al-Hafidh al-Bayhaqi confirms the belief that Allah exists without a place

Imam al-Bayhaqi, in his book al-Asma wa s-Sifat said, p.400: “Some of our companions [i.e. other scholars] have used, as [another] proof to deny a place to ALLAH, the saying of the prophet  sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam which means: “You are adh-Dhaahir therefore nothing is above You, You are al-Baatin therefore nothing is beneath You”. [...]

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Imam an-Nawawi explains that delaying the embracing of Islam of a non-Muslim is blasphemy

Imam an-Nawawi said, in his book Rawdat at-Taalibeen, volume 7 page 289: If a non-Muslim asks a Muslim to be invited into Islam, and that [Muslim] says  ‘We’ll see’, or ‘Wait until tomorrow‘, or if this non-Muslim asks a person delivering a speech to be invited to Islam, and that person answers ‘Sit until the [...]

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Ibn al-Jawzi explains the actual meaning of Hadith ad-Dahak (whose apparent meaning would be that God would have laughed)

In his book  Daf’ Shubah at-Tashbih against those who claim to be Hanbalis but who have deviated beliefs, Ibn al-Jawzi said, page 41: ‘Know that the term ‘Dahak‘ [literally 'laugh' ) has a certain number of meanings which are linked to 'clarification' and 'to expose'. When someone exposes something that was hidden, it is said [...]

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al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah mention clearly that the one who says Allah fis-samaa aiming at a place has committed blasphemy

In this collection of fatwas considered authoritative in the Hanafi madh-hab in India and elsewhere, it is mentioned, volume 2 , page 359: “And if he says: ‘Allah fis-samaa” [there are two cases]: if he was aiming at merely repeating what has reached [us] apprently in the texts, he does not commit blasphemy, but if [...]

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Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal interprets the verse ‘Wa ja’a Rabbuka’ (narrated by as-Saidi)

In his biography of Imam Ahmad entitled al-Jawhar al-Muhsal, the Hanbali scholar as-Sa’idi narrates, in the chapter of the belief of Imam Ahmad, the following story: ‘He was a follower of the madh-hab of the Salaf, by declaring Allah exempted [from any resemblance to the Creation] and by the negation of any anthropomorphism. It even [...]

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Imam Ibn Asakir explains the belief of Imam Ashari: God exists without a place

In his book dedicated to Imam al-Ashari and entitled Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari fima nusiba ila l-imam al-Ash’ari, Imam Ibn Asakir said, p.150: Also, the ‘Najjariyyah’ say that the Creator, may He be exalted, is in all places without being diffused and without a direction, whereas the ‘Hashawiyyah’ and the ‘Mujassimah’ say that He is present [...]

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Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal interprets the verse ‘Wa ja’a Rabbuka’ (narrated by Ibn Kathir)

Ibn Kathir narrates the interpretation of imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. He says, in the volume 10 of al-Bidayah wa n-Nihayah, p.327 : “Al-Bayhaqi narrates from al-Hakim who took it from Amr ibn as-Sammaak, who took it from Hanbal, that Ahmad ibn Hanbal interpreted the saying of Allah ‘wa jaa’a Rabbuka‘ by saying that it ‘His [...]

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Ali al-Qari narrates the saying of Abu Hanifah who declares as blasphemers those who say ‘I do not know if Allah is on Earth or in the sky’

Ali al-Qari was a great Hanafi scholar born in Afghanistan. He studied and died in Makkah. He was also called ‘Mulla al-Qari’. He said in his explanation of the book ‘al-Fiqh al-Akbar’ by Abu Hanifah, pages 333 et 334: To answer this [i.e. some false accusations against Abu Hanifah], we can quote the Shaykh, the [...]

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Imam an-Nawawi interprets hadith an-Nuzul (the hadith whose apparent meaning would be that God descends)

Imam an-Nawawi wrote a commentary of the collection of hadith of Imam Muslim. When he reaches the prayer chapter, and he has to explain the hadith whose apparent meaning is that Allah descends during the third part of the night, and which starts with ‘Yanzilu Rabbuna ila s-samaa’i d-dunya“, he says, volume 6, page 279: [...]

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Imam Abu Hanifah (from the SALAF) does say that ‘Istiwa’ should not be understood as being established or being seated

Imam Abu Hanifah said, in his book al-Wasiyya, (page 81 of the edition used here): We recite that Allah is ‘istawa ‘ala’  the throne, without Him having a need, or being establihsed on the Throne. He is the Protector of the Throne and of other than that, without Him having any need, for if  He [...]

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