In another authentic hadith:

“You will surely follow the ways of those before you, as precisely as one arrow feather matches another, so that even if they entered a lizard’s hole, you would enter it.”

They asked, “The Jews and Christians?”

He replied, “Who else?”

Resembling the Jews and Christians is less grave than resembling the Persians and Romans, for the Persians were Magians, while the Romans, if they were not Christians, were polytheists—Sabians and non-Sabians, philosophers and non-philosophers. The esotericists fashioned their doctrine from the teachings of the Magians and those who joined them, and from the teachings of the polytheists among the Romans and those who joined them, such as the Greeks and others.

As for al-Ash'arī and the leading scholars among his followers, they explicitly affirm that Allah Himself is above the Throne, as he stated in all his books: al-Mūjaz, al-Ināba, al-Maqālāt, and others.

[Al-Ash'arī’s words in al-Ināba concerning rising over the Throne, and Ibn Taymiyya’s commentary]

He said:

“If someone asks, ‘What do you say about rising over the Throne?’

The reply is: We say that Allah, mighty and majestic, has risen over His Throne, as He said:

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

He has also said:

‘To Him ascend words