knowledge and distinguishing between their authentic and weak [reports], nor in terms of understanding their meanings. They presumed the correctness of some of the rational principles of the Jahmī deniers, and saw the conflict between them. This is the condition of... al-Qāḍī Abū Yaʿlā, Ibn ʿAqīl, and their likes.

For this reason, some of these people... sometimes consign their meanings and say: 'They are left upon their apparent meanings,' as al-Qāḍī Abū Yaʿlā and his likes did in that...)." End quote.

I say: He has in his book Ibṭāl al-Taʾwīlāt a consignment of the meanings of the Attributes; see: (1/206 and 242), among others.

See his biography in: Ṭabaqāt al-Ḥanābila (2/361), Tārīkh Baghdād (2/354), al-Manhaj al-Aḥmad (2/128-142), and al-Siyar (18/89-92).

• (1) He is ʿAlī bin ʿAbd Allāh bin Naṣr bin al-Sarrī bin al-Zāghūnī al-Baghdādī, who died in the year 527 AH—there is disagreement over his name. He was among the Hanbali jurists, and he engaged in speculation in scholastic theology (kalam)!!

Thus, he agreed with them in many of their theological issues.

Among them: his denial of the establishment of voluntary actions with Allah Almighty, such as rising over (istiwāʾ), descending, coming, arriving, and the like.

Among them is his statement: "The first obligation upon the servants is speculation, and the knowledge of Allah is not attained except through it."

See: Darʾ al-Taʿāruḍ (9/45).

Among them: the denial of wisdom, like the statement of the Jahmiyya, the Ash'arites, and those who followed them among the determinists (Mujbira), who said: "He does what He wills without wisdom." Thus, they affirmed power and will, and this is veneration, but they denied wisdom because they presumed it necessitates need. [Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā by Ibn Taymiyya (8/37)]

Ibn Taymiyya, may Allah have mercy on him, frequently tracked the statements of Ibn al-Zāghūnī in his books and refuted them, especially in his book Darʾ al-Taʿāruḍ.

See his biography in: Dhayl Ṭabaqāt al-Ḥanābila (1/401) and Shadharāt al-Dhahab (4/80).