'Abd al-'Azīz ibn Yahyā al-Makkī, the well-known author of al-Haydah, stated. He was among the early scholars who met al-Shāfi‘ī and others who preceded him. He was also among the renowned Sunni theologians whom the Ash‘arīs, together with the other affirmationist schools, agreed to honour and follow.

[The statement of 'Abd al-'Azīz al-Kinānī concerning Allah’s rising over the Throne and His being above creation]

He said in Refutation of the Heretics and the Jahmiyyah:

“The Jahmiyyah claim that Allah’s words:

‘The Most Merciful rose over the Throne’ [Tā Hā: 5]

mean only ‘took control,’ as when the Arabs say, ‘So-and-so rose over Egypt; so-and-so rose over Syria,’ meaning that he took control of the territory.”

He said:

“He should therefore be asked: ‘Could any of Allah’s creatures have existed for a period during which Allah did not have control over it?’

“If he says, ‘No,’ he should be asked: ‘What of someone who claims that?’ His position is: ‘Whoever claims that is a disbeliever.’

“He is then told: ‘You must therefore say that there was a period during which Allah did not have control over the Throne. For Allah, blessed and exalted, stated that He created the Throne before creating the heavens and the earth, then rose over it after creating the heavens and the earth.