(4) Chapter: The Obligation to Accept Reports of Allah Most High’s Attributes from All People

4 — ʿAlī ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan and Ahmad ibn Hamdān informed us, both saying: Hāmid ibn Muhammad narrated to us: Abū Muslim narrated to us: Abū ʿĀsim narrated to us, from Sufyān al-Thawrī, from Mansūr, from Ibrāhīm, from ʿUbayda, from ʿAbd Allāh, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

A man from the People of the Book came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said: “O Muhammad, (Allah) Most High places the heavens on a finger, the earths on a finger, the mountains on a finger, and the soil on a finger. Then He says, ‘I am the King.’”

He said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, laughed until his back teeth were visible. Then he recited:

“They have not shown Allah His proper reverence.”

Fudayl and Sufyān added: “He laughed in amazement and in affirmation of the man’s words.” End of quotation.