Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani said in his book Kitab al-Jami fi s-sunan wa al-adab wa l-maghazi

wa t-tarikh, p.123:

“A man asked Malik: « O Abu Abd Allah [he recited the verse:] ‘al-Rahman ‘ala ‘arshi
stawa’: how ‘istawa’  ?”. Imam Malik answered:’Istiwa s not unknown, and its how
[manner] is not conceivable (al-istiwa ghayr majhul wa l-kayf ghayr ma’qul). To ask the
question about this topic is an innovation, and to believe in it is an obligation; and I
believe you are among the [bad] innovators” and he had him taken out”.