Abū al-Ma‘ālī and his followers, however, denied these attributes, agreeing with the Mu‘tazilah and the Jahmiyyah. They then held two positions:

The first was to reinterpret the texts concerning these attributes. This was Abū al-Ma‘ālī’s earlier position, as he stated in al-Irshād.

The second was to entrust their meanings to the Lord. This was Abū al-Ma‘ālī’s later position, as he stated in al-Risālah al-Nizāmiyyah, where he also presented statements indicating that the early Muslim generations unanimously held that such reinterpretation was neither permissible nor obligatory.

Some among them deny these attributes, saying: “Sound reason rules out these attributes.” Others suspend judgment, saying: “We have neither scriptural nor rational evidence to affirm or deny them.” This is the approach of al-Rāzī and al-Āmidī.

Abū Hāmid sometimes affirms the attributes established on rational grounds, following al-Ash‘arī and his followers; sometimes he denies them or reduces them to knowledge, agreeing with the philosophizers; and sometimes he suspends judgment, which was his final position. He then held fast to the Sunnah and devoted himself to hadith, and he died in that state.

Likewise, Abū Muhammad ibn Hazm, despite his knowledge of hadith and his advocacy