep insight into ambiguous arguments that led to such serious errors in ‘aqeedah.
Here we will present a brief discussion to show how we could build an argument based on the fundamentals of religion, in order to prove that the Quran is the word of Allah and refute the specious argument that it is created. We will present this argument in brief, quoting it from specialised research, and from this presentation you will learn a little of the way to discuss issues of ‘aqeedah, and how vast in scope and subtle it is, and how much research and study is needed to understand it properly.
Hence we say:
We can quote ten proofs to demonstrate that the Holy Quran is the word of Allah and is not created. These proofs are as follows:
1. The first proof
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and the Command. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)” [al-A‘raaf 7:54].
The evidence in this verse consists of two points:
(i) Allah differentiated between the creation and the command, which are two of His attributes which He ascribed to Himself. As for the creation, this has to do with His deeds; as for the command, it has to do with His words. In principle, when two words are mentioned in conjunction, they should have different meanings, unless the context indicates that no differentiation is intended. In this case there is evidence to indicate that there is a difference between them, including the following point.
(ii) Creation can only occur through the command, as Allah says elsewhere (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is” [Ya-Seen 36:82].
The word “‘Be!’” is His command. If it were created, then its creation would require a command, and that command would require another command, and so on ad infinitum. That cannot be so.
Imam Ahmad quoted this verse as evidence against the Mu‘tazili Jahamis.
He said:
I say: Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, His is the Creation and the Command” [al-A‘raaf 7:54]. Thus He differentiated between the creation and the command.
Narrated by Hanbal in al-Mihnah (p. 53)
And he said to them: Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The command of Allah has come” [an-Nahl 61:1], and His command is His word and His power, and that is not created. So do not interpret the Book of Allah in such a way as to make it sound as if it contradicts itself.
Narrated by Hanbal in al-Mihnah (p. 54)
In what he wrote for al-Mutawakkil, when he asked him about the issue of the Quran, Imam Ahmad said:
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And if anyone of the Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Quran), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not” [at-Tawbah 9:6] and “Surely, His is the Creation and the command” [al-A ‘raaf 7:54]. So He tells us that the creation is His, then He says “and the command”. Thus He informs us that the command is not created. End quote.
Narrated by his son Saalih in al-Mihnah (p. 210-121)
Before Imam Ahmad, this argument was presented by Imam Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah al-Hilaali al-Haafiz ath-Thiqah al-Hujjah [a great muhaddith] who said:
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, His is the Creation and the command” [al-A‘raaf 7:54].
The creation is the creation of Allah and the command is the Quran.
Narrated by al-Aajurri in ash-Sharee‘ah (p. 80) with a jayyid isnaad from him.
2. The second proof
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The Most Beneficent (Allah)
Has taught (you mankind) the Quran (by His Mercy).
He created man”
[ar-Rahmaan 55:1-3].
Here Allah differentiates between His knowledge (which He taught) and His creation. The Quran is His knowledge and man is His creation. His knowledge is not created.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say: “Verily, the Guidance of Allah (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) that is the (only) Guidance. And if you (O Muhammad) were to follow their (Jews and Christians) desires after what you have received of Knowledge (i.e. the Quran), then you would have against Allah neither any Walee (protector or guardian) nor any helper”
[al-Baqarah 2:120].
Allah calls the Quran knowledge , because it is what came to the Prophet from his Lord, and it is what Allah taught him. Allah’s knowledge is not created because, if it were created, He would have had the opposite attribute before it was created – glorified and exalted be Allah far above that.
This proof was cited by Imam Ahmad when he presented his argument against the Jahamis in the court of al-Mu‘tasim:
‘Abd ar-Rahmaan al-Qazzaaz said to me: Allah was there and there was no Quran. I said to him: Then (what you are saying is that) Allah was there and there was no knowledge that He possessed! He kept quiet, because if he had claimed that Allah was there and there was no knowledge that He possessed, then he would be a disbeliever in Allah.
Narrated by Hanbal in al-Mihnah (p. 45)
It was said to him:
Some people say, if a man says that the words of Allah are not created, they say: Who is the scholar who taught you that? Where did you get the idea that His words are not created?
He said: The proof is the words of Allah (interpretation of the meaning): “Then whoever disputes with you concerning this matter after (all this) knowledge that has come to you” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:61]. There is nothing that came to him except the Quran (i.e., the Quran is the knowledge referred to here).
And he said:
The Quran is knowledge from Allah. Whoever claims that the knowledge of Allah is created, is a disbeliever.
Narrated by Ibn Haani’ in al-Masaa’il (2/153, 154)
3. The third proof
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say (O Muhammad to mankind). ‘If the sea were ink for (writing) the Words of my Lord, surely, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my Lord would be finished, even if we brought (another sea) like it for its aid’”
[al-Kahf 18:109]
and
“And if all the trees on the earth were pens and the sea (were ink wherewith to write), with seven seas behind it to add to its (supply), yet the Words of Allah would not be exhausted. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise”
[Luqmaan 31:27].
Allah tells us – and what He says is true – that His words are unending, and that if the seas that Allah has created were ink with which to write, and the trees that Allah has created were pens with which to write, the ink of the seas would run out, and the pens would wear out, but the words of Allah would not be exhausted.
This highlights the greatness of His words, and that His words or speech is His attribute and His knowledge. This cannot be compared with the created, finite words of His creation, for if His words were created, they would have been exhausted before one of the seas was exhausted. But Allah has only decreed an end and a limit for created beings, not for Himself or His attributes.
4. The fourth proof
The names of Allah in the Quran, such as Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Generous and so on are part of His words or His speech, because it is He Who gave these names to Himself, with these words and meanings. Allah has made it equal to glorify His Essence and to glorify His names, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High” [al-A‘laa 87:1]. He has made it equal to call upon Him by His Essence and to call upon Him by His names, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them” [al-A‘raaf 7:180]. Similarly, He has made it equal to remember Him by His Essence and to remember Him by His names, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And remember the Name of your Lord every morning and afternoon” [al-Insaan 76:25].
This glorification, supplication and remembrance, if applied to anything that is created, would constitute disbelief in Allah.
If it is said that His words are created, His names are included in that, and whoever makes such a claim has gone beyond the pale of Islam, for the reasons we have mentioned, and because what that implies is that Allah did not have those beautiful names before He created His words; and the one who swore an oath by one of His names would be a mushrik, because he would be swearing by something that is created, and that which is created is different from the Creator.
This argument was presented by a number of the early generations and imams to prove that the Quran is not created, including Imam al-Hujjah Sufyaan ibn Sa‘eed ath-Thawri, who said: Whoever says that [the words] “Say (O Muhammad): He is Allah, (the) One, Allah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks)”[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-2] are created is a disbeliever.
Narrated by ‘Abdullah in as-Sunnah (no. 13). Its isnaad is jayyid.
Imam ash-Shaafa‘i said:
Whoever swears by one of the names of Allah and breaks his oath has to offer expiation, because the name of Allah is not created; whoever swears an oath by the Ka‘bah, or by as-Safa and al-Marwa, does not have to offer expiation (for breaking his oath), because these things are created, whereas (the name of Allah) is not created.
Narrated by Ibn Abi Haatim in Aadaab ash-Shaafa‘i (p. 193) with a saheeh isnaad.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal said:
The names of Allah are in the Quran, and the Quran is part of the knowledge of Allah. So whoever claims that the Quran is created has gone beyond the pale of Islam, and whoever claims that the names of Allah are created has gone beyond the pale of Islam.
Narrated by his son Saalih in al-Mihnah (p. 52, 66-67)
5. The fifth proof
Allah has told us that the Book is from Him and is attributed to Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The revelation of the Book (this Quran) is from the Lord of the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)”
[as-Sajdah 32:2]
“Those unto whom We gave the Scripture (the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)) know that it is revealed from your Lord in truth”
[al-An‘aam 6:114]
“Say (O Muhammad) Ruh-ul-Qudus (Jibrael (Gabriel)) has brought it (the Quran) down from your Lord with truth”
[an-Nahl 16:102].
Allah has not attributed anything to Himself that He sent down, except His words, which indicates that there is a special meaning for that, so it is not like the sending down of rain, iron and so on. Allah has told us that He sent down these things, but He did not attribute them to Himself, unlike His words. His words or His speech is an attribute, and an attribute can only be ascribed to the one who possesses it, and not to anyone else. If His words were created, they could have departed from the Creator and would not be attributed to Him, because He has no need of His creation and none of it is His attribute.
6. The sixth proof
It was narrated that Khawlah bint Hakeem said: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “Whoever stops at a place and says: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of that which He has created, nothing will harm him until he moves on from that place.”. Narrated by Muslim (2708).
If His words were created, then seeking refuge in them would be shirk, because that would be seeking refuge in something that is created. It is well-known that seeking refuge in anything other than Allah and His names and attributes is shirk, so how could the Prophet have taught his ummah something that is obviously shirk, when he is the one who came to teach them pure Tawheed?
This indicates that the words of Allah are not created.
Na‘eem ibn Hammaad said: Refuge is not to be sought in anything that is created, or in the words of people, jinn, humans or angels.
Al-Bukhaari said, after quoting that: This indicates that the words of Allah are not created, and that everything other than Him is created.
See: Khalq Af‘aal al-‘Ibaad (p. 143)
7. The seventh proof
The hadith of Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet who said:
“The superiority of the words of Allah over all other words is like the superiority of Allah over all of His creation.”
A hasan hadith, narrated by ‘Uthmaan ad-Daarimi in ar-Radd ‘ala al-Jahamiyyah (no. 287, 340); al-Laalkaa’i (no. 557)
This hadith confirms the belief of the salaf, that the Quran is the word of Allah and is not created. It does so in two respects:
(i) It differentiates between the words of Allah and other words. Words are either the speech of Allah, which is one of His attributes, or they are created words, which are part of the creation of Allah. Whatever is a divine attribute is ascribed to Allah, whereas the rest are mentioned in general terms, so as to include all words other than those attributed to Allah. If all words were created, there would be no need for this differentiation.
(ii) The differentiation between the words of Allah and the words of others is like the differentiation between the essence of Allah and the essence of others. Allah’s words and the nature thereof are connected to His essence and the nature thereof, just as the words of created beings and the nature thereof are appropriate to and connected to the essence of created beings and the nature thereof.
This argument was presented by Imam ‘Uthmaan ibn Sa‘eed ad-Daarimi in ar-Radd ‘ala al-Jahamiyyah (p. 162-163). After quoting the hadiths on this topic, he said:
These hadiths indicate that the Quran is not created, because you would not see such a great difference when comparing between two created beings as you will see when comparing between Allah and His creation, because the difference between the two created beings is measurable, whereas the superiority of Allah over His creation is unmeasurable and no one can grasp it. The same applies to the superiority of His words over the words of created beings. If the words of Allah were created, there would not be such a great difference between them and the words of others, which is like the superiority of Allah over His creation. There is nothing like unto Him, so there are no words like His words, and no one could ever produce anything like them. End quote.
8. The eighth proof
On the basis of rational thinking, if the words of Allah were created, then it must be one of two scenarios:
(i) They are created and exist as part of the essence of Allah
(ii) or they are separate from Allah.
Both scenarios are false and in fact constitute abhorrent disbelief.
As for the first, it implies that a created thing could exist within the Creator, which is false according to the view of Ahl as-Sunnah and most of the followers of innovation [among the Muslims]. Allah is independent of His creation and has no need of any of them in any way whatsoever.
As for the second, its implications lead to denying the attribute of divine speech, because the attribute exists in the one who possesses the attribute – as stated above – and does not exist in anyone or anything else. If it existed in anything else, then it would be an attribute of the one in whom it existed. What this would imply is that the Lord does not speak, and this is obvious disbelief, as we have explained above.
9. The ninth proof
As is clear to everyone, an attribute does not exist by itself. If the attribute is an attribute of the Creator, it should exist in Him, and if it is an attribute of a created being, it must inevitably exist in him, such as moving, staying still, standing, sitting, power, will, knowledge, life and other attributes. If an attribute is ascribed to something, then it is describing it and it belongs to the one in whom it exists. So these attributes may be ascribed to the created being, therefore they are descriptions of the created being, as they are ascribed to him. Some of them may also be ascribed to the Creator, such as power, will, knowledge, life and so on. Therefore they are attributes of His, as they are ascribed to Him. When they are ascribed to the created being, they are created, and when they are ascribed to the Creator, they are not created.
The attribute of speech is like other attributes; it must exist in something, and if it exists in that thing then it is an attribute of that thing and not of anything else. If it is ascribed to the Creator, may He be exalted, then it is His attribute. If it is ascribed to anyone else, then it is an attribute of that other entity. The attribute of the Creator is not created, just as His essence is not created, whereas the attribute of the created being is created, just as his essence is created. As Allah has ascribed speech to Himself, and has described Himself as speaking, then His speech (or words) is not created, because it is something that is connected to His essence, and His essence is not created. Discussion of the divine attributes is connected to discussion of the divine essence, and it must be discussed in the same terms.
If it is said that the Quran is created, we say: Allah should be above having ascribed to Him anything that is created. You (Jahamis) – according to your claim – declare Allah to be above having any created things existing IN HIM. As you declare your Lord to be above that, then you should not attribute speech to Him, but if you do not attribute speech to Him, you will be denying textual and rational evidence which testify that Allah possesses the attribute of speech.
But they refuse to admit that the words of Allah are not created, on the basis of an argument that is even more false than what is discussed above. They say: We affirm that Allah speaks with words that exist in something other than Him. Allah spoke to Moosa through created words that existed in the bush and did not exist in Him, therefore we declare Him to be above having created things (i.e., words) exist in Him.
We say in response: you regard the words as an attribute of the thing in which they exist, which implies – according to your view – that these were the words of the bush, so it is the bush that spoke to Moosa and said (interpretation of the meaning): “ ‘O Moosa (Moses)! Verily! I am Allah, the Lord of the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)’” [al-Qasas 28:30]. In that case, there is no difference between the words of the bush and the words of the accursed Pharaoh (interpretation of the meaning): “ ‘I am your lord, most high’” [an-Naazi‘aat 79:24], because the words of the bush are its attributes, and not the attributes of Allah, and the words of Pharaoh are his attributes; each of them claimed to be divine [according to your claim], so Moosa had no right to object to what Pharaoh said, yet accept the words of the bush!
Think about this blatant disbelief which led people who believed in this argument to this shameful innovation and not to submit and accept the facts of revelation mentioned in the Quran, and to turn away from the noble revelation and prefer to it the scum of minds that are controlled by whims and desires that direct them wherever they want.
This rational argument was something used by Imam Ahmad against the Mu‘tazili Jahamis when he debated with them in the presence of al-Mu‘tasim. He said:
This is the story of Moosa. Allah said in His Book, speaking of Himself (interpretation of the meaning): “and to Moosa (Moses) Allah spoke directly” [an-Nisa’ 4:164]. Thus Allah affirms that He spoke to Moosa by way of honouring Moosa, and confirms that it was indeed speech. Allah said (interpretation of the meaning): O Moosa “Verily! I am Allah! La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I)” [Ta-Ha 20:14] but you are denying this, so this pronoun (“I”) would then refer to something other than Allah, and a created entity would be claiming to be the lord!
Narrated by Hanbal in al-Mihnah (p. 52)
10. The tenth proof
Words of the leading scholars of the early generations affirming this belief:
‘Amr ibn Dinaar – one of the best of the Taabi‘i imams – said:
I have been meeting the companions of the Prophet and others who are next in status to them for seventy years, and they say: Allah is the Creator, and everything other than Him is created. The Quran is the word of Allah; it came from Him and will return to Him.
‘Abdullah ibn Naafi‘ said: Maalik used to say:
The Quran is the word of Allah. And he used to regard as abhorrent the view of those who said that the Quran was created.
Narrated by Saalih ibn Ahmad in al-Mihnah (p. 66) with a saheeh isnaad from him.
Ar-Rabee‘ ibn Sulaymaan, the companion and student of ash-Shaafa‘i, said, narrating a debate that took place between him and Hafs al-Fard concerning the Quran:
He (Hafs) started the debate with Ash-Shaafa‘i, and ash-Shaafa‘i presented his argument with proof, and there was a lengthy debate in which ash-Shaafa‘i established proof that the Quran is the word of Allah and is not created, and he regarded Hafs al-Fard as a disbeliever. Ar-Rabee‘ said: I met Hafs al-Fard in the gathering later on and he said: ash-Shafaa‘i wanted to kill me.
Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi Haatim in Adaab ash-Shaafa‘i (p. 194-195). Its isnaad is saheeh.
Ibn Abi Haatim said:
I asked my father and Abu Zar‘ah about the views of Ahl as-Sunnah concerning the fundamentals of religion and what they learned from the scholars in all regions, and what they believed concerning that.
They said:
We met the scholars from all regions, the Hijaz, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, and their view was that faith is both words and deeds, and it may increase or decrease; the Quran is the word of Allah and is not created in any way.
Narrated by Ibn at-Tabari in as-Sunnah (1/176) with a saheeh isnaad.
Imam Abu’l-Qaasim Hibatullah ibn al-Hasan at-Tabari al-Laalkaa’i quoted, in his great book Sharh Usool I‘tiqaad Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah: This is the view of five hundred and fifty individuals among the scholars and early generations of this ummah, all of whom say: The Quran is the word of Allah and is not created; whoever says that it is created is a disbeliever.
He said:
These people number five hundred and fifty or more, from among the Taabi‘een and their followers and leading scholars, other than the righteous Sahaabah, despite the differences in their locations and the passage of many years. Among them are approximately one hundred imams from whom the people learned their beliefs and followed them in their views. If I wanted to write down the views of the hadith scholars (concerning this issue), their names would be many thousands.
End quote from as-Sunnah (493)
Summarised from the book al-‘Aqeedah as-Salafiyyah fi Kalaam Rabb al-Bariyyah wa Kashf Abaateel al-Mubtadi‘ah ar-Radiyyah (p. 121-147)
For more information on this topic, see also the twelfth volume of Majmoo‘ Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, “al-Quran Kalaam Allah”; and Mukhtasar as-Sawaa‘iq al-Mursalah by Ibn al-Qayyim
See also a useful article on this topic entitled Lima kaana al-Qawl bi Khalq al-Quran Kufran? Wa’l-Kalaam an-Nafsi by Shaykh ‘Amr Basyooni.
Here’s the final one, the link to which is again found in the initial IslamQA post cited at the start:
The Quran was revealed by Allah, not created
10153
Publication: 27-03-2001
Views: 56740
Question
Can you recommend a book in english that explains what it really means that the Quran is not a creation ; and what we should believe in as Muslims?
Answer
What we Muslims are obliged to believe is that which has come to us from Allah, and that which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has told us. Allah has told us that He speaks, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And who is truer in statement than Allah? [al-Nisaa’ 4:87]
“and whose words can be truer than those of Allah?
[al-Nisaa’ 4:122]
These two aayahs offer proof that Allah speaks, and that His words are true, and there is no kind of lie in them at all.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘O ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)!…’”
[al-Maa’idah 5:116]
This aayah shows that Allah speaks, and that His speech can be heard, so His speech has sound. And His speech includes words and phrases. The evidence that the speech of Allah is composed of letters is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Moosa (Moses)!
Verily, I am your Lord!” [Ta-Ha 20:11]
because these words are composed of letters, and they are part of the speech of Allah. And the evidence that the speech of Allah has sound is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning]:
“And We called him from the right side of the Mount, and made him draw near to Us for a talk with him [Moosa (Moses)].
[Maryam 19:52]
Calling and talking can only happen with sound.
See Sharh Lam’ah al-I’tiqaad by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p. 73
Hence the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah is that Allah speaks in a real sense, when and as and with whatever He wills, with letters and sound, but this does not resemble the voices of created beings. The evidence that it does not resemble the voices of created beings is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“There is nothing like Him, and He is the All‑Hearer, the All‑Seer” [al-Shoora 42:11]
So it is known from the outset that this is the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah believe that the Quran is the word of Allah, and among the evidence for this belief is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if anyone of the Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah”
[al-Tawbah 9:6]
what is meant here is the Quran, by scholarly consensus. The fact that Allah mentions kalaam (speech, word) in idaafah (genitive or possessive construction) with Himself indicates that the Quran is His Word.
The belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah is that the Quran is the word of Allah which was revealed, not created; it began from Him and will return to Him.
The evidence that it is revealed is as follows (interpretation of the meanings):
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran”
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
“Verily, We have sent it (this Quran) down in the Night of Al‑Qadr (Decree)”[al-Qadr 97:1]
“And (it is) a Quran which We have divided (into parts), in order that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We have revealed it by stages” [al-Israa’ 17:106]
“And when We change a Verse (of the Quran) in place of another — and Allah knows best what He sends down — they (the disbelievers) say: ‘You (O Muhammad) are but a Muftari! (forger, liar).’ Nay, but most of them know not.
Say (O Muhammad) Ruh‑ul‑Qudus [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought it (the Quran) down from your Lord with truth, that it may make firm and strengthen (the Faith of) those who believe, and as a guidance and glad tidings to those who have submitted (to Allah as Muslims).
And indeed We know that they (polytheists and pagans) say: ‘It is only a human being who teaches him (Muhammad).’ The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Quran) is a clear Arabic tongue[al-Nahl 16:101-103]
– the One Who changes a verse in place of another is Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.
The evidence that the Quran is not created is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Surely, His is the creation and commandment” [al-A’raaf 7:54]
So Allah describes creation as one thing and commandment as another. The conjunction implies that the second thing mentioned is different, and the Quran is part of the commandment because of the evidence of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And thus We have sent to you (O Muhammad) Rooh (a revelation, and a mercy) of Our Command. You knew not what is the Book, nor what is Faith? But We have made it (this Quran) a light wherewith We guide whosoever of Our slaves We will”
[al-Shoora 42:52]
If the Quran is part of the command or commandment, which is different from creation, therefore it is not created, because if it were created, this division of categories would not be correct. This is the evidence from the Quran.
The rational evidence is that the Quran is the word of Allah, and words cannot exist in and of themselves so that they would have a distinct and separate identity. If they did exist separately and distinct from Allah, then we would say that they are created, but words are an attribute of the speaker. If they are an attribute of the speaker and they are spoken by Allah, then they are not created, because the attributes of Allah are not created.
Sharhal-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitah by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 1/418-426-441
We must believe this and be certain of it. We should not change the meanings of the verses of Allah, for they clearly indicate that the Quran is a revelation from Allah. Hence Imaam al-Tahhaawi said: “The Quran is the word of Allah which came from Him in the form of speech, without any need for us to know how. He sent it down to His Messenger by Revelation, the believers believe that it is true and they are certain that it is indeed the word of Allah and that it is not created like the words of human beings. Whoever hears it and claims that it is the words of human beings is a kaafir, who is condemned and warned of Hell, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
‘I will cast him into Hell fire’ [al-Muddaththir 74:26].
Since Allah threatened with Hell the one who said, ‘This is nothing but the word of a human being’ [al-Muddaththir 74:26 – interpretation of the meaning], we know and are certain that it is the word of the Creator of mankind, and it does not resemble the speech of human beings.” Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah, 179
FURTHER READING
THE UNCREATED CREATED QURAN
Answering Islam Blog 