Imaam ash-Shaafi'ees Refutation of the Lafdhiyyah Jahmiyyah [Ash'ariyyah]

Al-Laalikaa'ee (d. 418H) narrates (2/390-391, no. 599) with his isnaad:

Al-Husain bin Ahmad bin Ibraaheem at-Tabaree said: I heard Ahmad bin Yoosuf ash-Shaalanjee saying: I heard Abu Abdullaah al-Husain bin Alee al-Qattaan saying: I heard Alee bin al-Husain bin al-Junaid saying: I heard ar-Rabee' saying: I heard ash-Shaafi'ee saying:

Whoever said my pronunciation with the Qur'an, or the Qur'an with my pronunciation is created, then he is a Jahmee.

And this wording has also been narrated from Abu Zur'ah [ar-Raazee] and Alee bin Khashrum.

And Alee bin Ahmad bin Yoosuf al-Hakkaaree (d. 486H) brings the same statement in his book "I'tiqaad ash-Shaafi'ee" (tahqeeq al-Burraak, p. 23):

Abu Nasr Ahmad bin al-Khidr al-Faariqee, and Abu al-Hasan Alee Ibn al-Husain al-Ukbaree, both informed us, saying: Abul-Qaasim Hibatullaah bin al-Hasan bin Mansoor al-Faqeeh ash-Shaafi'ee (rahimahullaah) informed us: Al-Husain bin Ahmad at-Tabaree informed us, he said: I heard Ahmad bin Yoosuf ash-Shaalanjee saying: I heard Alee bin al-Husain bin al-Junaid saying: I heard ar-Rabee' bin Sulaymaan saying: I heard ash-Shaafi'ee (radiallaahu anhu) saying:

Whoever said my pronunciation with the Qur'an is created, or the Qur'an with my pronunciation is created, then he is a Jahmee.

The Ash'ariyyah Jahmiyyah: The Pronounced Recited Qur'an is Created

The doctrine of the Jahmiyyah which the Salaf declared as "kufr" is taught in all Ash'arite institutions and centers across the world, through the likes of books such as al-Bayjuri's Haashiyah upon Jawharat ut-Tawheed and in which there is explicit mention that the Qur'an which is al-lafdh al-maqroo' (the recited word) is created, and that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) is superior to the recited word (al-lafdh al-maqroo') because he is the best of all creation (meaning the recited word is created), and repeating that this Qur'an that is recited is created on at least three occasions - see this article here, where we find the following three quotes from this standard Ash'arite texbook (p. 161):

This translates:

And is the Qur'an with the meaning of the wording that is recited more excellent? Or is our leader, Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) [more excellent]. Some of them have held on to what has been reported [that]: "Every letter is better than Muhammad and the family of Muhammad". However it's [authenticity] is not verified as established. And the truth is that he (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) is more excellent because he is more excellent than every created thing (makhlooq), as is taken from the speech (i.e. commentary) of al-Jalaal al-Mahallee upon the Burdah. And what supports this is that it (the Qur'an) is the action of the reciter and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) is more excellent than the reciter and all of his actions. But it is safer to withhold from the likes of this, for the mind being devoid of this does not harm it. End summarized quote from the Haashiyah of the Shaykh, al-Ameer.

And al-Bayjuri says in another place (p. 162):

And the outcome (of this discussion) is that every apparent [text] from the Book and the Sunnah that indicates [its] Hudooth [meaning "created", to them the Mutakallimoon] then it is to be carried to [be in reference] to the wording [lafdh] that is recited (al-lafdh al-maqroo') and not the Kalaam Nafsi (meaning residing eternally with Allaah's Self]. However it is prohibited for it to be said, "The Qur'aan is created", except in the situation of teaching, as has been said.

And a couple of pages eary al-Bayjoori's said (p. 160), leaving no room for any doubt:

And the madhhab of Ahl us-Sunnah is that the Qur'an, with the meaning of al-Kalaam an-Nafsi [the meaning that resides eternally with the Self of Allaah] is not created. And as for the Qur'aan with the meaning of the lafdh (the wording) that we recite, then it is created. However, it is prohibited that it be said, "The Qur'aan is created" intending by that the wording which we recite - except in the context of teaching. Because it may give the presumption that the Qur'aan, with the meaning of His The Most High's Kalaam (i.e. that which resides in the Self) is created. And for this reason, the scholars withheld from speaking with the Qur'aan [being] created.

In all of these quotes you can clearly see that to the Ash'arites it is that which is maqroo' (what is recited) that is created. And this is none other than the saying of the Jahmiyyah Lafdhiyyah and you can learn about this species in our article:

• The Six Stages In The Evolution Of the Doctrines of the 'Qur'an Creationists' - The Jahmiyyah, Mu'tazilah and Kullaabiyyah Ash'ariyyah - read article here.

And you should also note that the book we have quoted from is one that makes tahqeeq (corroborating what is correct) of that which is in the madhhab - so it means that the book provides the actual, standard Ash'arite doctrines that they hold as their religion before Allaah, after resolving whatever differences have existed historically on the issue in their madhhab. In short, its the standard orthodox Ash'arite doctrine.