and His Throne is above His heavens.” He then related the rest of the hadith.

The statement in the hadith that Allah is not to be sought as an intercessor with any of His creation means that Allah Himself acts; He does not intercede with another for that other to act. This is like what one poet says, addressing the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace):

“My intercessor with you is Allah, and none other.”

Some who occupy themselves with hadith may impugn this hadith in support of the Jahmiyyah—even though they do not understand the true nature of their doctrine and the negation of Allah’s attributes it entails—or out of revulsion at its mention of creaking, as Abū al-Qāsim the historian did. They argue that it was narrated solely by Muhammad ibn Ishāq