The ruling on Ibn al-Mubarak’s statement: “Istiwaa’ (rising above the Throne) is with a limit”

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: Regarding the statement of Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him), who is from the people of the Sunnah, that istiwaa’ (rising above the Throne) is with a limit, is this correct?

Answer:
Yes, that istiwaa’ (rising above the Throne) is with a limit. If by “limit” it is meant in its true sense, istiwaa’ in its true sense, then this is correct. Yes, “limit” means in its true sense, and it is not ta’wil (figurative interpretation) or a metaphorical istiwaa’. Yes, he is blessed, a great imam. If this is established from him, then he intends to refute those who spoke about istiwaa’ (rising above the Throne), because they say: If we affirm istiwaa’ (rising above the Throne) and al-uluww (being above), this would be a limit for Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He). And Allah is not limited: not above, not below, not to the right, not to the left, not inside, not outside. So we use these terms, but we do not say He istawa (rose above) or that He is above His creation, because that would be a limitation. So we do not [do that]. This is false speech. This is false speech. So Ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) intends to refute it, that we affirm istiwaa’ (rising above the Throne) in its true sense upon the Throne, just as we affirm being above the creation.