Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah believe that the Qur’an is the word of Allah, may He be exalted, in both its letters and its meanings. It began with Him and will return to Him; it was revealed and not created; Allah spoke it in a real sense and revealed it to Jibril (peace be upon him), who brought it down to Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). [71] See: Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Usul al-Sunnah, p. 22; al-Muzani: Sharh al-Sunnah, p. 78; al-Tahhawi: Matn al-Tahhawiyyah, p. 40; al-Isma‘ili: I‘tiqad A’immah al-Hadith, p. 57; Abu Zayd al-Qayrawani: ‘Aqidat al-Salaf in the Muqaddimah (Introduction) to his book ar-Risalah, p. 57; Ibn Abi Zamnin: Usul al-Sunnah, p. 82.

‘Iyad said: The Muslims are unanimously agreed that the Qur’an which is recited throughout the world, and was written in the Mushaf by the Muslims’ hands, from the beginning of Al-hamdu Lillahi Raab il-‘Alamin to the end of Qul a‘udhu bi Rabbi’l-nas is the word of Allah and His revelation which He sent down to His Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and everything in it is true. Whoever omits a letter from it deliberately, or changes one letter for another, or adds a letter to it which is not included in the Mushaf on which there is consensus or it is agreed that it is not part of the Qur’an, doing all or any of that deliberately, is a disbeliever. [72] See: al-Shifa, 2/304.

2.1 The Qur’an is the word of Allah and is not created
Allah, may He be exalted, says, "Likewise We have revealed to you O Muhammad a life-giving message by Our command." (al-Shura 42:52) "Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command." (al-A‘raf 7:54) Allah, may He be exalted, tells us that creation is something other than the command, and that the Qur’an comes from His command, and was not created by Him, "Indeed, Our word to a thing when We intend it is but that We say to it, “Be,” and it is." (an-Nahl 16:40) Be (kun) is His word, which is one of His attributes, and it is not created, whilst the thing that is intended by saying to it Be (kun) is created, as Allah, may He be exalted, says elsewhere, "Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him, “Be,” and he was." (Al ‘Imran 3:59) ‘Isa and Adam (peace be upon them) were both created by means of the word Be (kun). This word is the word of Allah, and His word is one of His attributes. The thing that is created is not the word Be (kun); rather the thing that is created came into being by means of Allah saying to it: Be (kun). [73] See: Ibn Khuzaymah: al-Tawhid, 1/331; Ibn Taymiyah: al-Fatawa al-Kubra, 6/484; al-Hakami: Ma‘arij al-Qubul, 1/296

Ishaq ibn Rahawayh said: ‘There is no difference of opinion among the scholars regarding the fact that the Qur’an is the word of Allah and is not created. How can anything that was uttered by the Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, be created?’ [74] Narrated by al-Dhahabi in al-‘Uluw, p. 179.

Abu Hatim and Abu Zur‘ah said, ‘We met the scholars in all regions, and according to their view faith consists of both words and deeds, and may increase and decrease, and the Qur’an is the word of Allah and is not created.’ [75] Narrated by al-Lalkani in Sharh Usul I‘tiqad Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah, 1/198; al-Dhahabi: al-‘Uluw, p. 188.

Ibn Taymiyah said, ‘The correct view is what the early generations said: that it is the word of Allah and is not created. It started from Him and will return to Him. Their saying “it started from Him” is a refutation of those who said that the Qur’an was created in some physical entity, and from that created entity it was initiated. Thus their words “it started from Him” affirm that Allah is the One Who uttered it in a real sense. It started “from Him” and not from any of His creation, and it “will return to Him”, that is, there will be nothing left in people’s hearts, not even one verse, and not even one letter in the Mushafs.’ [76] See: Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 12/561.

2.2. The view that the Qur’an was created constitutes major disbelief (kufr akbar)
Sufyan al-Thawri said, ‘Whoever says that the verses Say, “He is Allah, who is One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge” –al-Ikhlas 112:1-2 are created is a disbeliever.’ [77] Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad in al-Sunnah, 1/108.

‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said: ‘Whoever says that the Qur’an is created is a heretic.’ [78] Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad in al-Sunnah, 1/111.

Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah said, ‘The Qur’an is the word of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Whoever says that it is created is a disbeliever, and whoever doubts that he is a disbeliever is himself a disbeliever.’ [79] Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad in al-Sunnah, 1/112.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, ‘Whoever says that the Qur’an is created is, in our view, a disbeliever, because the Qur’an is part of the knowledge of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and it mentions the names of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.’ [80] Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad in al-Sunnah, 1/102.

Ibn Taymiyah said, ‘What was narrated from Ahmad was also narrated from all the other leading scholars of Sunnah and hadith. They all used to say: Whoever says that the Qur’an is created is a disbeliever.’ [81] See: Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 12/486.

He also said, ‘It is well known from the leading scholars of the early generations that whoever says that the Qur’an is created is to be regarded as a disbeliever. He should be asked to repent, and if he repents, all well and good, otherwise he is to be executed.’ [82] See: Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 12/505

Ibn ‘Uthaymin said, ‘If someone were to say that the Qur’an is created and is something separate from Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, many of the early generations described such talk as disbelief and said that if he says that the Qur’an is created, he has disbelieved in the words of Allah, "He sent it down with His knowledge." (an-Nisa’ 4:166) Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, described the Qur’an as being sent down with His full knowledge, not as having been created by His power. As it was sent down with His full knowledge, it cannot be created by His power, and if we say that it is created, then this is rejecting and disbelieving the words of Allah, "He sent it down with His knowledge." (an-Nisa’ 4:166) In that case, the one who says that is a disbeliever.’ [83] See: al-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 15/423.

2.3 The Holy Qur’an is written in al-Lawh al-Mahfuz and preserved in people’s hearts
Allah, may He be exalted, says, "Indeed, it is a noble Qur’an, In a book well-preserved. None touch it except the purified It is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds." (al-Waqi‘ah 56:77-80) Ibn Jarir said: ‘Allah, may He be exalted, wrote all that He enjoined on His slaves and what they would do in al-Lawh al-Mahfuz. Allah, may He be exalted, says in the Qur’an, "But this is an honored Qur’an. Inscribed in a Preserved Tablet." (al-Buruj 85:21-2) "Indeed, it is a noble Qur’an, In a book well-preserved." (al-Waqi‘ah 56:77)’ [84] See: Tafsir Ibn Jarir, 3/102.

And Allah says, "Ha, Mim. By the clear Book. Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand. And indeed it is in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom." (al-Zukhruf 43:1-4) Al-Qurtubi said, ‘The words And indeed it is in the Mother of the Book mean: the Qur’an is in al-Lawh al-Mahfuz, with Us that is, with Allah, exalted and full of wisdom that is, sublime and precise, with no discrepancies or contradictions.’ [85] See: Tafsir al-Qurtubi, 16/62.

Allah, may He be exalted, says, "Rather, the Qur’an is distinct verses preserved within the hearts of those who have been given knowledge." (al-‘Ankabut 29:49) Ibn Kathir said, ‘That is, this Qur’an is clear, unambiguous verses which clearly point to the truth. Its commands and prohibitions, and what it tells us, is clear. Allah has made it easy for the scholars (those who have been given knowledge) to memorise it, recite it and understand it, as He, may He be exalted, says, "We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember; is there then any who will pay heed?" (al-Qamar 54:17)’ [86] See: Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 6/286.