Note:

What that al-Tamimi said in his book, ‘Aqidat al-Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (p. 40): “(Ahmad used to say regarding the meaning of the establishment (al-istiwa’): it is highness (al-‘uluww) and elevation (al-irtifa‘)... and it is not permissible to say: He established Himself by contact (mumasah), nor by meeting (mulaqah)... and limits do not apply to Him before the creation of the Throne, nor after the creation of the Throne...).” End quote.

I say: This is not the speech of Ahmad (may Allah have mercy upon him), neither in wording nor in meaning. Indeed, Imam Ahmad used to reject such innovated expressions. Among the evidence for this is:

‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “My father and I were passing through the mosque when he heard a storyteller narrating the Hadith of Descent (al-Nuzul). He said: ‘When it is the night of the middle of Sha‘ban, Allah (Exalted be He) descends to the lowest heaven without cessation (zawal), without transition (intiqal), and without change of state (taghayyur hal).’ My father (may Allah have mercy upon him) trembled, his color turned yellow, and he gripped my hand. I held him until he calmed down. Then he said: ‘Take us to stand before this meddler.’ When he was opposite him, he said: ‘O you! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was more protective of the honor (aghyar) of his Lord (Exalted be He) than you. Say as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,’ and he turned away.” [Al-Iqtisad fi al-I‘tiqad by ‘Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi (21)].

This al-Tamimi is Abu al-Fadl ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn ‘Abd al-Aziz (410 AH). He mentioned the creed of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy upon him) according to the meaning he understood, not according to actual wording or narration.

Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him) spoke several times regarding this creed of his, clarifying that he followed the methodology of Ibn Kullab, that he was far from affirmation (al-ithbat), and that many of the Ash‘aris, such as al-Bayhaqi and al-Baqillani, lean toward him.