and his companions, are the speculative theologians. Thus, every speculative theologian within Islam belongs to the people of innovation and vain desires, whether Ashʿarī or otherwise.”

Ibn Khuzaymah and others related that Imam Ahmad used to warn against the innovations introduced by ʿAbd Allāh ibn Saʿīd ibn Kullāb and against his associates, such as al-Hārith. This was because they knew that their discourse contained positions and arguments