Al-Hārith, in his book Fahm al-Qur’ān (Understanding the Quran), reported two positions held by the people of the Sunnah on this question and favored Ibn Kullāb’s position. He discussed this in connection with Allah Most High’s words:

“And say, ‘Act, and Allah will see your deeds, as will His Messenger and the believers.’”

[al-Tawbah: 105]

He also discussed similar passages. The leading scholars of the Sunnah and hadith affirm both attributes and acts. This is the position reported by those who transmitted their teachings, such as Harb al-Kirmānī, ‘Uthmān ibn Sa‘īd al-Dārimī, and others. Indeed, these scholars explicitly used the term “movement” and stated that this was the position of the leading scholars of the Sunnah and hadith, both earlier and later. Harb al-Kirmānī mentioned that it was the position of the leading scholars of the Sunnah whom he had met, such as Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ishāq ibn Rāhawayh, ‘Abd Allāh ibn al-Zubayr al-Humaydī, and Sa‘īd ibn Mansūr.

‘Uthmān ibn Sa‘īd and others said that movement is a necessary concomitant of life, so every living being moves. They regarded the denial of this as one of the positions of the Jahmiyyah, who deny the divine attributes and whom the early generations and leading scholars unanimously declared misguided and adherents of innovation.