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), after discussing the numerous opinions held on the issue of Allaah's istiwaa (ascending) over the Throne, which are fourteen in number, says (Volume 2, page 132):

This is the translation:

And the most clear of these sayings - even if I do not speak with it or choose it - is what the [Qur'anic] verses and Narrations manifestly (indicate) that Allaah, the Sublime, is above His Throne, just as He informed in His Book and upon the tongue of His Messenger, without asking how, separate and distinct from all of his creation (baa'inun min jamee'i khalqihi). This is the sum of the madhhab of the righteous predecessors (as-salaf as-saalih) in that which the trustworthy narrators (ath-thiqaat) have transmitted from them.

Al-Qurtubi is considered an Ash'ari and the first four or five of the opinions he quotes regarding al-istiwaa are those from the Mutakallimoon, Abu Hasan al-Ash'ari, Abu Ja'far as-Simnaanee, Abu Mansoor (al-Maturidi), Abul-Ma'aali al-Juwaynee - who either make ta'weel of al-istiwaa or who say it is not an action established with Allaah's self, but an action Allaah creates, established in other than Him.

And after mentioning all these opinions, and those which he considers erroneous and false, he says:

...the [Qur'anic] verses and Narrations manifestly (indicate) that Allaah, the Sublime, is above His Throne, just as He informed in His Book and upon the tongue of His Messenger, without asking how, separate and distinct from all of his creation (baa'inun min jamee'i khalqihi)...

Then in the rest of the chapter he proceeds to bring ta'weels of the verses and ahaadeeth relating to Allaah being above the heaven with the wording "fis samaa" and using them as a basis to establish the necessity of making ta'weel of these and similar texts to avoid affirming confinement in space for Allaah. And these ta'weelaat of these verses and ahaadeeth were unknown to the Salaf, for the the meaning of "fee" is used in the language to mean "above" or "over" and it does not mean confinement, such that it requires ta'weel.

However, strange, is al-Qurtubi's saying, "... even if I do not speak with it or choose it...", for he is saying that he does not adopt what is the manifest, clear meaning that is present in the Book and the Sunnah and which was in fact the clear position of the Salaf as has been authentically narrated from them - and which al-Qurtubi (rahimahullaah) readily acknowledges.

And finally, we quote the likes of al-Qurtubi and al-Baqillani not to argue for our creed by way of their statements - our aqeedah does not depend on and is not established by way of their statements - rather it is based upon the Book, the Sunnah and the clear, manifest truth that the early Salaf were upon - however, it is to point out to many unsuspecting Ash'aris, that what they are upon of slanderous accusations against Ahl us-Sunnah cannot be sustained for many reasons - one of which is the admission of their own Scholars of that which is manifestly in the Book and the Sunnah of Alaah being above the Throne, with His Essence, separate and distinct from His creation.