(Explanation of Abu al-Hasan's deviation from the People of Hadith regarding the speech of Allah, which he holds to be by letter and sound; he says that speech is the meaning subsisting in the self without letter and sound)
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The Shaykh : Then the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned Abu al-Hasan's deviation from the People of Hadith in the issue of speech.
"But he has said that His speech *** is a meaning that subsists in our Lord, the Most Merciful"
He says (may Allah have mercy on him): Allah does not speak with letters and audible sound; rather, what is heard of His speech is an expression of His speech, not His speech itself. His speech is the meaning that subsists in His own self. For example, suppose you want to give a sermon; you conceive the speech in your heart before you speak, and then when you speak, you express what is in your self.
He says (may Allah have mercy on him and forgive him): Allah does not speak with speech that is heard, or with sound; rather, His speech is the meaning in His self. Then He creates sounds and letters that are heard by those to whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) addresses. Consequently, according to his claim, this Qur'an that is in our hands is not the speech of Allah, but rather an expression of it.
The Mu'tazilah say: The Qur'an is the speech of Allah, but it is created among His creations. They deny the speech of the self (nafs), and rather they say this is the speech of Allah, but it is created. As for them, they say this is an expression of the speech of Allah, and it is also created. For this reason, the Mu'tazilah are better than them in this respect, because they explicitly state that the Qur'an is the speech of Allah. They say no, the Qur'an is an expression of the speech of Allah. The Mu'tazilah and the Ash'aris agree that what we recite is created. He says:
"But he has said that His speech *** is a meaning that subsists in our Lord, the Most Merciful
In speech, we and you have differed *** regarding the Above and the attributes of the God of worship
This means that we have disagreed with him in one issue, which is the speech, whereas you have disagreed with him regarding the above-ness and all the attributes. You have disagreed with him regarding all the attributes of the Most Merciful that he affirmed, whereas we have not disagreed with him except in one issue. He says:
"In the matter of speech, we and you have disagreed with him *** regarding the above-ness and the attributes of the Lord of Worship
Why was our difference disbelief *** while your difference was the requirement of faith
Yes, denial, yes. Why? Why? It means: We have now disagreed with Abu al-Hasan in one issue, which is the issue of speech, and we agreed with him in the rest. You, however, have disagreed with him in everything except the speech. So why is our disagreement disbelief, and your disagreement faith, which is the requirement of faith, even though you have disagreed with him in what is the requirement of faith? Yes.
"Why is our disagreement disbelief *** while your disagreement is the requirement of faith"
"But he has said that His speech *** is a meaning that subsists in our Lord, the Most Merciful"
He says (may Allah have mercy on him): Allah does not speak with letters and audible sound; rather, what is heard of His speech is an expression of His speech, not His speech itself. His speech is the meaning that subsists in His own self. For example, suppose you want to give a sermon; you conceive the speech in your heart before you speak, and then when you speak, you express what is in your self.
He says (may Allah have mercy on him and forgive him): Allah does not speak with speech that is heard, or with sound; rather, His speech is the meaning in His self. Then He creates sounds and letters that are heard by those to whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) addresses. Consequently, according to his claim, this Qur'an that is in our hands is not the speech of Allah, but rather an expression of it.
The Mu'tazilah say: The Qur'an is the speech of Allah, but it is created among His creations. They deny the speech of the self (nafs), and rather they say this is the speech of Allah, but it is created. As for them, they say this is an expression of the speech of Allah, and it is also created. For this reason, the Mu'tazilah are better than them in this respect, because they explicitly state that the Qur'an is the speech of Allah. They say no, the Qur'an is an expression of the speech of Allah. The Mu'tazilah and the Ash'aris agree that what we recite is created. He says:
"But he has said that His speech *** is a meaning that subsists in our Lord, the Most Merciful
In speech, we and you have differed *** regarding the Above and the attributes of the God of worship
This means that we have disagreed with him in one issue, which is the speech, whereas you have disagreed with him regarding the above-ness and all the attributes. You have disagreed with him regarding all the attributes of the Most Merciful that he affirmed, whereas we have not disagreed with him except in one issue. He says:
"In the matter of speech, we and you have disagreed with him *** regarding the above-ness and the attributes of the Lord of Worship
Why was our difference disbelief *** while your difference was the requirement of faith
Yes, denial, yes. Why? Why? It means: We have now disagreed with Abu al-Hasan in one issue, which is the issue of speech, and we agreed with him in the rest. You, however, have disagreed with him in everything except the speech. So why is our disagreement disbelief, and your disagreement faith, which is the requirement of faith, even though you have disagreed with him in what is the requirement of faith? Yes.
"Why is our disagreement disbelief *** while your disagreement is the requirement of faith"