do not resemble the attributes of created beings, just as His essence does not resemble theirs. Far exalted is Allah above what those who liken Him to creation and those who negate His attributes say; may He curse them abundantly.”

[Al-Bayhaqī’s statement in his book The Names and Attributes]

The hadith scholar Abū Bakr al-Bayhaqī related in his book The Names and Attributes:

“Abū ‘Abd Allāh, the hadith scholar, narrated to us: I heard Abū Zakariyyā al-‘Anbarī say: I heard Abū al-‘Abbās—meaning al-Sarrāj—say: I heard Ishāq ibn Ibrāhīm say:

‘One day I visited Tāhir ibn ‘Abd Allāh ibn Tāhir, and Mansūr ibn Talhah was with him. He asked me, “O Abū Ya‘qūb, does Allah descend every night?”

‘I replied, “We believe in this.”

‘Tāhir said to him, “Did I not tell you to stay away from this shaykh? What prompted you to ask him about such a thing?”

‘Ishāq said: I told him, “If you do not believe that you have a Lord who does whatever He wills, you need to ask me.”’”

Al-Bayhaqī said:

Abū ‘Abd Allāh, the hadith scholar, narrated to us: I heard Abū Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Sālih ibn Hāni’ say: I heard Ahmad ibn Salamah say: I heard Ishāq ibn Ibrāhīm al-Hanzalī say:

“I was brought together with this innovator—meaning Ibrāhīm