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except to say that affirming this would entail that He is a body, or something to that effect. Yet Abū Bakr ibn Fūrak’s known position was that of al-Ash'arī and the leading scholars among his followers: affirming that Allah is above the Throne. He stated this in several places in his books, attributing it to al-Ash'arī and Ibn Kullāb and endorsing it. Al-Bayhaqī related from him in his Book of the Attributes that he said, “Istawā means ‘rose above.’” He also said concerning His words,
“Do you feel secure from Him who is in heaven” [al-Mulk 16]:
إلا أن قال يلزم من الإثبات أن يكون جسماً أو نحو هذا مع أن المعروف عن أبي بكر بن فورك هو ما عليه الأشعري وأئمة أصحابه من إثبات أن الله فوق العرش كما ذكر ذلك في غير موضع من كتبه وحكاه عن الأشعري وابن كلاب وارتضاه وذكر البيهقي عنه في كتاب الصفات أنه قال استوى بمعنى علا وقال في قوله أَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِي السَّمَاء
[الملك ١٦]