The Salaf, the Karraamiyyah, and the Kullaabiyyah and the early Kullaabi Ash'aris were all agreed that Allaah Himself is above the Throne, in opposition to the Jahmiyyah and Mu'tazilah. The early Kullaabis are those who were upon the bulk of the creed of Ibn Kullaab al-Qattaan al-Basri (d. 240H) such as Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (d. 324H), Abu al-Abbaas al-Qalanisi, Ibn Mahdee at-Tabari (d. 380H) Abu Bakr al-Baqillani (d. 403H) - who affirmed Allaah is above the Throne, with His Essence, and affirmed the attributes of Face, Hands, Eyes as attributes of the Essence without ta'weel, whilst refuting the ta'weels of the Jahmiyyah and Mu'tazilah.

However, the Karraamiyyah, in their affirmation of Allaah being above the Throne, and being Mujassimah, they used certain excesses in language in their affirmation and so they said that Allaah is above the Throne, "With contact (mumaassah, mulaasaqah)", "Filling the Throne", "Confined by the Throne" and what is similar to this. And in turn the Kullaabiyyah and Kullaabi Ash'aris retorted with "without contact (mumaassah, mulaasaqah)", and "without confinement (tahdeed)" and so on, alongside their affirmation that it is Allaah Himself, with His Essence, who is above the Throne.

The Karraamiyyah were of two groups: Those that said that Allaah is a jism (body), intending merely that Allaah is "qaa'imun bi nafsihi" (established by His self) and that He is "mawjood" (exists), and not like the created bodies (see the Ash'ari textbook viewpoint on this group in this article). And those who made Allaah like the created bodies (ajsaam), and they were those who wallowed in tajseem. So this faction was present at the height of the Kullaabi-Early-Ash'ari era (mid to late third century hijrah) and Ibn Karraam, to whom the Karraamiyyah are ascribed died in 255H.

And so the Kullaabi Ash'aris, whilst agreeing with the Karraamiyyah (and with the Salaf) that Allaah Himself, with His Essence, is above the Throne, stated in their affirmation that Allaah is above the Throne, "without contact, confinement, fixed in a place (as in like the created places)" and so on, and in this, they refuted the Jahmiyyah and Mu'tazilah and also the Karraamiyyah.

In his book "al-Asnaa Fee Sharh Asmaa Allaah il-Husnaa", Abu Abdullaah Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Qurtubi (and he is the mufassir, author of al-Jaami' Li Ahkaam il-Qur'aan) says, when discussing the numerous opinions held on the issue of Allaah's Istiwaa (ascending) over the Throne (Volume 2, page 123):

And here is the translation of this statement:

And the sixth: The saying of at-Tabaree, Ibn Abee Zayd, al-Qaadee Abdul-Wahhaab and a group (jamaa'ah) of shuyook (scholars) of hadeeth and fiqh (jurisprudence) and it is apparent (from) some of the books of the qaadee, Abu Bakr [al-Baqillani] - may Allaah be pleased with Him, and [also] Abul-Hasan [al-Ash'ari]. And al-Qaadee Abd ul-Wahhaab quoted this from him, I mean from al-Qaadee Abu Bakr, textually - which is that He, the Sublime, ascends over His Throne with His Essence (bi dhaatihi) - and in some places they applied (the words) "above His Throne (fawqa arshihi)".

The Imaam, Abu Bakr (Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Hadramee al-Qayrawaanee) said: "And that which I say is [what is] correct [i.e. Allaah being above the Throne, making istiwaa with His Essence], without confinement, nor fixing in a place, nor being inside of it, and without touching".

I [al-Qurtubi] say: This is the saying of al-Qaadee Abu Bakr in the book of his "Tamheed ul-Awaa'il". And we have mentioned it. And this has also been said by the teacher, Abu Bakr bin Fawrak in "Sharh Awaa'il il-Adillah", and it is the saying of Ibn Abdul-Barr, and at-Talamankee and others from amongst the Andulusians, and [also] al-Khattaabi in the book "Shi'aar ud-Deen", and that has already preceded.

Al-Qurtubi makes it clear that Abu Bakr al-Baqillani held Allaah to make istiwaa bi dhaatihi (with His Essence) and that He is above His Throne (fawqa arshihi) and that this is the same view as Ibn Abee Zaid (al-Qayrawaanee al-Maalikee) al-Haafidh Abu Umar Ibn Abdul-Barr and Abu Umar at-Talamankee (see their statements on here). However, the Ash'arite Mutakallimoon used language such as "without, touch, confinement" and the likes as a rebuttal of the Karraamiyyah, whereas the methodology of Ahl us-Sunnah is to avoid any language not established from any of the Salaf, and we see this clearly in the Imaams of the Salaf who were free of the language of both the Karraamiyyah and the Kullaabi, Ash'arite Mutakallimoon.