Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
The Qur’an is the Speech of Allah تعالى, and it is uncreated. The attributes with which Allah describes His Speech, insofar as they describe it as His Speech, are likewise not created, because an attribute follows the one described. As for someone who refrains from taking a position on the matter in order to ask scholars and verify the correct answer, this does not make him doubtful or a disbeliever. Rather, asking the people of knowledge when one does not know is the prescribed way.
The Noble Qur’an is the Speech of Allah تعالى, and speech is an attribute of the one who speaks. The attributes of Allah تعالى are not created.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى has described the Qur’an with various descriptions, including:
“And We have certainly given you seven of the oft-repeated verses and the Great Qur’an.” [Al-Hijr: 87]
And He تعالى said:
“Indeed, it is a Noble Qur’an.” [Al-Waqi‘ah: 77]
And He said:
“Qaf. By the Glorious Qur’an.” [Qaf: 1]
And Allah تعالى said:
“And indeed, it is a Mighty Book. Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it. It is a revelation from One who is Wise and Praiseworthy.” [Fussilat: 41–42]
And He سبحانه وتعالى said:
“By the Wise Qur’an.” [Ya-Sin: 2]
And He said:
“A blessed Book which We have sent down to you so that they may reflect upon its verses and those of understanding may take heed.” [Sad: 29]
These descriptions indicate the greatness, nobility, glory, might, wisdom, and blessing with which the Qur’an is characterized.
If what is meant is the descriptions established for the Qur’an insofar as it is the Speech of Allah تعالى, then they are uncreated, because an attribute follows the one described.
Allah تعالى is uncreated, His Speech is one of His attributes, and His Speech is uncreated. Therefore, what Allah has described His Speech with, insofar as it describes His Speech as His Speech, cannot be described as created.
This is similar to saying: Allah’s knowledge is great, His hearing is all-encompassing, and His power is perfect. These are descriptions connected to the attributes of Allah and are not separate created entities.
Therefore, it is not correct to say that the Qur’an is uncreated and then regard the descriptions established for it in revelation, insofar as they describe the Speech of Allah, as created.
As for someone who has not understood the matter clearly and therefore refrains from taking a position until asking scholars, there is no blame upon him for this, and merely refraining does not constitute disbelief or doubt in the foundations of creed.
Rather, the person who does not know is required to ask the people of knowledge and not speak about Allah’s religion without knowledge.
Allah تعالى says:
“Say: My Lord has only forbidden immoralities—what is apparent of them and what is concealed—and sin and transgression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah what you do not know.” [Al-A‘raf: 33]
And He سبحانه وتعالى says:
“So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” [An-Nahl: 43]
Thus, whoever says, “I do not know, and I will ask the scholars,” has followed a correct path. There is nothing in this that entails disbelief or corruption of belief.
As for someone who refrains with the intention of rejecting what has been established from Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, or who persists in denying the truth after the evidence has been established against him, that is a different matter and should not be equated with merely refraining in order to seek knowledge.
A student of knowledge should distinguish between beneficial questioning for the purpose of understanding and becoming excessively absorbed in details that have no useful outcome, especially when this develops into recurring doubts and obsessive thoughts.
If a Muslim knows that the Qur’an is the uncreated Speech of Allah, and that Allah has described it as great, noble, glorious, mighty, wise, and blessed, and then wishes to verify the details of the issue by asking scholars, there is nothing wrong with that.
The proper approach is to seek knowledge calmly and refer anything unclear to the people of knowledge, without allowing numerous possibilities and hypothetical questions to become a source of confusion in matters of creed.
The Qur’an is the uncreated Speech of Allah تعالى, and the descriptions with which Allah has described the Qur’an insofar as it is His Speech—such as greatness, nobility, glory, might, wisdom, and blessing—are not described as created.
Whoever refrains from taking a position on this issue until asking scholars and verifying the matter does not thereby become a disbeliever, nor does mere hesitation mean that he has doubt regarding the creed. Rather, asking when one does not know is something prescribed by Islam. Allah تعالى says:
“So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.”
And Allah knows best.