the Divine Foot and the shaʿr qaṭṭ (tightly-curled hair) (1), and yet another on affirming sounds and melodies—exalted is Allah, far above what the deviants allege. He said (2): “No one deliberately gathers these chapters and lays down these genealogies (3) except a confirmed anthropomorphist, or a frivolous heretic.”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Qurṭubī (4)—one of the foremost Ashʿarī scholars, who held Abū al-Maʿālī in high esteem and transmitted his words—commented on Abū al-Maʿālī’s statement:

“This is somewhat excessive (5). In this book (6)—meaning (7) his Commentary on the Beautiful Names, where he discusses the attributes at the end (8)—we have included only those reports whose chains are sound, whose transmission is well established and whose provenance is clear. We have left out many others because we had no need of them owing to their lack of authenticity. Let people restrict themselves to what we have cited, for it has been conveyed by trustworthy imams. As for the ḥadīth of Allah’s Descent (9), it is firmly established in the principal collections; reliable, authoritative scholars have recorded it.”

I say: This (10) statement contains matters that must be rejected for several (11) grave reasons. The first is what he mentioned concerning those he labels “the people of truth,” for he is constantly saying: He said