, exalted is He, is One, without partner, and nothing is like Him ... He has eternally possessed His attributes, before creating His creation ... and that the Quran is Allah’s speech, which originated from Him as speech, without specifying how. He sent it down to His Prophet as revelation. The believers truly affirmed this and were certain that it is Allah’s speech in reality, not created ... Whoever hears it and claims that it is human speech has disbelieved ... The vision of Allah is a reality for the people of Paradise, without encompassing Him or specifying how ... Every authentic hadith concerning this from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is as he said, and its meaning is as he intended. We do not venture to interpret it according to our own opinions ... One’s footing in Islam is secure only through submission and surrender. Whoever pursues what he has been barred from knowing, and whose understanding is not content with submission, will find that his pursuit veils him from pure monotheism ... and sound faith. Whoever does not guard against negation and likening Allah to His creation goes astray and fails to affirm His transcendence correctly.” He went on to say:

“The Throne and the Footstool are real, as He has explained in His Book. He [majestic is His glory] has no need of the Throne or anything beneath it; He encompasses [all] things and is above them.”

Abd al-Rahmān ibn Abī Hātim narrated from Abū Hārūn,