and upon which the Salaf of the Ummah reached a consensus?
For this reason, the imams of the Sunnah denounced those who hesitated in this matter out of a supposed scrupulousness!
In al-Tabaqat (1/460), Shahin ibn al-Sumayda‘ said: "I asked Ahmad [ibn Hanbal] about one who says: 'I remain neutral (aqifu) regarding the Quran out of scrupulousness (tawarru‘).'" He replied: "That person is a doubter in the religion. The consensus of the scholars and the early imams is that the Quran is the Speech of Allah, uncreated. This is the religion upon which I found the scholars (shuyukh), and those scholars found those before them upon this."
Abu Dawud (may Allah have mercy upon him) said in his Masa’il (1705): "I heard Ahmad [ibn Hanbal] being asked: 'Is there a concession for a man to say: "The Speech of Allah" and then remain silent?' He replied: 'And why should he remain silent?! Had the people not fallen into what they fell into [of innovation], silence would have been wide enough for him; but since they have spoken, for what reason should they not speak?'"
In al-Khallal (1784), via al-Marrudhi, he said: "I asked Ahmad about one who remains neutral, not saying: 'uncreated,' but saying: 'I say: The Speech of Allah.'" He replied: "It should be said to him: 'The scholars say: "uncreated."' If he refuses, then he is a Jahmi."
Ibrahim ibn al-Harith said: "I asked Ahmad, saying: 'O Abu Abd Allah, can a person be from the People of the Sunnah if he says: "I do not say the Quran is created, nor do I say it is not created"?'" He replied: "No, and no honor [is due to him]; he is not from the People of the Sunnah. It has reached me that that wicked man..."
