Likewise, al-Khatīb al-Baghdādī mentioned in his History that a number of scholars objected to certain statements of Abū Tālib concerning the divine attributes. Some of the indwelling expressed in Abū Tālib’s words spread to other shaykhs who learned from him, such as Abū al-Hakam ibn Barrajān and others.

As for Abū Ismā‘īl al-Ansārī, the author of Stations of the Wayfarers, his words contain nothing of universal indwelling. They do, however, contain something of particular indwelling with regard to the servant endowed with spiritual knowledge who reaches what he himself called “the station of divine oneness.” He disclosed concerning this what Abū Tālib did not disclose, though he expressed it allusively. As for “universal indwelling,” a considerable amount of it appears in Abū Tālib’s words, despite his disavowal of the term “indwelling.” He made many fine statements about divine oneness, such as:

“He is All-Knowing, never unknown; All-Powerful, never incapable; Ever-Living, never dying; Ever-Sustaining, never heedless; Forbearing, never foolish; All-Hearing, All-Seeing; a Sovereign whose dominion never passes away; eternal without time; the Last without limit; ever existent.”

He continued until he said:

“He is before everything, behind everything, above everything, and with everything. He hears everything and is nearer to everything than that thing is to itself. Yet He is not a locus for things, nor are things a locus for Him. He rose over the Throne as He willed, without specifying how or likening Him to creation. He has knowledge of all things and power over all things, and of all things