are included in that. Because of what the innovators introduced, the condemnation of the Imams of the religion against them increased; their speech regarding this is extensive, and entire works have been authored on the subject. In fact, these specific expressions and their like were mentioned by the Salaf and the Imams among the matters they denounced regarding the Jahmiyyah and the people of innovated theological rhetoric (kalam).
Among those from the Jahmiyyah and other groups for whom the negation of the limit (al-hadd) for Allah the Almighty was mentioned are:
Al-Darimi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in al-Naqd (p. 57): "The opponent—meaning the Jahmi—also claimed that there is no limit (hadd) for Allah, nor an extremity (ghayah), nor an end (nihayah). This is the principle upon which Jahm built all his misguidance and from which he derived his fallacies; it is a statement that, as far as we have been informed, no one in the worlds preceded Jahm in making."
Ibn Abi Hatim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated with his chain of transmission from al-Asma‘i that the wife of Jahm—may Allah curse him and her—used to mock the Divine Ascension (al-Istiwa’), saying: "A limited [being] upon a limited [thing]!" Al-Asma‘i remarked: "She is a disbeliever because of this statement." [Ijtima‘ al-Juyush (p. 225)]
‘Uthman al-Darimi (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned this regarding him in his rebuttal against him in his book al-Naqd (p. 57) and elsewhere. He was among those who negated the transcendence (‘uluw) of Allah the Almighty, as al-Darimi said concerning him (p. 69): "And indeed...
داخلين في ذلك؛ فإن ذلك لما أحدثه المبتدعون كثر ذم أئمة الدين لهم، وكلامهم في ذلك كثير قد صُنِّفَ فيه مصنفات، حتى إن أعيان هذه العبارات وأمثالها ذكرها السلف والأئمة فيما أنكروه على الجهمية وأهل الكلام المحدث. اهـ
وممن ذُكر عنه نفي الحد لله تعالى من الجهمية وغيرهم من الطوائف:
١- إمام الجهمية: الجهم بن صفوان (١٢٨هـ).
- قال الدارمي رحمه الله في «النقض» (ص ٥٧): وادَّعى المعارض - يعني الجهمي - أيضًا أنه ليس لله حدٌّ، ولا غايةٌ، ولا نهايةٌ.
وهذا الأصل الذي بنى عليه جهم جميع ضلالاته، واشتقَّ منه أغلوطاته، وهي كلمة لم يبلغنا أنه سبق جهمًا إليها أحد من العالمين. اهـ
وروى ابن أبي حاتم رحمه الله بإسناده عن الأصمعي أن امرأة جهم - لعنها الله وإياه - كانت تسخر من الاستواء، تقول : (محدود على محدود)!
فقال الأصمعي: هي كافرة بهذه المقالة.
[«اجتماع الجيوش» (ص٢٢٥)]
٢- بشر المريسي (٢١٨هـ).
ذكر ذلك عنه عثمان الدارمي رحمه الله في ردِّه عليه في كتابه «النقض» (ص ٥٧) وغيرها.
وهو من نفاة علو الله تعالى كما قال الدارمي عنه (ص٦٩): وقد
