of the same kind. Yet among the speculative theologians who discussed denying or affirming corporeality during the time of the early generations, the leading proponents of denial were from among them or from the Muʿtazilah, such as Abū al-Hudhayl and his associates. The leading proponents of affirmation were the Rāfidī speculative theologians, such as Hishām ibn al-Hakam and his associates.

Nevertheless, the statements of the early generations condemning the Jahmiyyah and the Muʿtazilah for denying the divine attributes are numerous and widely transmitted. No condemnation of these Rāfidah for what is described as corporealism is known from the early generations. Nor was their criticism of the Rāfidah on this account as widespread as their criticism of the Muʿtazilah for denying the attributes. Indeed, no condemnation of corporealists, of those who affirm that Allah is a body, or anything of the sort is recorded from any of the early generations at all.

Thus, if they unanimously condemned the Jahmiyyah, who deny the attributes by denying corporeality and its concomitants, and did not condemn anyone specifically for affirming corporeality rather than denying it as its deniers did, then condemning these people has no foundation in the Book, the Sunnah, or the statements of any of the early generations of