Kitaab Sharh us-Sunnah
by Al-Barbahaaree
Trans. Abu Talhah Dawud Burbank


97: Whoever says that the recitation of the Qur’an is created is and innovator

Know that whoever says that his recital of the Qur’an is created is an innovator. Whoever remains silent and will neither say created or uncreated, he, too, is a Jahmee. This was the saying of Ahmad ibn Hanbal [1].

The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “He amongst you who lives long will see great controversy, so beware of newly invented matters because they are miguidance and take to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided khulafaa;’ grasp that with your molar teeth.” [2]


NOTES

[1] As occurs in as-Sunnah (1/163-166) of ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Usool as-Sunnah (point no.2) of Imaam Ahmad and Sareeh as-Sunnah (points 30-33) of at-Tabaree.

The saying of the Salaf is that the Qur’an, which is written in the Mus’haf, memorized in the heart and recited upon the tongue is the uncreated speech of Allah. However, due to the fact that the human voice and movement of one’s tongue are created actions, the innovators innovated the ambiguous statement, “My recitation of the Qur’an itself is created.” This saying leads to the previous saying that the Qur’an itself is created. Therefore, the scholars such as Imaam Ahmad warned against this. Also, refer to Khalq Af’aalul-‘Ibaad (nos.217, 540) of al-Bukhaaree.

[2] Reported by Abu Daawood (Eng. trans. 3/1294/no.4590), at-Tirmidhee (no.2678), Ibn Maajah (no.420) and Ahmad in his Musnad (4/126) and the hadeeth is saheeh.


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