Proto-Ashari Imams Admit Allah is Above the Throne

The Ashari scholar Abu Mansour Abdul Qahir al-Baghdadi mentioned the creed of the proto-Ashari imam Abdullah bin Saeed bin Kullab and another Ashari imam, Abul Abbas al-Qalaanisi as affirming the Istiwaa (ascendency) of Allah to mean Him being over and above the Throne:

ومنهم من قال ان استواءه على العرش كونه فوق العرش بلا مماسة وهذا قول القلانسى وعبدالله بن سعيد ذكره في كتاب الصفات

"And amongst them are those who say that His Istiwaa (ascending) over the Throne is His being above the Throne without contact (mumaassah), and this is the saying of al-Qalanisi, and Abdullah bin Sa'eed [Ibn Kullaab], he mentioned it in Kitaab us-Sifaat."

Reference: Usool ud Deen, page #113