The Holy Qu'ran Uncreated
Ash’aris Believe Quran is Created and Ibn Qudama’s Refutation
The Mu’tazilah believed that the Quran is Allah’s Speech; and Allah’s Speech is created.
The Ash’aris believed that the Quran is not Allah’s Speech, so while Allah’s Speech is uncreated, the Quran remains created.
al-Bayjuri the Ash’ari theologian says in his Sharh Jawharat al-Tawheed:
“it is still only permitted to say “The Qur’an is emergent (or created)” in a classroom setting”
Ibn al-Jawzi says in al-Muntadham of al-Ash’ari:
“The people never differed that this audible Qur’an is Allah’s Speech, and that Gabriel descended with it upon the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. The reliable imams declared that the Quran is eternal, while the Mu’tazila claimed that it is created. Al-Ash’ari then agreed with the Mu’tazila that the Quran is created and said: ‘This is not Allah’s Speech. Rather, Allah’s Speech is an Attribute subsisting in Allah’s Essence. It did not descend on the Prophet, nor is it audible.’ “
Ibn al-Jawzi would often say on the pulpit:
“The heretics (the Ash’aris) claim; i) there is none in the Heavens, ii) neither is there Qur’an in the Mushaf, and iii) nor is there a Prophet in the grave; ‘your three shameful facets’” (al-Dhayl)
Ibn al-Jawzi writes, while complaining about certain Ash’arites indoctrinating the masses with the Ash’arite dogma: “A group of Persian (a’ajim) heretics arrived in Baghdad and mounted the pulpits to sermon the masses. They would claim, in most of their gatherings: There is no ‘Speech of Allah’ on this earth, and is the mushaf anything but paper, galls and vitriol? Allah is not in the Heavens, and the slave-girl to whom the Prophet said: ‘Where is Allah?’ was dumb and therefore pointed towards the sky, meaning: He is not from the idols worshipped on this earth.
They then said: ‘Where are the ‘letterists’, who claim that the Quran is composed of letters and sound? Rather, the Quran is only an expression of Jibril!’ They continued in this vein, until the sacredness of the Quran diminished from the hearts of many.”
He then mentions at length, the arguments for the orthodox approach towards the Quran, and commends Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal for his rigid stance on the issue, which united the Muslims on one belief: the Quran, which is contained in the Mushaf, is the uncreated Speech of Allah. He then denigrates al-Ash’ari, saying: “Then, people did not differ in this issue, until there appeared ‘Ali b. Isma’il al-Ash’ari, who at first, held the beliefs of the Mu’tazilites. It then occurred to him, as he claimed, that Allah’s Speech subsists in the Divine Essence (sifah qa’imah bil-that). His claim, therefore, necessitated that the Quran we have is created.”
Ibn Qudama says in his refutation of the Ash’aris on the topic of Quran:
* “Some of our [Hanbali] companions often ask us about the debate that took place between me and some of the heretics (i.e. Ash’aris)”
* Ash’aris claim that the Speech of Allah - the Quran - is one whole entity which is indivisible, for anything eternal must be indivisible, as they claim. Ibn Qudamah responds to this saying, that their belief implies, that the Torah, the Bible and the Quran are all the same, and the one who memorises a verse has memorised the whole Quran, and that Allah’s prohibitions are the same as what he permits, etc.
* Ash’aris say that if Allah speaks with sound and letters, it implies that Allah has a tongue, a throat and lungs, since this is the only way one may speak. Ibn Qudamah says, the stones and trees of Makkah would say Salam to the Prophet - SallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam without any of that, and likewise ones hands will bear witness against him on the day of judgement, without the need of any tongue or throat etc. Moreover, by the same token, they should also deny that Allah is all hearing and seeing, as one cannot hear except through air waves hitting the air-drums, nor can one see except through lights hitting the retina.
* Ibn Qudamah says that Ash’aris belief implies that for one to recite the Quran in his Salah, in fact renders his Salah null and void, because the Quran is actually the speech of Jibril, as they claim.
* He says: “There is no dispute amongst all the Muslims that anyone who rejects a verse from the Quran, or a word, which is agreed upon, or even a letter which is agreed upon, is a Kafir… Whereas al-Ash’ari rejects the entire Quran and says: none of that is the Quran, rather it is the speech of Jibril”
* He says: “What is amazing is that they are not bold enough to manifest their belief in public, nor do they explicitly state it except when they are alone. Even if they were the rulers, or governors of countries, and you were to attribute this belief to them, they would detest it and condemn it, and become obstinate. They would only pretend to honor the Quran respect the Mushaf, and stand up upon seeing it, whereas when they are alone they say: There is nothing in it but paper and ink, what else is there in it? And this is from the actions of Zanadiqah”
* One of them said to Ibn Qudamah: I affirm that this Mushaf is actually the Quran, but it is not the eternal Quran, to which Ibn Qudamah replied: ‘So, do we have two Qurans?! … Some of our [Hanbali] companions said: ‘You (the Ash’aris) are the rulers and the governors over Islamic countries, so what prevents you from making your belief manifest to the common folk?
* He said: ‘We do not know of a sect from the heretics who hide their beliefs, and who are not bold enough to manifest them, except the Zanadiqah and the Ash’aris.’
* He said: ‘His belief (i.e. al-Ash’ari’s) is similar to that of the Mu’tazilah without doubt, except that al-Ash’ari wants to deceive. So he states his belief which appears to be agreeing with the beliefs of the people of truth. He then gives an explanation to his belief with a Mu’tazili twist.
* He says: ‘The reality of the Ash’ari doctrine is that there is no God in the heavens, nor is there a Quran on this earth, and nor is Muhammad a messenger of God’. Ibn Fuwarrak was killed by the great ruler Ibn Subuktakin for claiming that the Prophet SallAllahu ‘alaihi wa-sallam was only a messenger when he was alive, and he isn’t a messenger anymore after his death.
* He says: ‘What is amazing is that their leader (i.e. Abul-Hasan al-Ash’ari) who established their beliefs was a man not known for his religion or piety, nor was he known for any of the Sacred sciences. In fact, he belongs to no science except the science of blameworthy Kalam. All the while they acknowledge that he spent 40 years adhering to Mu’tazili doctrine, and then pretended to have retracted from it, however, nothing could be seen from him after his repentance except this Bid’ah.’
al-Saffarini al-Hanbali says in his Sharh of his own Athari creed:
“In conclusion, the Mu’tazilites are in agreement with the Ash’arites, while the Ash’arites are in agreement with the Mu’tazilites, that this Quran contained within the two covers of the Mushaf is created and anew. The only difference between the two factions is that the Mu’tazila did not affirm any other Speech for Allah except this (the Quran, which they thought was created), whereas the Ash’arites affirmed al-Kalam al-Nafsi (self-speech/talking to oneself/inner-speech) subsisting in Allah’s essence. Whereas the Mu’tazilites say, the Speech of Allah is created (and not subsisting in Allah). The Ash’aris do not consider it (the Quran) the Speech of Allah. Yes, they call it ‘the Speech of Allah’, but only metaphorically, and that is the belief of the majority of their predecessors.”
Conclusion:
1) the Ash’aris believe that the Quran that we have which is contained in the Mushaf is in fact created, because Allah Speaks without sound or letters.
2) This is how the Hanbalis have viewed the Ash’aris for centuries.
Ibn al-Jawzi’s quotes can be found in his al-Muntadham, in his notice on Abul-Hasan al-Ash’ari; as well as his Sayd al-Khatir
Ibn Qudama is being quoted from his Munadhara ma’a Ahl al-Bid’a (debate with heretics), which is his discourse with his contemporary Ash’rites.
al-Saffarini is being quoted from his own Sharh to his own Athari creed called Lawami’.
Solid Prove and Explanations that the Quran is Uncreated
Ahl al-Sunna agree one and all that the Qur'an is the pre-existent, pre-eternal, uncreated Speech of Allah Most High on the evidence of the Qur'an, the Sunna, and faith-guided reason.
In a rare instance of classic kalâm reasoning, Imam Malik gave the most succint statement of this doctrine:
"The Qur'an is the Speech of Allah, the Speech of Allah comes from Him, and nothing created comes from Allah Most High." Narrated by al-Dhahabi in Siyar A`lam al-Nubala' (Dar al-Fikr ed. 7:416).
Hafiz Abu al-Qasim Ibn `Asakir said in Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari (Dar al-Jil ed. p. 150-151):
"The Mu`tazila said: 'the Speech of Allah Most High is created, invented, and brought into being.' The Hashwiyya, who attribute a body to Allah the Exalted, said: 'The alphabetical characters (al-hurûf al-muqatta`a), the materials on which they are written, the colors in which they are written, and all that is between the two covers [of the volumes of Qur'an] is beginningless and pre-existent (qadîma azaliyya). Al-Ash`ari took a middle road between them and said: The Qur'an is the beginningless speech of Allah Most High unchanged, uncreated, not of recent origin in time, nor brought into being. As for the alphabetical characters, the materials, the colors, the voices, the elements that are subject to limitations (al-mahdûdât), and all that is subject to modality (al-mukayyafât) in the0 world: all this is created, originated, and produced."
Hafiz Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi said in al-Asma' wa al-Sifat (al-Kawthari ed. p. 265; al-Hashidi ed. 2:18) with a sound chain:
"Something Ibn Shaddad had written was handed to Abu Bakr al-Marwazi which containing the phrase: "My pronunciation of the Qur'an is uncreated" and the latter was asked to show it to Ahmad ibn Hanbal for corroboration. The latter crossed out the phrase and wrote instead: "The Qur'an, however used (haythu yusraf), is uncreated."
"In another sound narration, Abu Bakr al-Marwazi, Abu Muhammad Fawran [or Fawzan], and Salih ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal witnessed Ahmad rebuking one of his students named Abu Talib with the words: "Are you telling people that I said: 'My pronunciation of the Qur'an is uncreated'?" Abu Talib replied: "I only said this from my own." Ahmad said: "Do not say this - neither from me, nor from you! I never heard any person of knowledge say it. The Qur'an is the Speech of Allah uncreated, whichever way it is used." Salih said to Abu Talib: "If you told people what you said, now go and tell the same people that Abu `Abd Allah [Imam Ahmad] forbade to say it."" End of al-Bayhaqi's narration in al-Asma' wa al-Sifat (Kawthari ed. p. 265-266; al-Hashidi ed. 2:18). This is a sound narration also found in Salih ibn Ahmad's book al-Mihna (p. 70-71), Ibn al-Jawzi's Manaqib al-Imam Ahmad (p. 155), and Ibn Taymiyya in Majmu` al-Fatawa (12:360, 12:425).
The Proof of Islam and Renewer of the Fifth Hijri Century, Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali said in his "Foundations of Islamic Belief" (Qawa`id al-`Aqa'id) published in his Rasa'il and his Ihya' `Ulum al-Din and partially translated in Shaykh Nuh Keller's Reliance of the Traveller and by Mrs. Ahmad Darwish on the Mosque of the Internet:
"The Qur'an is read by tongues, written in books, and remembered in the heart, yet it is, nevertheless, uncreated and without beginning, subsisting in the Essence of Allah, not subject to division and or separation through its transmission to the heart and paper. Musa - upon him peace - heard the Speech of Allah without sound and without letter, just as the righteous see the Essence of Allah Most High in the Hereafter, without substance or its quality." End of al-Ghazzali's words.
And Imam al-Tahawi said of the Qur'an in his "Creed of Abu Hanifa and his Companions": "It is not created like the speech of creatures."
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was detained and lashed for twenty-eight months for refusing to say that the Qur'an was created. In his stand for the sake of the pure and undefiled Religion he was compared to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq's unwavering stand with regard to the Arabian tribes who committed apostasy after the Prophet SAW left this life. May Allah be well-pleased with them and make them pleased.
The `Aqida of the People of Truth is:
sifaatu-l-Laahi laysat `ayna dhaatin
The Attributes of Allah are neither the very Essence,wa laa ghayran siwaahu dha-nfisaali
nor other than Himself, nor separate.sifaatu-dh-Dhaati wa-l-af`aali turran
And all the Attributes of the Essence and of the Actsqadiimaatun masuunaatu-z-zawaali
are pre-existent and without end.
[From the poem Bad' al-Amali by the Maturidi master, Siraj al-Din `Ali ibn `Uthman al-Ushi (d. 569).]
The Qur'an most explicitly states {wa ma-khtalafa ahlu-l-kitaabi illaa min ba`di maa jaa'ahum MIN AL-`ILM} and {wa man hajjaka min ba`di ma jaa'aka MIN AL-`ILM} among other verses equating Divine Revelation with "The Knowledge". This was pointed out by Imam Ahmad in many places, notably his first reply to the Devils who interrogated him on the issue, as cited below. So to believe that the Qur'an is the Speech of Allah - and there is no disagreement over this from the Shi`is - is to believe that it is the Knowledge of Allah, though not necessarily all His Knowledge.
The truth is, as Allah is my witness and yours, that the Qur'an is the uncreated Speech of Allah to the worlds in which He mentions the taking of the Covenant from all the Prophets and their Communities and the all-encompassing witness of the Seal of Prophets over them; that the Torah is the uncreated Speech of Allah; the Zabur is the uncreated Speech of Allah; and the Injil is the uncreated Speech of Allah.
"My ruling concerning the practicioners of kalâm is that they be flogged, then seated upon a camel and paraded among the clans and the tribes while a herald proclaims: 'This is the reward of those who abandon the Book and the Sunna in order to take up kalâm!'" I.e. to take up false reasonings and speculations in the guise of defending the Book and the Sunna instead of sticking faithfully to the latter. He also said: "Every mutakallim according to the Qur'an and Sunna possesses diligence, while every other type is delirious."
It was correctly mentioned that al-Shafi`i declared to a man who spoke of the Qur'an as created: "You have just committed disbelief." The man in question was the Mu`tazili-turned-Jabri, Hafs al-Fard of Basra. It is established that al-Shafi`i entered into kalâm disputations with this Hafs over the issue of the creation of the Qur'an until he declared Hafs a disbeliever, and he used to nickname him "Hafs the Isolated" Hafs al-Munfarid as a word-play on his name of Fard. Hafs had tried unsuccessfully to make `Abd Allah ibn `Abd al-Hakim and Yusuf ibn `Amr ibn Yazid debate him before al-Shafi`i accepted and defeated him. See on this: Ibn `Asakir, Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari (1404 ed. p. 338-340) and al-Lalika'i, Sharh Usul I`tiqad Ahl al-Sunna (2:252-253).
Allah have mercy on al-Buwayti and give him the highest ranks in Paradise! He died in 231 in jail, bound in chains in Iraq for refusing to say that the Qur'an was created. May Allah have mercy on him and on all the scholars of Ahl al-Sunna and give them the merits of their detractors.
Questioner: What do you say about the Qur'an?
Ahmad: And you, what do you say about the Knowledge of Allah Most High?
Another questioner: Did not Allah say: {Allah is the Creator of all things} (13:16), and is not the Qur'an a thing?
Ahmad: Allah also said: {Destroying all things} (46:25), then it destroyed all except whatever Allah willed.
Another questioner: {Never comes there unto them a new reminder from their Lord} (21:2). Can something new be anything but created?
Ahmad: Allah said: {Sâd. By the Qur'an that contains the Reminder} (38:1). "The" reminder is the Qur'an, while the other verse does not say "the".
Another questioner: But the hadith of `Imran ibn Husayn states: "Allah created the Reminder."
Ahmad: That is not correct, several narrated it to us as: "Allah wrote the Reminder."
[Al-Bukhari, Sahih, book of the Beginning of Creation: "Allah was when there was nothing else than Him, and His Throne was upon the water, and He wrote in the Reminder (al-dhikr) all things, and He created the heavens and the earth."]
They cited the hadith of Ibn Mas`ud: "Allah Most High did not create a garden of Paradise nor a fire of Hell nor a heaven nor an earth more tremendous (a`zam) than the verse of the Throne (2:255)." [Narrated by Sa`id ibn Mansur, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn al-Daris, al-Tabarani, al-Harawi in his Fada'il, and al-Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-Iman, as stated by al-Suyuti in al-Durr al-Manthur.
Al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan mentions Sufyan ibn `Uyayna's explanation whereby this is because the garden, the fire, etc. are all created as opposed to the Qur'an.]
Ahmad: The creating here applies to the garden, the fire, the heaven, and the earth. It does not apply to the Qur'an.
Another questioner: The narration of Khabbab states: "I admonish you to approach Allah with all that you can; but you can never approach Him with something dearer to Him than His speech."
[Narrated by al-Hakim (2:441) who declared it sound - al-Dhahabi concurred - and by al-Bayhaqi in al-Asma' wa al-Sifat with two sound chains (1:587-588 #513-514).]
Ahmad: And that is true.
Further Explanations
Allah says, {Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing,
is only that He says to it, 'Be!' and it is!} - Yasîn 82
Ibn `Uyayna explains, "Allah has differentiated his
Creation from his Command. His command is "Be" (Kun)."
Allah says, {Verily! Our Word unto a thing when We intend
it, is only that We say unto it: "Be!" and it is.} - Surah An-Nahl 40
Shaykh `AbdulQadir al-Jilani (Rahimahullah),*
explaining that the word of Allah is not created says,
"Allah (subhanehu Wa ta'ala) said, {Verily! to him
(belongs) the creation and the Command}; (Allah) has
differentiated his Creation from his Command, If His
Command which is "Be" (Kun) that He creates His creation
(with) is created it would be a repetition that has no
benefit - as if He (Allah) said 'Verily! to him (belongs)
the creation and the creation'; Allah (subhanehu Wa ta'ala)
is far removed from doing such a thing."
From the book Al-Ghunya li-Talibiy Tariq al-Haqq, volume 1 page 59
Ibn `Arabi on Uncreatedness of Qur'an
From the Futuhat al-Makkiyya:
[164] He - Most High - speaks, not after being previously silent nor following presumed tacitness, with a speech pre-eternal and beginningless like the rest of His Attributes, whether His knowledge, will, or power. He spoke to Musa - upon him peace. He named it [His speech] the divine Bestowal (al-tanzîl), the Book of Psalms (al-zabûr), the Torah, and the Evangel. [All this] without letters (hurûf), sounds (aswât), tones (nagham), nor languages (lughât). Rather, He is the Creator of sounds, letters, and languages.
Doubts about the creation of the Qur’aan
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The Muslim believes that the Holy Qur'aan is the Word of Allaah, which He spoke in a manner that befits His Majesty and might, may He be glorified.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if anyone of the Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allaah (the Qur’aan) and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not” [al-Tawbah 9:6].
Imam al-Aajurri said in al-Sharee’ah (1/84):
You should realize, may Allaah have mercy on us and you, that the belief of the Muslims whose hearts are not devoid of the truth and who have been guided aright, is that the Qur'aan is the word of Allaah, and is not created, because the Qur’aan is part of the knowledge of Allaah, and the knowledge of Allaah cannot be created; exalted be Allaah far above that. This is indicated by the Qur’aan, the Sunnah, the words of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) and the words of the imams of the Muslims (may Allaah have mercy on them). No one denies this but an evil Jahami, and the Jahamis are kaafirs according to the scholars.
Allaah said to His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allaah — to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), who believes in Allaah and His Words [(this Qur’aan), the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and also Allaah’s Word: “Be!” — and he was, i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), عليهما السلام], and follow him so that you may be guided’” [al-A’raaf 7:158]
This refers to the Qur’aan.
And Allaah said to Moosa (peace be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Moosa (Moses) I have chosen you above men by My Messages, and by My speaking (to you). So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful” [al-A’raaf 7:144]
There are many similar verses in the Qur’aan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then whoever disputes with you concerning him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] after (all this) knowledge that has come to you [i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus) being a slave of Allaah, and having no share in Divinity]” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:61]
and He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, if you follow their desires after that which you have received of knowledge (from Allaah), then indeed you will be one of the Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers)” [al-Baqarah 2:145]
Allaah is All-Knowing, All-Hearing, All-Seeing and He speaks and all of His attributes are eternal and existed before He created anything. The one who says anything other than that is a kaafir.
We will quote some Sunnahs, reports and scholarly opinions which will prove this point; rather when the one who has knowledge and reason hears them, they will increase him in knowledge and understanding, and when the one in whose heart is deviation hears them, if Allaah wants to guide him to the path of truth, he will change his mind, but if he does not change his mind, the calamity will be greater for him. End quote.
Whoever would like to know more may refer to the mutawaatir evidence mentioned by al-Aajurri which shows that the Qur'aan is the word of Allaah and is not created.
Secondly:
The idea that the Qur’aan is created is not derived from the Qur’aan and Sunnah, rather it is based on rational evidence that led them to deny some of the attributes of Allaah, may He be exalted. That was when they said that the attributes can only exist in created beings, and they reached this idea through a series of misconceptions that they called “evidence that this world is not eternal”. Then after that they looked in the Holy Qur'aan and distorted all the evidence that goes against this concept that they came up with, and they compiled every specious argument that could be indicated. Among the specious arguments they cling to is that which was mentioned by the questioner, which is mentioned in saheeh ahad reports – even though with regard to ‘aqeedah they do not quote anything but mutawaatir reports as evidence – that the Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection in a specific form to intercede for its companions. They said that this indicates that it is a created being, as nothing can be described as coming and going except something that is created.
It was narrated that Abu Umaamah al-Baahili (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Read the Qur’aan, for it will come on the Day of Resurrection interceding for its companions. Read the two bright ones, al-Baqarah and Soorat Aal ‘Imraan, for they will come on the Day of Resurrection like two clouds or shadows, or like two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading on behalf of their companions” Narrated by Muslim (804).
Clouds and shadows refer to things that shade a man from above his head, and two flocks of birds in ranks refers to birds that spread their wings in the air. Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi (6/90).
And it was narrated from Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection, like a pale man, and will say: I am the one that kept you awake at night and made you thirsty during the day” Narrated by Ibn Majaah (3781); classed as saheeh by al-Busayri in al-Zawaa’id and by Ibn Hajar in al-Mataalib al-‘Aaliyah (4/66). Al-Albaani said in Da’eef Ibn Majaah: It is da’eef but may be classed as hasan. It was classed as hasan because of the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (2829).
This is an ancient argument that was answered by Imam Ahmad and other imams of Sunnah.
Ibn Qutaybah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Ta’weel Mukhtalaf al-Hadeeth (258):
What was meant by the words “al-Baqarah and al ‘Imraan will come like two clouds” is that their reward will come to the one who read them and will shade him on the Day of Resurrection, and the reward will come to a man in his grave, and it will come to a man on the Day of Resurrection and argue in his defence. … End quote.
See: al-Radd ‘ala al-Zanaadiqah wa’l-Jahamiyyah, by Imam Ahmad (42-43).
Ibn Battah said in al-Ibaanah al-Kubra (5/476):
The Jahamis resorted to distorting the meaning of some ahaadeeth. So as to deceive those who have no knowledge of hadeeth. What was meant in the ahaadeeth when it said that “the Qur’aan will come, and al-Baqarah will come, and prayer will come, and fasting will come” is that the reward for all that will come, and all of this is explained in the Qur'aan and Sunnah.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it.
8. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it” [al-Zalzalah 99:7-8].
The apparent meaning of these words is that he will see both good and evil, but he will not see good and evil, rather he will see the recompense for them, namely both reward and punishment.
Similarly, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“On the Day when every person will be confronted with all the good he has done, and all the evil he has done, he will wish that there were a great distance between him and his evil. And Allaah warns you against Himself (His punishment) and Allaah is full of kindness to (His) slaves”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:30].
This does not mean that these deeds that you did will come in that form, in the form of evil, rather you will see the recompense for all of that in the form of reward and punishment.
So it may be said that the Qur’aan will come, and that prayer will come, and that zakaah will come, and that patience will come, and that gratitude will come, but what will come will be the reward for all of that. End quote.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah sad in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (8/408):
When the Jahamis argued with Imam Ahmad and others of Ahl al-Sunnah saying that the Qur'aan was created, on the basis of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Al-Baqarah and Aal ‘Imraan will come like two clouds or shadows, or like two flocks of birds in ranks” or “The Qur’aan will come like a pale man” and so on.
They said: The one that comes and goes can only be something created.
Imam Ahmad responded to them by saying that Allaah, may He be exalted, has described Himself as coming and going, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Do they then wait for anything other than that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord (Allaah) should come, or that some of the Signs of your Lord should come” [al-An’aam 6:158]
“And your Lord comes with the angels in rows” [al-Fajr 89:22].
Yet despite that, this cannot be taken as evidence that He is created, according to consensus, rather one may say His command or decree has come. Similarly the Mu’tazilah who say that the Qur'aan was created, interpret this verse as meaning that His command or decree has come. So why can’t it be said that the coming of the Qur'aan refers to the coming of its reward, and that what is meant by “al-Baqarah and Aal ‘Imraan will come” is the coming of their reward, and their reward is created? This was stated by more than one scholar, and they explained that what was meant by the coming of al-Baqarah and Aal ‘Imraan was their reward, to answer the Jahamis who claimed that the coming and going of the Qur'aan meant that it was created. End quote.
In Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (5/398) it says:
Ahmad and other imams of Sunnah interpreted this hadeeth as meaning that the reward of al-Baqarah and Aal ‘Imraan will come, as something similar was said about the coming of one's deeds in the grave and on the Day of Resurrection – what is meant is the reward for one's deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Read al-Baqarah and Soorat Aal ‘Imraan, for they will come on the Day of Resurrection like two clouds or shadows, or like two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading on behalf of their companions.”
This hadeeth is in al-Saheeh. Because it enjoins reading them and states that they will come pleading on behalf of the reader, it is known that what is meant by that is the reader’s recitation of them, which is his deed, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that his deed, which is his recitation of them, will come in the form that he mentioned, just as he told us that other deeds will also come. End quote.
From the above it is clear that it is not valid to quote these ahaadeeth as evidence that the Qur’aan is created, because what is referred to in them is the reward for reading the Qur'aan, just as what is meant in the verse “So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it” [al-Zalzalah 99:7] is that he will see the reward for good.