In these words, then, he stated that He is “without any limit or description that a describer could attain or by which anyone could delimit Him.” He thus denied that His servants’ descriptions or limits could encompass Him. Likewise, he said: “‘Sight cannot encompass Him’ [al-An‘ām 103] within any limit or boundary,” explaining that sight cannot perceive any limit or boundary to Him. He also said: “No describer’s description can encompass Him, and He is as He has described Himself. Nothing pertaining to Allah Most High is bounded,” just as he said afterwards: “No one can reach the limit of His attributes.” Throughout these words, he denied that His servants’ descriptions or limits could reach or encompass Him, just as their sight cannot encompass Him.

Al-Khallāl said: “‘Alī ibn ‘Īsā also informed me that Hanbal told them: ‘I asked Abū ‘Abd Allāh about the hadiths narrated stating that Allah Most High descends to the lowest heaven, that Allah Most High is seen, and that