unlike the Persians and others who learned from the messengers, whose languages do have names for the days of the week.

Those who affirm differ over whether rising over the Throne is merely a relation and connection between Allah and the Throne, without the Creator Himself having acted by ascending, rising, or the like; or whether He Himself acts, and rose over the Throne after not having been established over it. There are likewise two well-known positions concerning His turning toward heaven, His descent, and similar matters.

The first is the position of many who incline toward speculative theology, as well as a group of jurists and Sufis. The second is the position of the scholars of hadith, as well as many speculative theologians, jurists, and Sufis.

The apparent meaning of Abū ‘Uthmān’s words accords with the first position. As for what he formerly believed concerning direction and subsequently retracted, this remains unspecified: he did not state what it was. Perhaps he had held beliefs involving corporealism and likening Allah to creation, such as those professed by the misguided among the Rāfidah and the corporealists, and then retracted them; this is possible. Perhaps he had believed that the Creator, exalted is He,