Likewise, (1) the Jahmiyyah are divided into three ranks.
The most evil of them are the extremists (2)—those who deny Allah’s names and attributes. Even when they mention one of His Most Beautiful Names, they claim it is only figurative. Consequently, in their view He is not Living, nor Knowing, nor Powerful, nor Hearing, nor Seeing; He neither spoke (3) nor does He speak at all.
This, exactly, is how the scholars have described the essence of their creed, as Imam Ahmad recorded in his Refutation of the Heretics and Jahmiyyah (4). He (5) said: “It then became clear to the people that they affirm nothing whatsoever; rather, they stave off public censure by admitting certain things (6) openly (7).
So when they are asked, ‘Whom do you worship?’ they reply, ‘We worship the One who directs the affairs of this creation.’
We responded, ‘Then this One who directs the affairs of creation is unknown—unidentified by any attribute?’”
(1) In the margin of manuscript S: “Pause at the classification of the Jahmiyya.”
(2) The Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) often applies the term Jahmiyya to anyone who shares any of their beliefs, since such individuals are counted among them and concur with their views. The doctrine of the Jahmiyya, for example, entails the denial of Allah’s names (asmaʾ) and attributes (sifat). Whoever denies any name or attribute of Allah that He affirmed for Himself—or that His Messenger (peace be upon him) affirmed for Him—participates with the Jahmiyya in their negations, even if he affirms others, and may rightly be called a Jahmi. The Shaykh’s division of the Jahmiyya is based on this criterion, as we shall see on the following pages. The Ghulāt, whom the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) describes as the worst of the three categories, are the Qarmatians of the Batiniyya, the most prominent of whom are the Ismaʾili, as he explains on p. 149.
(3) In the printed edition: “mutakallim.”
(4) al-Radd ʿalā al-Jahmiyya wal-Zanādiqa by Imam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, pp. 105–106.
(5) In the original manuscript: “qālū” (they said). This reading is confirmed by both S and T.
(6) In al-Radd ʿalā al-Jahmiyya: “wa-lākin” (but).
(7) In al-Radd ʿalā al-Jahmiyya: “min” (from).