He then cited the preface of the book at: 2/409.
Next, he recorded another passage at: 2/410, saying:
Ahmad said: “Likewise, Jahm and his faction invited the people to the ambiguous portions of the Qur’an and the hadith …” up to his words: “Men from among the associates of Abu Hanifah and from the circle of ʿAmr ibn ʿUbayd in Basra followed him in this view and laid down the creed of the Jahmites.”¹
He subsequently produced another citation at: 2/415, in which he—may Allah have mercy on him—said: Imam Ahmad remarked concerning the Jahmites: “If people question them about Allah’s statement, ‘There is nothing like unto Him’ …” up to his words: “and he does not realize that they utter nothing but a slander against Allah.”²
At: 3/174–176 Shaykh al-Islam—may Allah have mercy on him—said: Among those who mentioned this is Imam Ahmad, in what he produced in al-Radd ʿalā al-Zanādiqah wa’l-Jahmiyyah, where he said: “A clarification of what the misguided Jahmites denied—that Allah is upon the Throne …” up to his words: “He recanted everything he had previously said in its entirety, and this is the position of Ahl al-Sunnah.”³
Shaykh al-Islam related yet another extract at: 3/177, 178, and said—may Allah have mercy on him:
Imam Ahmad likewise refuted this assertion, saying: “An exposition of what Allah mentioned in the Qur’an in His statement, ‘And He is with you’—this is to be understood in several ways …” up to his words: “Thereupon it became clear to the people that they had lied against Allah, exalted be His praise.”⁴