a misguided and ruined doubter who mixes Allah with His creation and mingles His Essence with filth and with coming in His form.” This contradicts his rejection, in this report, of asking where Allah is.

Abū al-Qāsim said: “Ibn al-Husayn related to me: I heard Abū Bakr al-Rāzī say: I heard Abū ʿAlī al-Rūdhbārī say: ‘Whatever someone ignorantly imagines Him to be, reason indicates that He is otherwise.’”

He said: “Ibn Shāhīn asked al-Junayd about the meaning of ‘with.’ He replied: ‘It has two meanings: He is with the prophets through His support and protection. Allah said:

“Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see.”
[Sūrat Tā Hā 46]

And He is with people generally through His knowledge and all-encompassing awareness. Allah Most High said:

“There is no private conversation among three but that He is the fourth of them.”
[Sūrat al-Mujādilah 7]’

Ibn Shāhīn then said: ‘Someone like you is fit to guide the community to Allah.’”