Imam Abu Hanifah, who is one of the authorities of as-Salaf, said in his book Al-Fiqh alAbsat: "Allah existed eternally and there was no place.
He existed before creating the creation.
He existed, and there was no place, creation, or thing; and He is the Creator of everything.
Imam al-Hafidh al-Bayhaqiyy said in his book, Al-Asma'u was-Sifat, on page 400:
"What was mentioned towards the end of the hadith is an indication of denying Allah has a place and denying the slave is alike to Allah, wherever he was in proximity or remoteness.
Allah, the Exalted, is adhDhahir--hence, it is valid to know about Him by proofs.
Allah is al-Batin--hence, it is invalid that He would be in a place."
He also said: "Some of our companions used as a proof to refute the place to Allah the saying of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam : 'You are adh-Dhahir and there is nothing above You, and You are al-Batin and there is nothing underneath You.
Therefore, if there is nothing above Him and nothing underneath Him, He is not in a place.
Praise be to Allah the Lord of the worlds the One Who is clear of resembling the creation, all nonbefitting attributes, and all that which the blasphemers unrightfully say about Him.
Imam Ahmad Ibn Salamah, Abu Ja^far atTahawiyy, who was born in the year 237 after Hijrah, wrote a book called Al-^Aqidah atTahawiyyah.
He mentioned that the content of his book is an elucidation of the creed of Ahl asSunnah wal Jama^ah, which is the creed of Imam Abu Hanifah, who died in the year 150 after alHijrah, and his two companions, Imam Abu Yusuf al-Qadi and Imam Muhammad Ibn alHasan ash-Shaybaniyy and others.
He said in his book: "Allah is supremely clear of all boundaries, extremes, sides, organs and instruments.
The six directions do not contain Him--these are attributed to all created things."
Such is the saying of Imam Abu Ja^far who is among the heads of as-Salaf.
He explicitly stated that Allah is clear of being contained by the six directions.
The six directions are above, below, in front of, behind, right, and left.
And Allah knows best.
