Maʿānī al-ʾAkhbār

حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد - رضي الله عنه - قال: حدثنا محمد بن يحيى العطار، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن أبيه، عن مروك بن عبيد، عن جميع بن عمير، قال: قال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: أي شئ الله أكبر؟ فقلت: الله أكبر من كل شئ،. فقال: فكان ثم شئ فيكون أكبر منه؟ فقلت: فما هو؟ قال: الله أكبر من أن يوصف.

1. We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Waleed, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Yahya al-‘Attar, from Ahmad bin Muhammed bin ‘Isa, from his father, from Maruk bin ‘Ubayd, from Jumay’ bin Amru, that he said: Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, said to me: What thing is: «Allah is Greater»?» [1] I said: Allah is Greater than everything. Then he said: Was there a particular thing to which He is Greater? Then I said: Then what is it? He said: Allah is Greater than to be described.

حدثنا محمد بن موسى بن المتوكل، قال: حدثني محمد بن يحيى العطار، عن سهل بن زياد، عن ابن محبوب، عمن ذكره، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قال رجل عنده: " الله أكبر " فقال: الله أكبر من أي شئ؟ فقال: من كل شئ. فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: حددته! فقال الرجل: وكيف أقول؟ فقال: الله أكبر من أن يوصف.

2. We were told by Muhammed bin Musa bin Mutawakkil, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Yahya al-‘Attar, from Sahl bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahbub, from those he mentioned, from Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, that he said: A man said in his presence: Allah is Greater. So he said: Allah is Greater than what thing? Then he said: Than everything. Then Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, said: You have limited Him. Then the man said: And how shall I say? So he said: Allah is Greater than to be described.