Shaykh Abū ‘Abd al-Rahmān al-Sulamī recorded in his book condemning speculative theology an account also recorded by Shaykh al-Islām Abū Ismā‘īl al-Ansārī, who said: “Ibn Ahmad informed me: Muhammad ibn al-Husayn narrated to us, saying: ‘I saw the following in the handwriting of Abū ‘Amr ibn Matar: Ibn Khuzaymah was asked about speculative theological discussion concerning Allah’s names and attributes. He replied: “It is an innovation they have introduced. The imams of the Muslims, the leading authorities of the legal schools, and the imams of religion—such as Mālik, Sufyān, al-Awzā‘ī, al-Shāfi‘ī, Ahmad, Ishāq, Yahyā ibn Yahyā, Ibn al-Mubārak, Muhammad ibn Yahyā, Abū Hanīfah, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, and Abū Yūsuf—did not engage in such discussion. They forbade delving into it and directed their followers to the Quran and Sunnah. Beware, then, of delving into it or examining their books under any circumstances.”’”

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn—that is, Abū ‘Abd al-Rahmān al-Sulamī—said: “I heard Ahmad ibn Sa‘īd al-Ma‘dānī in Merv say: ‘I heard Abū Bakr ibn