prison, and had ‘Alī al-Ahwal beaten and paraded.”

Ibn Abī Hātim also said:

‘Alī ibn al-Hasan ibn Yazīd al-Sulamī narrated to us: I heard my father say: I heard Hishām ibn ‘Ubayd Allāh al-Rāzī say:

“A man was imprisoned for holding Jahmī beliefs. He then repented and was brought to Hishām ibn ‘Ubayd Allāh to be examined. Hishām asked him, ‘Do you testify that Allah is above His Throne, separate from His creation?’

“He replied, ‘I do not know what “separate from His creation” means.’

“Hishām said, ‘Take him back, for he has not yet repented.’”

Hishām ibn ‘Ubayd Allāh was one of the leading associates of “Muhammad ibn al-Hasan,” the associate of the jurist Abū Hanīfah. It was in his home that Muhammad died.