Aqeedah 202

Advanced Topics in al-Asmaa wa Sifaat

Historical Background

• The Orthodox Creed - al-Saffarini
• How Ash’arism Spread - al-Maqrizi

The Sifaat of Allah (General)

• One Part of Allah’s Mercy on Earth?
• adh-Dhahabi on the Hands of Allah
• Tawheed in the Year 279 A.H.

Establishing the Proper Usool

• The Meaning of Dhahir (Apparent)
• Use of ‘Aql (Darimi)
• Are the Sifaat of Allah from the Mutashabih?
• Muhammad Mukhtar Shinqiti: A Principle Of Athari Creed, On Metaphorical And Literal Meaning In The Arabic Language

Influence of the Philosophers on the Ash’aris

• Focus on the Existence of Allah Rather than Worship of Him
• Censure of Kalam: A Consensus of the Ages
• Kalami Reason Ash’aris Make Ta’wil and Tafwid
• The Role of Atomism on the Groups of Kalam - Yasir Qadhi

Tafwid

• Debate with the Mufawwidhah - Look at the Athar of Imam Malik
• Tafwid and ‘Defining’ the Attributes of Allah
• Ash’ari Scholars Refute Tafwid
• Ibn Qudama on Tafwid
• Tafwid al Ma’na in Istiwa?

Ash’aris and Specific Attributes of Allah

• ‘Jiha’ of Allah According to the Salaf
• The ‘Shin’ and ‘Face’ of Allah
• Is Affirming Allah’s Eyes Affirming a Bodily Organ?
• Ash’ari Concept of Iraada vs. Yadd

The Issue of the Qur’an Being Created

• Ash’aris Believe the Qur’an is Created and ibn Qudama’s Refutation of Them
• Ash’aris/Maturidis - Is the Quran Speech or Meaning?
• Ash’ari Textbooks - Qur’an is Created
• Maturidis Believe the Quran is Created

Scholars Refute the Ash’aris

• Ibn Qudama’s Censure of the Ash’aris
• Refutation of as-Subki

Allegations Against the Scholars

• Subki’s Allegations Against ibn Taymiyyah
• Did Imam Ahmed Make Ta’wil of “Your Lord will come…”?
• Did ibn Katheer Make Ta’wil?

Abul-Hasan al-Ash’ari

• Short Bio by ibn al-Jawzi

The Prohibition of Studying Works on Speculative Theology

A treatise including a refutation of Abu al-Wafa ’Ali b. ’Aqil al-Hanbali
By al-Imam Muwaffaq al-Din Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi (d. 620/1223)

You can read it below or download the PDF.

• Preface
  • Background
  • About the Treatise
• The Text
  • Author’s introduction
  • Ibn ’Aqil’s retractation
  • The position of the Salaf on the Divine Attributes
  • The position of the Salaf on Speculative Theology – ’ilm al-kalam
  • On Taqlid in beliefs
  • On Ijtihad in beliefs
  • On akhbar ahad
  • Meanings of attributes
  • Equal treatment of heretical adversaries and co-madhabists
  • God speaks with a voice
  • God speaks with letters
  • Practise what you preach!
  • Author’s counsel
• Notes

Creed of al-Saffarini - ‘Apples and Oranges’ Returned

This is a critical analysis of a piece called “Apples and Oranges” written by an Ash’ari trying to prove their creed by using quotations of Imam al-Safarini al-Hanbali. A good analysis of the madhab of the Ash’aris and the creed of Ahlus Sunnah. This was written by Abuz Zubair and has been reproduced here with some slight modifications.

• Introduction
• On Allah’s Elevation, Rising, and Direction
• On Tafwidh and Literal Meaning (dhahir)
• On the Eternal, Eternal Attributes, Parts and Divisibility
• On Qur’an, Sound, and Letters
• On Substance (jawhar), Accident (’aradh), and Body (jism)
• On Affirming Allah’s Face
• On Allah’s Hands
• On Allah’s Eye and Tafwidh of Tahdid (Definition)
• On Allah’s Nuzool (Descent)
• Takhliq and Takwin, between Salafis, Maturidis and Ash’aris
• Eternal, Temporal, and Comments by Salafi Editors
• Conclusion