Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Hanbal reported in “ar-Radd ala’l-Jahmiyyah”: My father narrated to me (and then mentioned his chain of narration) from Abdullah bin Naafi’, who said: Malik bin Anas said:
Allah is above the heaven, and His knowledge is in every place, nothing escapes it. (“Mukhtasar al-Uluww” of adh-Dhahabi p. 140)
And Ibn Battah al-Ukbari brings this same narration with his chain, in “al-Ibaanah al-Kubraa”, in the third book (of the printed edition) which constitutes the completion of “ar-Radd alal-Jahmiyyah” (3:153/154):
Abu Hafs narrated to us, saying: Abu Nasr Asamah narrated to us, saying: al-Fadl bin Ziyaad narrated to us, saying: I heard Abu Abdullah (Ahmad bin Hanbal) saying: Malik bin Anas said:
Allah, the Exalted, is above the heaven and His knowledge is in every place, no place escapes it (His knowledge).
So I said to Abu Abdullaah, “Who informed you of this about Malik?” He said, “I heard it from Surayj bin an-Nu’maan, from Malik”. And it is also reported in “Sharh Usool il-I’tiqaad” of al-Laalikaa’ee (no. 673) with his chain of narration: Muhammad bin Abdullaah bin al-Hajjaaj informed us, saying: Ahmad bin al-Husayn informed us, saying: Abdullah bin Ahmad narrated to us, saying: My father said: Surayj bin an-Nu’maan said: Abdullaah bin Naafi’ narrated to me: Malik said:
“Allah is above the heaven, and His knowledge is in every place, nothing escapes it.”
And it is also reported in: “ash-Sharee’ah” of al-Aajurree (no. 695) “Masaa’ilu Ahmad” of Abu Dawud (p. 263)
And it has been claimed by the deniers of al-uluww and by those affected by the Mutakallimoon that the creed of Imam Malik was that of tafweed – and they do not have a single narration that is authentic to Imam Malik to prove that anything of ta’weel of tafweed emanated from him. And the proof is upon the claimant and as for his saying regarding al-Istiwaa, then that constitutes the principle of Ahl us-Sunnah – that the meanings of the attributes are known but the realities (kaifiyyah and haqeeqah) are unknown, so the attributes are affirmed without takyeef and tamtheel, and without additional meanings and explanations (ta’weel).
The Jahmites have cast doubt over this narration on account of Abdullah bin Naafi’ as-Saa’igh regarding whom there is saying from the Muhadditheen regarding his memory.
As for the narration from Imam Malik that “Allah is above the heaven and His knowledge is in every place”, then that view is narrated authentically from a vast number of the Salaf with authentic chains of narration. And it is not possible that Imam Malik had a saying different to theirs, rather his saying is their very saying.
Ibn Abee Zamanayn (d. 399H) brings in his “Usool us-Sunnah”, from Zuhayr bin Abbaad, who said:
Everyone that I reached from the mashaayikh: Malik bin Anas, Sufyaan, Fudayl bin Iyaad, Abdullah bin al-Mubaarak, and Wakee’ Ibn al-Jarraah were saying: The Nuzool is haqq (true and real).
So we see the hypocrisy of the Jahmites in relying upon weak and fabricated sayings regarding Imam Malik and ta’weel, whilst they cast doubt regarding the narration from Abdullah bin Naafi’.
And finally, of what benefit is it to the Jahmiyyah to cast doubt about this position of Imam Malik when the very same saying is reported authentically from the Companions, Taabi’een and other Imams of the Salaf. Let alone being explicit in the texts of the Book and the Sunnah?