what he has stated. They used to say that Allah Most High is established over the Throne and affirm for Him the attributes reported in revelation, as established by mass-transmitted reports from them—contrary to what this man and others like him have attributed to them.

The fifth point concerns his statement: “Then their meaning must be consigned to the Lord Most High; they must not be interpreted.”

The response is that the early generations consigned to the Lord knowledge of how these attributes are, as Mālik and Rabīʿa said: “Being established over the Throne is known; how is unknown.” Ibn al-Mājishūn, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and others said likewise.

As for understanding and explaining their meanings, the early generations did not reject this, nor did they reject interpretation in this sense. Rather, they rejected the interpretations of those who deny the divine attributes, which distort words from their proper meanings. They therefore censured those who interpreted the Quran contrary to its true meaning. Thus Imam Ahmad wrote his book refuting those who misinterpreted the Quran—for example, by taking His words, Most High:

“Vision cannot encompass Him.” [al-Anʿām 103]

to mean that He cannot be seen