The Quran is the Speech of Allah, not
a creation, but its utterance
is created.
August 26, 2010
[An excerpt translated by Abdur Rahman Al-Sondalaani from Ahl al-Sunna:
The Ash‘arīs – The Testimony of the Scholars and Their Proofs By:
Ḥamad al-Sinān & Fawzī al-‘Anjarī]
Since the matter is as we mentioned – as the Scholars have clarified, what is
the reason for accusing Abdullah bin Sa’eed bin Kullaab of opposing the way
of the Salaf?
Ibn Abdil Barr said in clarification of some of the reason, in his biography of
Al Imam Al Karaabeesi (Al Intiqaa p. 165)
There used to be a strong friendship between him – Al Karaabeesi – and
Ahmad bin Hanbal. But when he disagreed with him about the Quran, that
friendship turned into enmity. They began to criticize each other. And all of
this was because Ahmad would say,
“Whoever says the Quran is created is a Jahmi. And whoever says ‘The Quran
is the Speech of Allah’ and does not say it is not created or it is created is a
waaqifee. And whoever says “my utterance of the Quran is created” is an
innovator.”
Yet Al Karaabeesi, Abdullah bin Kullaab, Abu Thawr, Dawood bin ‘Ali, and
their generation would declare: the Quran Allah communicated is one of His
qualities. It is not rationally possible for it to be created. And the recitation of
the reciter and his utterance of the Quran is his kasb and his action and that
is created. And it is an expression of the speech of Allah….and the Hanbalis,
the companions of Ahmad bin Hanbal, abandoned Husain Al Karaabeesi and
labeled him an innovator and criticized him and anyone else who made his
statement about that.” Endquote from Ibn Abdil Barr
This is the reason for criticizing and smearing Abdullah bin Kullaab, and
describing him as not being on the way of the Salaf. Then, with the added
fact that these Imams entered into theology (‘Ilmul Kalaam) to refute the
opposition and expose their deviance, the matter becomes even clearer. For
Ahmad used to detest this theological approach to clarify the truth. And he
would prefer to stop where the Salaf stopped. And this is the truth, no doubt,
as long as no need arises.
Taajud Deen As Subki, rahimahUllah said:
“And we say as Ahmad said. We say: the right thing is to not discuss the issue
at all, as long as no pressing need to (discuss it) arises.”
At any rate, this statement for which Abdullah bin Kullaab was branded an
innovator did not necessitate that he be branded as such, or for it to be said
that he was on other than the way of the Salaf. This is especially true since
the issue of the creation of the utterance of the Quran is something many
high ranking scholars of the Muslim Ummah affirmed, like the ones Ibn Abdil
Barr mentioned, and also Al Imam Al Bukhari, Al Imam Muslim, Al Haarith
Al Muhaasibi, Muhammad bin Nasr Al Mirwazi, and others.
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And the fitnah that occurred between Al Bukhari and his sheikh Adh-Dhuhli
was only due to this issue, i.e. the issue of the utterance. And Al Imam Al
Bukhari compiled his book “the creation of the actions of the slaves” for this
issue, to affirm his opinion about it and respond to whoever disagreed with
him.
At Taaj As Subki said:
For indeed the truth in the matter of utterance, is with him (Al Bukhari).
Because no one with intellect from the creations would doubt that his
utterances are from his temporal actions which were created by Allah the
Exalted. But Imam Ahmad, may Allah be pleased with him, only denied it due
to its unpleasant sound.”
As for Imam Muslim, he would openly affirm the createdness of the
utterance and not conceal it. (see siyar vol12/p453 and v12/p572)
Al Haafidh Ibn Katheer, rahimahUllah said in the biography of Al Karaabeesi
And that Al Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal would speak critically of him because
of the issue of the Lafdh. And he would also speak about Ahmad. So people
avoided taking from him due to this. (Ibn Katheer) said, I say: what I saw
about him is that he said the speech of Allah is uncreated in every way except
that my utterance of the Quran is created. And whoever does not say (i.e.
believe) that my utterance of the Quran is created is a disbeliever. And this is
what has been related from Al Bukhari, and Dawood bin Ali Adh Dhaahiri.
And Al Imam Ahmad closed this door to prevent the declaration of the Quran
being created.” End quote from Ibn Katheer.
Also included among the scholars who affirmed the createdness of the
utterance of the Quran is Al Imam Muhammad bin Jareer At Tabari, may
Allah have mercy on him. And this is among the issues that made some of
the extreme Hanbalis hostile towards him. Al Haafidh Ibn Katheer, may Allah
the Exalted have mercy on him, said:
What happened between him – At Tabari – and the Hanbalis, I believe it was
due to the issue of the uttered word. And he was also accused of Shi’ism. And
they demanded a debate. So Ibn Jareer arrived for the debate but none of
them showed up. And the Hanbalis have exaggerated this issue and gone to
the extreme in it. And they believe that affirming it leads to affirming
creation of the Quran. But it is not as they claim. For the truth should not be
protected with falsehood. And Allah knows best. (Tabaqaat Al Fuqahaa Ash-
Shaafi’iyyeen v1 p226)
Precisely! Because the Quran is the speech of Allah the Exalted, it is not
created, and it is a quality of His supreme Essence. But it is not correct to
protect this truth with the falsehood of denying the temporality and
createdness of what exists with a creation, and then besmirching everyone
who says otherwise!
At any rate, the truth in this issue was with Al Karaabeesi, Ibn Kullaab, Al
Bukhari and Muslim, Abu Thawr, Dawood, Al Muhaasibi, At Tabari, and
others who were on their path. As for Imam Ahmad, may Allah be pleased
with him, and whoever confirmed his statement; that statement is
understood to be a locking of the door of probability – to prevent people from
graduating from affirmation of the createdness of the utterance to affirming
the createdness of the Quran.
Al Imam Adh Dhahabi said:
And there is no doubt that what Al Karaabeesi innovated and worded in the
issue of the “utterance” and that it is created is the truth. However, Al Imam
Ahmad disallowed it so that it would not be used as a means to state that the
Quran is created. So he shut the door.” (Siyaru A’laam An Nubalaa vol 12 page
82, and also see vol 11 page 510)
Adh Dhahabi also said:
“And he (Al Karaabeesi) would say: “The Quran, the speech of Allah, is
uncreated. But my utterance of the Quran is created” Endquote. So if he
meant the utterance, then this is fine, for indeed, our actions are created. But
if he meant that what is recited and uttered is created, this is what Ahmad
and the Salaf denied and considered to be Jahmism.” (Meezaan Al I’tidaal vol
1 page 544)
There is no doubt that Al Karaabeesi, Ibn Kullaab, Al Bukhaari and Muslim,
Abu Thawr, Dawood, and whoever agreed with their statement meant the
first meaning. And in general, this issue is not significant enough for
someone to be labeled and innovator because of it.
He also said, after quoting the statement of Al Haafidh Abu Bakr Al A’yun:
“The Shaikhs of Khuraasaan are three: Qutaybah, Ali bin Hajar, and
Muhammad bin Mihraan Ar Raazi. And its men are four: Abdullah bin Abdir
Rahman As Samarqandi, and Muhammad bin Ismaa’eel Al Bukhari before
what appeared from him appeared…etc.
Adh Dhahabi commented on this statement saying:
“What appeared from Muhammad – meaning Al Bukhari – was a lightweight
affair among the issues that the Imams differed about pertaining to the
Quran. It is called the issue of the actions of the reciters. The majority of the
Imams of the Salaf and Khalaf are upon (the statement) that the Quran is
Allah’s revealed speech and is uncreated. And we submit to Allah with this
belief.” (see Siyar A’laam An Nubalaa vol 11 page 510)
And it does not follow from the severance of Imam Ahmad of these Imams
that they were not upon the way of the Salaf, especially since the truth was
with them in what they adopted as Al Imam Adh Dhahabi said.
And he also said:
For this Imam (Imam Ahmad that is) did not allow discussion of this issue of
research out of fear of it being used as a means to affirming the Quran being
created. And refraining from this issue is best. We believe in Allahu ta’aala,
His angels, His books, His Messengers, His Divine decrees, the Resurrection,
and being presented to Allah on the Day Judgment. And if this issue was
explained and expounded upon with evidences it would come out in five
volumes. But it is already available and explained for whoever seeks it. And
the Quran contains a cure and mercy for the Believers. And it’s well known
that utterance is included in the kasb (earned actions) of the reciter and it is
not what is uttered. And the recitation is other than what is being recited.
And the reading, along with its beauty and its tajweed, is not the thing being
read. The voice of the reciter is from his own action (kasb). He originates the
utterance, the voice, the intonation, the articulation, and the pronunciation
from his organs of speech, which are created. Yet he did not originate the
words of the Quran, its arrangement, its composition, or its meanings.” (see
Siyaru A’laam An Nubalaa vol 11 page 290) [Note: By “originates” he means
“does”, not origination which is synonymous with creation, as the Mu’tazila
say]
Then he (Adh Dhahabi) narrated from Al Haakim, with his isnaad, upto
Fawraan the companion of Ahmad that he said:
Al Athram and Abu Abdillah Al Mu’aiti asked me to seek a private counsel
with Abu Abdillah (Imam Ahmad), so that I may ask him about our
companions who differentiate between utterance and what it being uttered.
So I asked him and he said: “The Quran, however it is engaged, in speech and
actions is not created. And as for our actions – they are created. Fawraan
continues: So I said “Then the ones who affirm the createdness of utterances,
O Abu Abdillah, do you consider them to be Jahmis?” He said, “No. The
Jahmiyyah are the ones who say: The Quran is created.”
And Al Imam Al Bayhaqi narrates in his book Al Asmaa was Sifaat from
Abdullah, the son of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal:
I heard my father say: “Whoever says “My utterance of the Quran is created”,
intending the Quran itself, is a disbeliever.”
Al Haafidh Al Bayhaqi commented on this statement saying:
“I say: his statement “intending the Quran itself” is a limitation that his son
Abdullah memorized from him. And others were not attentive to it who
related from Imam Ahmad something different than what we have narrated,
until they ascribed to him what he cleared himself from as we have
mentioned.” (see page 266)
And Al Imam Al Bukhari, may Allahu ta’aala have mercy on him, said:
“As for what the two opposing sides are using to argue in support of the
madhhab of Imam Ahmad and to stake a claim to his madhhab for
themselves – most of their reports are not sound. And they perhaps did not
comprehend the exactitude of his madhhab. What is known from Ahmad and
the people of knowledge is that the speech of Allah is uncreated and other
than it is created, and that they abhorred investigation and research of deep
and unclear matters. They also avoided people of Kalaam and discussion and
disagreement except in what knowledge came about, and what was clarified
by RasoolUllah, SallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. (see Khalqu Af’aalil ‘Ibaad page
43)
And we are positive that they, may Allahu ta’aala have mercy on them, did not
say these statements without there being a need. Definitely not! And far is it
from them to speak on something the Sahabah and Tabi’een were silent
about. But when they saw that the crowd of people broke down this door and
discussed this matter, and interpreted it incorrectly, they were compelled to
speak about it to clarify the truth and prevent the people from what they
were doing.
Al ‘Allaamah (Muhammad Zaahid) Al Kawthari, may Allahu ta’aala have
mercy on him, said:
Imam Ahmad’s criticism of Ibn Kullaab and his companion [Al Haarith Al
Muhaasibi] was due to his dislike of discussion of Kalaam (theology) and is
abstinence from it. But the truth is that engaging in it is necessary when the
need arises, contrary to the opinion of Ahmad.” (See his commentary on
Tabyeen Kadhib Al Muftari: footnote #2 on page 406)
In summary, as Al Haafidh Adh Dhahabi described it, this is a lightweight
matter. And this is an issue in which the statements of the Imams conflict.
But they still all agree that the Quran which is the quality of Ar Rahman and
is His speech is not created.
And by this it becomes clear that Al Imam Ibn Kullaab was not alone in this
position he adopted; rather the major Imams of the Deen had also adopted it.
It is also known by the aforementioned that he did not innovate or oppose
the manhaj of the Salaf and the Sunnah. Instead he was a major figure
among Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah who are following the footsteps of the
Salaf As Saalih as the aforementioned statements of the scholars concerning
him have affirmed.
When this is the case, where did the claim that Al Imam Al Ash’ari
abandoned his path and opinions come from!?
