—the “Sālimiyyah”—and by Judge Abū Ya‘lā and his followers, such as Ibn ‘Aqīl and Abū al-Hasan ibn al-Zāghūnī. This was also the approach of Abū al-Ma‘ālī al-Juwaynī, Abū al-Walīd al-Bājī, Judge Abū Bakr ibn al-‘Arabī, and others. Although they shared the distinction established by Ibn Kullāb, they divided into two positions concerning the Quran and certain other questions. Their views have been discussed at length elsewhere.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and other imams of the Sunnah warned against this principle introduced by Ibn Kullāb and against his followers. This was why Imam Ahmad warned against al-Hārith al-Muhāsibī and other Kullābīs like him.
When these people emerged, there also appeared among those who professed to affirm the divine attributes some who said, “Allah has not spoken with a voice.” Ahmad rejected this and declared those who said it to be Jahmīs. He said, “These heretics seek nothing but the negation of the divine attributes.” He transmitted reports establishing that Allah speaks with a voice. He likewise condemned those who said that the letters were created.
‘Abd Allāh ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal said in the Book of the Sunnah:
“I said to my father, ‘There are people here who say that Allah does not speak with a voice.’ He replied, ‘My son, these people are Jahmīs and heretics. They seek nothing but the negation of the divine attributes.’ He then cited reports contradicting their claim.”