[Q352] Distinguishing the Qur’an, as the Eternal Speech of Allah, From the Written & Recited Qur’an

Question

My question is:
I saw a post where it was written: “The pen is created but what is written within it is created.”
I had learned that we say Qur’an is “Kalaamullah” (speech of Allah), and so the Qur’an is uncreated and eternal.
However, the Mushaf (physical copy of the Qur’an), the wordings written, the ink, and our words when we recite the Qur’an are created.
But the Arabic verses that we have are the expression/meaning of the Kalaam of Allah, which is eternal?
Am I correct? If not, please could you clarify and explain.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

The Qur’an is the Speech of Allah, which is an attribute of His. According to Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah, the Attributes of Allah are eternal and everlasting. They are neither emergent nor created.
Since the Qur’an is an attribute of Allah, it is also uncreated. To call the Qur’an emergent or created is a deviation, and indeed, it is disbelief.
The explanation you provided, where you divide between the Arabic words and their meanings, is not accurate. The correct understanding is that our recitation (Qira’ah) is emergent and created, but what we recite is the Qur’an, and it is uncreated. The pen, ink, and our writing are created, but what we write is the Qur’an, which is Allah’s attribute and uncreated. Our ears and our hearing are created, but what we have heard is the Qur’an, and it is uncreated.
It is not necessary for us to fully comprehend this matter because it is impossible for the full reality of Allah’s essence and attributes to be grasped by our limited intellects.
It should be noted that this explanation was given by the Imam of Ahl-ul-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Rida Khan رحمه الله, in his book, Anwaar-ul-Mannān Fi Tawhid-il-Qur’an. He has provided numerous evidences regarding this matter. If you wish, you may study this book for further clarification.

The Khalifah of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan, Sadr-ul-Shari’ah, Mufti Amjad Ali A’dhamiyy عليه الرحمہ, explained this, stating:
“His (i.e., Allah’s) Speech is free from sound, and this great Qur’an which we recite with our tongues and write in the Masāhif (copies of the Qur’an) is His eternal speech, free from sound. Our recitation is emergent (hādith), but what we recite is eternal. Our writing is emergent, but what is written is eternal. Our hearing is emergent, but what we have heard is eternal. Our memorization is emergent, but what we have memorized is eternal.”

(Bahar-e-Shariat, Vol. 1, Pg. 8-9, Maktaba-tul-Madina, Dawat-e-Islami)

Answered by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date 11th September 2024