131 – Al-Dārimī recorded the report in Refutation of al-Marīsī (pp. 24 and 103) and in Refutation of the Jahmiyyah (p. 50); ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad also cited it (pp. 7, 25, 35, and 72), all through various chains from Ibn Shaqīq. Hence the report is sound, exactly as the author—may Allah have mercy on him—has stated here. In his abridgement he wrote: “This is an authentic, firmly established report from Ibn al-Mubārak and from Aḥmad.” Ibn Taymiyyah likewise declared it sound in al-Ḥamawiyyah, and Ibn al-Qayyim in Juyūshuhu (p. 44); elsewhere (p. 84) he said, “Its authenticity is almost at the level of tawātur.”

151 – Aflah ibn Muḥammad said: I asked Ibn al-Mubārak, “I dislike speaking about the Attribute—that is, the Attribute of the Lord, exalted is He.” He replied, “I am even more averse to that than anyone, yet when the Book speaks of something we affirm it, and when the transmitted reports bring something we boldly accept it.”

132 – I (the compiler) say: I do not know Aflah ibn Muḥammad. The narration was related by al-Lālikāʾī (1/97/2) and by al-Bayhaqī, as quoted in al-Ḥamawiyyah, where he commented: “Ibn al-Mubārak meant that we dislike beginning to describe Allah on our own initiative until the Book and the reports have brought it.”

152 – ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad also narrated in Refutation of the Jahmiyyah (p. 7), with his chain, that a man said to Ibn al-Mubārak, “Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, I fear Allah because of how often I confront the Jahmiyyah.” He replied, “Do not be afraid, for they claim that your God who is in heaven is nothing.”

133 – I say: The same report is found in al-Sunnah (p. 7) from Aḥmad ibn Naṣr ibn Mālik—who said, “A man informed me, from Ibn al-Mubārak, …” Its transmitters are reliable except for that unnamed man.

20 – al-Fuḍayl ibn ʿIyāḍ, the Shaykh of the Sacred Precinct (d. 187 AH)

153 – Ibn Abī Ḥātim said: Muḥammad ibn al-Faḍl ibn Mūsā narrated to us; Abū Muḥammad al-Marwazī narrated to us: I heard al-Ḥārith ibn ʿUmayr, while he was with al-Fuḍayl ibn ʿIyāḍ, say, “Whoever claims that the Quran is created has disbelieved, and whoever claims that it is not from the knowledge of Allah is a heretic.” Al-Fuḍayl replied, “You have spoken the truth.”