The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi
Author: Imam Abu Ja'far Ahmed Al-Tahawi
Last Updated: 09/12/2025, 01:08 PM
العقيدة الطحاوية
The Creed of Imam Al-Tahawi
المقدمة
Introduction
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَبِهِ نَسْتَعِينُ، الْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We ask Him for help. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
الرَّحْمَنِ: The Most Gracious - one of the most beautiful names of Allah, indicating His encompassing mercy for all creation.
الرَّحِيمِ: The Most Merciful - indicating Allah's special mercy for the believers in particular.
نَسْتَعِينُ: We seek assistance - acknowledging our dependence on Allah for all help and success.
قَالَ الْعَلَّامَةُ حُجَّةُ الْإِسْلَامِ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الْوَرَّاقُ الطَّحَاوِيُّ بِمِصْرَ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ: هَذَا ذِكْرُ بَيَانِ عَقِيدَةِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ، عَلَى مَذْهَبِ فُقَهَاءِ الْمِلَّةِ: أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ الْكُوفِيِّ، وَأَبِي يُوسُفَ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ، وَأَبِي عَبْدِاللهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ رِضْوَانُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ؛ وَمَا يَعْتَقِدُونَ مِنْ أُصُولِ الدِّينِ، وَيَدِينُونَ بِهِ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
The great scholar, Hujjat al-Islam Abu Ja'far al-Warraq al-Tahawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Egypt: This is a presentation of the creed of the People of the Sunnah and the Community, according to the school of the jurists of this religion: Abu Hanifah al-Nu'man ibn Thabit al-Kufi, Abu Yusuf Ya'qub ibn Ibrahim al-Ansari, and Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani (may Allah be pleased with them all); and what they believe regarding the fundamentals of the religion and profess to the Lord of the worlds.
الإيمان بالله تعالى
Faith in Allah Almighty
نَقُولُ فِي تَوْحِيدِ اللهِ مُعْتَقِدِينَ بِتَوْفِيقِ اللهِ: إِنَّ اللهَ وَاحِدٌ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَلَا شَيْءَ مِثْلُهُ، وَلَا شَيْءَ يُعْجِزُهُ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ.
Regarding the Oneness of Allah, believing with Allah's help, we say: Allah is One, without any partner. There is nothing like Him. Nothing can overwhelm Him. There is no god other than Him.
تَوْحِيدِ: To make something one/to declare its oneness and uniqueness.
شَرِيكَ: Partner - Allah has no partners, associates, or equals in His divinity.
يُعْجِزُهُ: Can overwhelm Him - nothing in creation can overpower or defeat Allah.
قَدِيمٌ بِلَا ابْتِدَاءٍ، دَائِمٌ بِلَا انْتِهَاءٍ، لَا يَفْنَى وَلَا يَبِيدُ، وَلَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا مَا يُرِيدُ.
He is eternal, without a beginning; everlasting, without an end. He will never perish or cease to be. Nothing happens except what He wills.
قَدِيمٌ: Eternal - Allah exists without beginning, having no temporal origin. | دَائِمٌ: Everlasting - Allah will continue to exist forever without end. | يَفْنَى: Perish - Allah will never cease to exist or be destroyed. | يُرِيدُ: He wills - everything that occurs is according to Allah's divine will.
لَا تَبْلُغُهُ الْأَوْهَامُ، وَلَا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَفْهَامُ، وَلَا يُشْبِهُ الْأَنَامَ، حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ، قَيُّومٌ لَا يَنَامُ.
Imaginations cannot conceive Him, nor can intellects comprehend Him. He does not resemble created beings. He is Living and never dies, the All-Sustaining and never sleeps.
الْأَوْهَامُ: Imaginative faculty which extracts meanings from sensible things.
الْأَفْهَامُ: Faculty of understanding from multiple angels, and thus doing 'Idraak'.
خَالِقٌ بِلَا حَاجَةٍ، رَازِقٌ بِلَا مُؤْنَةٍ، مُمِيتٌ بِلَا مَخَافَةٍ، بَاعِثٌ بِلَا مَشَقَّةٍ.
He creates without any need, provides without any effort. He gives death without any fear and resurrects without any difficulty.
مَا زَالَ بِصِفَاتِهِ قَدِيمًا قَبْلَ خَلْقِهِ، لَمْ يَزْدَدْ بِكَوْنِهِمْ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَكُنْ قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ صِفَاتِهِ، وَكَمَا كَانَ بِصِفَاتِهِ أَزَلِيًّا كَذَلِكَ لَا يَزَالُ عَلَيْهَا أَبَدِيًّا.
He has eternally existed with His attributes before His creation. Their coming into being did not add anything to His attributes that was not there before. Just as He was with His attributes in pre-eternity, so He will remain upon them for all eternity.
لَيْسَ بَعْدَ خَلْقِ الْخَلْقِ اسْتَفَادَ اسْمَ الْخَالِقِ، وَلَا بِإِحْدَاثِ الْبَرِيَّةِ اسْتَفَادَ اسْمَ الْبَارِي.
It was not after creating the creation that He acquired the name 'the Creator', nor by bringing the creation into existence did He acquire the name 'the Originator'.
لَهُ مَعْنَى الرُّبُوبِيَّةِ وَلَا مَرْبُوبَ، وَمَعْنَى الْخَالِقِيَّةِ وَلَا مَخْلُوقَ.
He possessed the meaning of Lordship even when there was nothing to be Lord over, and the meaning of Creatorship even when there was no creation.
وَكَمَا أَنَّهُ مُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى بَعْدَمَا أَحْيَاهُمْ اسْتَحَقَّ هَذَا الِاسْمَ قَبْلَ إِحْيَائِهِمْ، كَذَلِكَ اسْتَحَقَّ اسْمَ الْخَالِقِ قَبْلَ إِنْشَائِهِمْ.
Just as He is the Giver of life to the dead after He brings them to life, He deserved this name before bringing them to life. Likewise, He deserved the name 'the Creator' before creating them.
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ إِلَيْهِ فَقِيرٌ، وَكُلُّ أَمْرٍ عَلَيْهِ يَسِيرٌ، لَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى شَيْءٍ، (لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ).
That is because He is powerful over all things, and all things are in need of Him. Every matter is easy for Him. He is not in need of anything. 'There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.' (Qur'an 42:11).
خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ بِعِلْمِهِ، وَقَدَّرَ لَهُمْ أَقْدَارًا، وَضَرَبَ لَهُمْ آجَالًا.
He created the creation with His knowledge. He appointed destinies for them and set for them specific life spans.
لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُمْ، وَعَلِمَ مَا هُمْ عَامِلُونَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُمْ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ، وَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِهِ.
Nothing was hidden from Him before He created them, and He knew what they would do before He created them. He commanded them to obey Him and forbade them from disobeying Him.
وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ يَجْرِي بِتَقْدِيرِهِ وَمَشِيئَتِهِ، وَمَشِيئَتُهُ تَنْفُذُ لَا مَشِيئَةَ لِلْعِبَادِ إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ لَهُمْ، فَمَا شَاءَ لَهُمْ كَانَ، وَمَا لَمْ يَشَأْ لَمْ يَكُنْ.
Everything runs according to His decree and will. His will is executed. There is no will for the servants except what He wills for them. So what He wills for them is, and what He does not will is not.
يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ، وَيَعْصِمُ وَيُعَافِي فَضْلًا، وَيُضِلُّ مَنْ يَشَاءُ، وَيَخْذُلُ وَيَبْتَلِي عَدْلًا، وَكُلُّهُمْ يَتَقَلَّبُونَ فِي مَشِيئَتِهِ بَيْنَ فَضْلِهِ وَعَدْلِهِ.
He guides whomever He wills, and protects and keeps them safe from harm out of His grace. And He leads astray whomever He wills, and forsakes and afflicts them out of His justice. All of them are subject to His will between His grace and His justice.
وَهُوَ مُتَعَالٍ عَنِ الْأَضْدَادِ وَالْأَنْدَادِ، لَا رَادَّ لِقَضَائِهِ، وَلَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ، وَلَا غَالِبَ لِأَمْرِهِ.
He is exalted above having opposites or equals. There is no repeller of His decree, no deferrer of His judgment, and no overcomer of His command.
آمَنَّا بِذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ، وَأَيْقَنَّا أَنَّ كُلًّا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ.
We believe in all of that, and we are certain that everything is from Him.
الإيمان بالقرآن الكريم
Faith in the Noble Qur'an
وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ الْمُصْطَفَى، وَنَبِيُّهُ الْمُجْتَبَى، وَرَسُولُهُ الْمُرْتَضَى، وَأَنَّهُ خَاتَمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، وَإِمَامُ الْأَتْقِيَاءِ، وَسَيِّدُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ، وَحَبِيبُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَكُلُّ دَعْوَى النُّبُوَّةِ بَعْدَهُ فَغَيٌّ وَهَوَى، وَهُوَ الْمَبْعُوثُ إِلَى عَامَّةِ الْجِنِّ، وَكَافَّةِ الْوَرَى، بِالْحَقِّ وَالْهُدَى، وَبِالنُّورِ وَالضِّيَاءِ.
And that Muhammad is His chosen servant, His selected Prophet, and His approved Messenger. And that he is the Seal of the Prophets, the Leader of the pious, the Master of the messengers, and the Beloved of the Lord of the worlds. Every claim to prophethood after him is misguidance and whimsy. He is the one sent to all of the jinn and the entirety of mankind with truth and guidance, and with light and illumination.
وَإِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ كَلَامُ اللهِ، مِنْهُ بَدَا بِلَا كَيْفِيَّةٍ قَوْلًا، وَأَنْزَلَهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَحْيًا، وَصَدَّقَهُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ حَقًّا، وَأَيْقَنُوا أَنَّهُ كَلَامُ اللهِ تَعَالَى بِالْحَقِيقَةِ، لَيْسَ بِمَخْلُوقٍ كَكَلَامِ الْبَرِيَّةِ، فَمَنْ سَمِعَهُ فَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُ كَلَامُ الْبَشَرِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ، وَقَدْ ذَمَّهُ اللهُ وَعَابَهُ، وَأَوْعَدَهُ بِسَقَرَ، حَيْثُ قَالَ تَعَالَى: (سَأُصْلِيهِ سَقَرَ)، فَلَمَّا أَوْعَدَ اللهُ بِسَقَرَ لِمَنْ قَالَ: (إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ) عَلِمْنَا وَأَيْقَنَّا أَنَّهُ قَوْلُ خَالِقِ الْبَشَرِ، وَلَا يُشْبِهُ قَوْلَ الْبَشَرِ.
The Qur'an is the word of Allah. It came from Him as speech without it being possible to say how. He sent it down upon His Messenger as revelation. The believers accept this as the truth. They are certain that it is, in truth, the word of Allah Almighty. It is not created as is the speech of human beings. Anyone who hears it and claims it is the word of a human being has disbelieved. Allah has condemned and censured him and promised him the fire of Saqar, where He says, 'I will roast him in Saqar.' (Qur'an 74:26). When Allah promised the Fire for a person who says 'This is nothing but the word of a human being' (Qur'an 74:25), we know for certain that it is the word of the Creator of human beings and that it does not resemble the word of human beings.
كَلَامُ اللهِ: The speech of Allah - the Qur'an is the direct speech of Allah, not created.
وَحْيًا: As revelation - the Qur'an was revealed through divine inspiration to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
بِمَخْلُوقٍ : Created - the Qur'an is not a created thing like human speech, but the eternal attribute of Allah.
كفر من قال بالتشبيه
The Disbelief of One Who Likens Allah to Creation
وَمَنْ وَصَفَ اللهَ بِمَعْنًى مِنْ مَعَانِي الْبَشَرِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ، فَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ هَذَا اعْتَبَرَ، وَعَنْ مِثْلِ قَوْلِ الْكُفَّارِ انْزَجَرَ، وَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ بِصِفَاتِهِ لَيْسَ كَالْبَشَرِ.
Anyone who describes Allah with any of the meanings of human beings has disbelieved. Whoever sees this should take heed and refrain from statements like those of the disbelievers, and he should know that Allah, with His attributes, is not like human beings.
رؤية الله حق
The Vision of Allah is True
وَالرُّؤْيَةُ حَقٌّ لِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ بِغَيْرِ إِحَاطَةٍ وَلَا كَيْفِيَّةٍ، كَمَا نَطَقَ بِهِ كِتَابُ رَبِّنَا: (وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاضِرَةٌ إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ)، وَتَفْسِيرُهُ عَلَى مَا أَرَادَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى وَعَلِمَهُ، وَكُلُّ مَا جَاءَ فِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ الصَّحِيحِ عَنِ الرَّسُولِ ﷺ فَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ، وَمَعْنَاهُ عَلَى مَا أَرَادَ لَا نَدْخُلُ فِي ذَلِكَ مُتَأَوِّلِينَ بِآرَائِنَا، وَلَا مُتَوَهِّمِينَ بِأَهْوَائِنَا، فَإِنَّهُ مَا سَلِمَ فِي دِينِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ سَلَّمَ للهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلِرَسُولِهِ ﷺ، وَرَدَّ عِلْمَ مَا اشْتَبَهَ عَلَيْهِ إِلَى عَالِمِهِ.
The vision of Allah by the people of Paradise is true, without their vision being encompassing and without the modality of their vision being known. As the Book of our Lord has stated: 'Faces on that Day will be radiant, looking at their Lord.' (Qur'an 75:22-23). The explanation of this is as Allah Himself willed and knows. Everything that has come down to us in this regard from the Messenger ﷺ in authentic hadith is as he said and means what he intended. We do not delve into that, interpreting it with our own opinions or imagining it according to our whims. For no one is safe in his religion unless he submits himself completely to Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, and to His Messenger ﷺ, and consigns knowledge of matters unclear to him to the one who knows them.
وَلَا يَثْبُتُ قَدَمُ الْإِسْلَامِ إِلَّا عَلَى ظَهْرِ التَّسْلِيمِ وَالِاسْتِسْلَامِ، فَمَنْ رَامَ عِلْمَ مَا حُظِرَ عَنْهُ عِلْمُهُ، وَلَمْ يَقْنَعْ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ فَهْمُهُ، حَجَبَهُ مَرَامُهُ عَنْ خَالِصِ التَّوْحِيدِ، وَصَافِي الْمَعْرِفَةِ، وَصَحِيحِ الْإِيمَانِ، فَيَتَذَبْذَبُ بَيْنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالْإِيمَانِ، وَالتَّصْدِيقِ وَالتَّكْذِيبِ، وَالْإِقْرَارِ وَالْإِنْكَارِ، مُوَسْوِسًا تَائِهًا، زَائِغًا شَاكًّا، لَا مُؤْمِنًا مُصَدِّقًا، وَلَا جَاحِدًا مُكَذِّبًا.
One's foothold in Islam is not firm unless it is based on submission and surrender. Anyone who desires to know things which are beyond his capacity to know, and whose intellect is not content with submission, will find that his desire veils him from the pure oneness of Allah, clear knowledge, and correct faith. He will then waver between disbelief and belief, confirmation and denial, acceptance and rejection. He will be lost, wandering, deviant, and doubtful, being neither a confirming believer nor a denying rejector.
وَلَا يَصِحُّ الْإِيمَانُ بِالرُّؤْيَةِ لِأَهْلِ دَارِ السَّلَامِ لِمَنِ اعْتَبَرَهَا مِنْهُمْ بِوَهْمٍ، أَوْ تَأَوَّلَهَا بِفَهْمٍ، إِذَا كَانَ تَأْوِيلُ الرُّؤْيَةِ وَتَأْوِيلُ كُلِّ مَعْنًى يُضَافُ إِلَى الرُّبُوبِيَّةِ بِتَرْكِ التَّأْوِيلِ وَلُزُومِ التَّسْلِيمِ، وَعَلَيْهِ دِينُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ.
Belief in the vision of Allah for the people of the Abode of Peace is not correct for one who understands it through his own imagination or interprets it with his own understanding, since the interpretation of the vision, and of every meaning related to Lordship, is by abandoning interpretation and adhering to submission. This is the religion of the Muslims.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتَوَقَّ النَّفْيَ وَالتَّشْبِيهَ زَلَّ وَلَمْ يُصِبِ التَّنْزِيهَ، فَإِنَّ رَبَّنَا جَلَّ وَعَلَا مَوْصُوفٌ بِصِفَاتِ الْوَحْدَانِيَّةِ، مَنْعُوتٌ بِنُعُوتِ الْفَرْدَانِيَّةِ، لَيْسَ فِي مَعْنَاهُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْبَرِيَّةِ.
Anyone who does not guard himself against negation and anthropomorphism has erred and has not attained transcendence. For our Lord, the Glorified and Exalted, is described with the attributes of oneness, qualified with the qualities of uniqueness. No one from creation is in His meaning.
وَتَعَالَى عَنِ الْحُدُودِ وَالْغَايَاتِ، وَالْأَرْكَانِ وَالْأَعْضَاءِ وَالْأَدَوَاتِ، لَا تَحْوِيهِ الْجِهَاتُ السِّتُّ كَسَائِرِ الْمُبْتَدَعَاتِ.
He is exalted beyond having limits, ends, components, limbs, or instruments. The six directions do not contain Him as they do all created things.
الإيمان بالإسراء والمعراج
Faith in the Night Journey and Ascension
وَالْمِعْرَاجُ حَقٌّ، وَقَدْ أُسْرِيَ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ، وَعُرِجَ بِشَخْصِهِ فِي الْيَقَظَةِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، ثُمَّ إِلَى حَيْثُ شَاءَ اللهُ مِنَ الْعُلَا، وَأَكْرَمَهُ اللهُ بِمَا شَاءَ، وَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ مَا أَوْحَى، (مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَى) فَصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَالْأُولَى.
The Mi'raj (Ascension) is true. The Prophet ﷺ was taken by night and ascended in his bodily form, while awake, to the heavens, and then to whatever heights Allah willed for him. Allah ennobled him with what He willed and revealed to him what He revealed. 'The heart did not lie in what it saw.' (Qur'an 53:11). So may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him in this life and the next.
الإيمان بالحوض والشفاعة والميثاق
Faith in the Basin, Intercession, and Covenant
وَالْحَوْضُ الَّذِي أَكْرَمَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى بِهِ غِيَاثًا لِأُمَّتِهِ حَقٌّ.
The Basin (al-Hawd), with which Allah has honored him as a relief for his community, is true.
وَالشَّفَاعَةُ الَّتِي ادَّخَرَهَا لَهُمْ حَقٌّ، كَمَا رُوِيَ فِي الْأَخْبَارِ.
The Intercession (al-Shafa'ah), which he has stored up for them, is true, as is related in the reports.
وَالْمِيثَاقُ الَّذِي أَخَذَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى مِنْ آدَمَ وَذُرِّيَّتِهِ حَقٌّ.
The Covenant (al-Mithaq) which Allah took from Adam and his descendants is true.
الإيمان بالقضاء والقدر
Faith in Divine Decree
وَقَدْ عَلِمَ اللهُ تَعَالَى فِيمَا لَمْ يَزَلْ عَدَدَ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَعَدَدَ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ النَّارَ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً، فَلَا يُزَادُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْعَدَدِ وَلَا يُنْقَصُ مِنْهُ، وَكَذَلِكَ أَفْعَالُهُمْ فِيمَا عَلِمَ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يَفْعَلُوهُ، وَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ.
Allah has known, from eternity, the number of those who will enter Paradise and the number of those who will enter Hellfire, all at once. This number will neither be increased nor decreased. The same applies to their actions, which He knew they would perform. Everyone is facilitated towards that for which they were created.
وَالْأَعْمَالُ بِالْخَوَاتِيمِ، وَالسَّعِيدُ مَنْ سَعِدَ بِقَضَاءِ اللهِ، وَالشَّقِيُّ مَنْ شَقِيَ بِقَضَاءِ اللهِ.
Actions are judged by their final deeds. The fortunate is he who is fortunate by Allah's decree, and the wretched is he who is wretched by Allah's decree.
وَأَصْلُ الْقَدَرِ سِرُّ اللهِ تَعَالَى فِي خَلْقِهِ، لَمْ يَطَّلِعْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ وَلَا نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ، وَالتَّعَمُّقُ وَالنَّظَرُ فِي ذَلِكَ ذَرِيعَةُ الْخِذْلَانِ، وَسُلَّمُ الْحِرْمَانِ، وَدَرَجَةُ الطُّغْيَانِ، فَالْحَذَرَ كُلَّ الْحَذَرِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ نَظَرًا وَفِكْرًا وَوَسْوَسَةً، فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى طَوَى عِلْمَ الْقَدَرِ عَنْ أَنَامِهِ، وَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ مَرَامِهِ، كَمَا قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ: (لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ) فَمَنْ سَأَلَ: لِمَ فَعَلَ؟ فَقَدْ رَدَّ حُكْمَ الْكِتَابِ، وَمَنْ رَدَّ حُكْمَ الْكِتَابِ كَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ.
The exact nature of the divine decree (al-Qadar) is a secret of Allah in His creation, which no angel brought near nor any prophet sent has been given access to. Delving into it and reflecting upon it is a means of failure, a ladder to deprivation, and a step towards transgression. So beware, all beware, of that, whether in thought, reflection, or insinuation. For Allah has concealed the knowledge of the decree from His creatures and has forbidden them from seeking it, as He says in His Book: 'He is not asked about what He does, but they will be asked.' (Qur'an 21:23). So whoever asks, 'Why did He do that?' has rejected a judgment of the Book, and whoever rejects a judgment of the Book is among the disbelievers.
فَهَذَا جُمْلَةُ مَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مَنْ هُوَ مُنَوَّرٌ قَلْبُهُ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءِ اللهِ تَعَالَى، وَهِيَ دَرَجَةُ الرَّاسِخِينَ فِي الْعِلْمِ؛ لِأَنَّ الْعِلْمَ عِلْمَانِ: عِلْمٌ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَوْجُودٌ، وَعِلْمٌ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَفْقُودٌ، فَإِنْكَارُ الْعِلْمِ الْمَوْجُودِ كُفْرٌ، وَادِّعَاءُ الْعِلْمِ الْمَفْقُودِ كُفْرٌ، وَلَا يَثْبُتُ الْإِيمَانُ إِلَّا بِقَبُولِ الْعِلْمِ الْمَوْجُودِ وَتَرْكِ طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ الْمَفْقُودِ.
This is the sum of what is needed by one whose heart is illuminated from the Friends of Allah, and it is the level of those firmly rooted in knowledge. For knowledge is of two types: knowledge which is accessible to creation, and knowledge which is inaccessible to creation. To deny the accessible knowledge is disbelief, and to claim the inaccessible knowledge is disbelief. Faith is not firm except by accepting the accessible knowledge and abandoning the search for the inaccessible knowledge.
وَنُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّوْحِ وَالْقَلَمِ، وَبِجَمِيعِ مَا فِيهِ قَدْ رُقِمَ، فَلَوِ اجْتَمَعَ الْخَلْقُ كُلُّهُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ كَتَبَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى فِيهِ أَنَّهُ كَائِنٌ لِيَجْعَلُوهُ غَيْرَ كَائِنٍ لَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا كُلُّهُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ لَمْ يَكْتُبْهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى فِيهِ لِيَجْعَلُوهُ كَائِنًا لَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِ، جَفَّ الْقَلَمُ بِمَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَمَا أَخْطَأَ الْعَبْدَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَهُ، وَمَا أَصَابَهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَهُ.
We believe in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh) and the Pen (al-Qalam) and in everything that has been inscribed upon it. If all of creation were to gather together to make something exist which Allah had written on it would not exist, they would not be able to do so. And if they were all to gather together to make something not exist which Allah had written on it would exist, they would not be able to do so. The Pen has dried, having written all that will be until the Day of Judgment. What has missed a servant was never going to befall him, and what has befallen him was never going to miss him.
وَعَلَى الْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ أَنَّ اللهَ قَدْ سَبَقَ عِلْمُهُ فِي كُلِّ كَائِنٍ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ، فَقَدَّرَ ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرًا مُحْكَمًا مُبْرَمًا، لَيْسَ فِيهِ نَاقِضٌ وَلَا مُعَقِّبٌ، وَلَا مُزِيلٌ وَلَا مُغَيِّرٌ، وَلَا نَاقِصٌ وَلَا زَائِدٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ فِي سَمَاوَاتِهِ وَأَرْضِهِ، وَذَلِكَ مِنْ عَقْدِ الْإِيمَانِ وَأُصُولِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ، وَالِاعْتِرَافِ بِتَوْحِيدِ اللهِ تَعَالَى وَرُبُوبِيَّتِهِ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ: (وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُ تَقْدِيرًا)، وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: (وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللهِ قَدَرًا مَقْدُورًا) فَوَيْلٌ لِمَنْ صَارَ للهِ تَعَالَى فِي الْقَدَرِ خَصِيمًا، وَأَحْضَرَ لِلنَّظَرِ فِيهِ قَلْبًا سَقِيمًا، لَقَدِ الْتَمَسَ بِوَهْمِهِ فِي مَحْضِ الْغَيْبِ سِرًّا كَتِيمًا، وَعَادَ بِمَا قَالَ فِيهِ أَفَّاكًا أَثِيمًا.
The servant must know that Allah's knowledge has preceded everything that exists in His creation. He has determined it with a firm and binding decree which none can contradict, defer, remove, change, decrease, or increase in any way in His creation, in His heavens and His earth. This is a fundamental aspect of faith, a principle of knowledge, and an admission of Allah's oneness and Lordship, as He says in His Book: 'He created everything and determined it with a precise determination.' (Qur'an 25:2) And He said: 'And the command of Allah is a decree determined.' (Qur'an 33:38). So woe to him who becomes an antagonist to Allah concerning the decree, and who brings a sick heart to reflect on it. In his vain imagination, he has sought to uncover a hidden secret in the unseen, and he has returned with what he said about it as a sinful liar.
الإيمان بالعرش والكرسي
Faith in the Throne and the Footstool
وَالْعَرْشُ وَالْكُرْسِيُّ حَقٌّ، وَهُوَ مُسْتَغْنٍ عَنِ الْعَرْشِ وَمَا دُونَهُ، مُحِيطٌ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَفَوْقَهُ، وَقَدْ أَعْجَزَ عَنِ الْإِحَاطَةِ خَلْقَهُ.
The Throne (al-'Arsh) and the Footstool (al-Kursi) are true. He is independent of the Throne and what is beneath it. He encompasses all things and is above them, and He has made His creation incapable of encompassing Him.
الإيمان بالملائكة والنبيين والكتب
Faith in the Angels, Prophets, and Books
وَنَقُولُ إِنَّ اللهَ اتَّخَذَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا، وَكَلَّمَ اللهُ مُوسَى تَكْلِيمًا، إِيمَانًا وَتَصْدِيقًا وَتَسْلِيمًا.
We say that Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend and that He spoke to Moses directly—believing, affirming, and submitting.
وَنُؤْمِنُ بِالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَالْكُتُبِ الْمُنَزَّلَةِ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى الْحَقِّ الْمُبِينِ.
We believe in the angels, the prophets, and the books revealed to the messengers, and we bear witness that they were all on the clear truth.
تعريف الإيمان
The Definition of Faith
وَنُسَمِّي أَهْلَ قِبْلَتِنَا مُسْلِمِينَ مُؤْمِنِينَ، مَا دَامُوا بِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مُعْتَرِفِينَ، وَلَهُ بِكُلِّ مَا قَالَهُ وَأَخْبَرَ مُصَدِّقِينَ.
We call the people of our Qiblah 'Muslims' and 'believers' as long as they acknowledge what the Prophet ﷺ brought, and accept as true everything that he said and told us.
وَلَا نَخُوضُ فِي اللهِ، وَلَا نُمَارِي فِي دِينِ اللهِ، وَلَا نُجَادِلُ فِي الْقُرْآنِ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ كَلَامُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ، فَعَلَّمَهُ سَيِّدَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ، مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ، وَهُوَ كَلَامُ اللهِ تَعَالَى لَا يُسَاوِيهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ كَلَامِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ، وَلَا نَقُولُ بِخَلْقِهِ، وَلَا نُخَالِفُ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ.
We do not delve into futile discourse about Allah, nor do we dispute about the religion of Allah. We do not argue about the Qur'an and we bear witness that it is the speech of the Lord of the Worlds, which the Trustworthy Spirit brought down and taught to the Master of the Messengers, Muhammad ﷺ. It is the speech of Allah Almighty; no speech of creation is equal to it. We do not say it is created, and we do not oppose the Muslim community.
وَلَا نُكَفِّرُ أَحَدًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقِبْلَةِ بِذَنْبٍ مَا لَمْ يَسْتَحِلَّهُ، وَلَا نَقُولُ: لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ الْإِيمَانِ ذَنْبٌ لِمَنْ عَمِلَهُ، نَرْجُو لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْ يَعْفُوَ عَنْهُمْ، وَيُدْخِلَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ بِرَحْمَتِهِ، وَلَا نَأْمَنُ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَلَا نَشْهَدُ لَهُمْ بِالْجَنَّةِ، وَنَسْتَغْفِرُ لِمُسِيئِهِمْ، وَنَخَافُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا نُقَنِّطُهُمْ.
We do not declare anyone from the people of the Qiblah a disbeliever for any sin, as long as he does not consider it lawful. Nor do we say that sin does not harm the faith of the one who commits it. We hope that Allah will pardon the righteous among the believers and admit them into Paradise through His mercy, but we cannot be certain of this, nor can we testify that they will be in Paradise. We ask forgiveness for the sinful among them, and we fear for them, but we do not cause them to despair.
وَالْأَمْنُ وَالْإِيَاسُ يَنْقُلَانِ عَنْ مِلَّةِ الْإِسْلَامِ، وَسَبِيلُ الْحَقِّ بَيْنَهُمَا لِأَهْلِ الْقِبْلَةِ.
Certainty (of salvation) and despair (of mercy) both remove one from the fold of Islam. The path of truth for the people of the Qiblah lies between the two.
وَلَا يَخْرُجُ الْعَبْدُ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ إِلَّا بِجُحُودِ مَا أَدْخَلَهُ فِيهِ.
A servant does not leave faith except by repudiating what brought him into it.
وَالْإِيمَانُ: هُوَ الْإِقْرَارُ بِاللِّسَانِ، وَالتَّصْدِيقُ بِالْجِنَانِ.
Faith is: affirmation with the tongue and acceptance in the heart.
وَجَمِيعُ مَا صَحَّ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ مِنَ الشَّرْعِ وَالْبَيَانِ كُلُّهُ حَقٌّ.
And everything that is authentically narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concerning the Sacred Law and its explanation is true.
وَالْإِيمَانُ وَاحِدٌ، وَأَهْلُهُ فِي أَصْلِهِ سَوَاءٌ، وَالتَّفَاضُلُ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْخَشْيَةِ وَالتُّقَى، وَمُخَالَفَةِ الْهَوَى، وَمُلَازَمَةِ الْأَوْلَى.
Faith is one, and its people, in its essence, are equal. The preference among them is based on fear of Allah, piety, opposition to whims, and adherence to what is best.
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلُّهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَأَكْرَمُهُمْ عِنْدَ اللهِ أَطْوَعُهُمْ وَأَتْبَعُهُمْ لِلْقُرْآنِ.
All the believers are Friends (Awliya') of the Most Merciful. The noblest of them in the sight of Allah are those who are most obedient and who most closely follow the Qur'an.
وَالْإِيمَانُ: هُوَ الْإِيمَانُ بِاللهِ، وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ، وَرُسُلِهِ، وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ، وَحُلْوِهِ وَمَرِّهِ مِنَ اللهِ تَعَالَى.
Faith consists of belief in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and in the Divine Decree, both its good and its evil, its sweet and its bitter, being from Allah Almighty.
وَنَحْنُ مُؤْمِنُونَ بِذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ، لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ، وَنُصَدِّقُهُمْ كُلَّهُمْ عَلَى مَا جَاءُوا بِهِ.
We are believers in all of that. We do not differentiate between any of His Messengers. We believe in all of them and what they brought.
أهل الكبائر
Major Sinners
وَأَهْلُ الْكَبَائِرِ مِنْ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ فِي النَّارِ لَا يُخَلَّدُونَ، إِذَا مَاتُوا وَهُمْ مُوَحِّدُونَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا تَائِبِينَ، بَعْدَ أَنْ لَقُوا اللهَ عَارِفِينَ مُؤْمِنِينَ.
Those who have committed major sins from the nation of Muhammad ﷺ will not remain eternally in the Fire, provided they die as monotheists, even if they were not repentant, as long as they met Allah knowing Him and believing in Him.
وَهُمْ فِي مَشِيئَتِهِ وَحُكْمِهِ: إِنْ شَاءَ غَفَرَ لَهُمْ وَعَفَا عَنْهُمْ بِفَضْلِهِ، كَمَا ذَكَرَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي كِتَابِهِ: (وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ).
They are subject to His will and His judgment: if He wills, He forgives them and pardons them out of His grace, as He mentioned in His Book: '...and He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.' (Qur'an 4:48).
وَإِنْ شَاءَ عَذَّبَهُمْ فِي النَّارِ بِعَدْلِهِ، ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنْهَا بِرَحْمَتِهِ، وَشَفَاعَةِ الشَّافِعِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ طَاعَتِهِ، ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُهُمْ إِلَى جَنَّتِهِ، وَذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى تَوَلَّى أَهْلَ مَعْرِفَتِهِ، وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْهُمْ فِي الدَّارَيْنِ كَأَهْلِ نُكْرَتِهِ؛ الَّذِينَ خَابُوا مِنْ هِدَايَتِهِ، وَلَمْ يَنَالُوا مِنْ وَلَايَتِهِ، اللَّهُمَّ يَا وَلِيَّ الْإِسْلَامِ وَأَهْلِهِ ثَبِّتْنَا عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ حَتَّى نَلْقَاكَ بِهُ.
And if He wills, He punishes them in the Fire out of His justice, then brings them out of it through His mercy and the intercession of the intercessors among the people of His obedience, and then sends them to His Paradise. This is because Allah Almighty is the Protector of those who know Him, and He does not treat them in the two abodes like those who deny Him, who have failed to receive His guidance and have not obtained His protection. O Allah, Protector of Islam and its people, make us firm upon Islam until we meet You with it.
وَنَرَى الصَّلَاةَ خَلْفَ كُلِّ بَرٍّ وَفَاجِرٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقِبْلَةِ، وَنُصَلِّي عَلَى مَنْ مَاتَ مِنْهُمْ.
We hold that prayer can be performed behind any of the people of the Qiblah, whether righteous or sinful, and we offer the funeral prayer for any of them who die.
وَلَا نُنْزِلُ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ جَنَّةً وَلَا نَارًا، وَلَا نَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِكُفْرٍ وَلَا بِشِرْكٍ وَلَا بِنِفَاقٍ، مَا لَمْ يَظْهَرْ مِنْهُمْ شَيْءٌ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَنَذَرُ سَرَائِرَهُمْ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى.
We do not consign any of them to Paradise or Hellfire, nor do we testify against them with disbelief, polytheism, or hypocrisy, as long as nothing of that is apparent from them. We leave their secret affairs to Allah Almighty.
وَلَا نَرَى السَّيْفَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ إِلَّا مَنْ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ السَّيْفُ.
We do not believe in raising the sword against anyone from the nation of Muhammad ﷺ unless the sword is legally obligated against him.
الأئمة والجماعة
Rulers and the Community
وَلَا نَرَى الْخُرُوجَ عَلَى أَئِمَّتِنَا وَوُلَاةِ أُمُورِنَا وَإِنْ جَارُوا، وَلَا نَدْعُو عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا نَنْزِعُ يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَتِهِمْ، وَنَرَى طَاعَتَهُمْ مِنْ طَاعَةِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَرِيضَةً، مَا لَمْ يَأْمُرُوا بِمَعْصِيَةٍ، وَنَدْعُو لَهُمْ بِالصَّلَاحِ وَالْمُعَافَاةِ.
We do not see rebellion against our leaders and rulers, even if they are tyrannical. We do not pray against them, nor do we withdraw from obeying them. We see their obedience as an obligation from the obedience of Allah, the Exalted, as long as they do not command a sin. We pray for their righteousness and well-being.
وَنَتَّبِعُ السُّنَّةَ وَالْجَمَاعَةَ، وَنَجْتَنِبُ الشُّذُوذَ وَالْخِلَافَ وَالْفُرْقَةَ.
We follow the Sunnah and the Community (al-Jama'ah), and we avoid deviancy, discord, and division.
وَنُحِبُّ أَهْلَ الْعَدْلِ وَالْأَمَانَةِ، وَنُبْغِضُ أَهْلَ الْجَوْرِ وَالْخِيَانَةِ.
We love the people of justice and honesty, and we detest the people of tyranny and treachery.
وَنَقُولُ: اللهُ أَعْلَمُ فِيمَا اشْتَبَهَ عَلَيْنَا عِلْمُهُ.
We say, 'Allah knows best,' regarding matters of which our knowledge is unclear.
وَنَرَى الْمَسْحَ عَلَى الْخُفَّيْنِ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْحَضَرِ، كَمَا جَاءَ فِي الْأَثَرِ.
We believe in wiping over leather socks, whether on a journey or at home, as has come in the narrations.
الحج والجهاد
Hajj and Jihad
وَالْحَجُّ وَالْجِهَادُ مَاضِيَانِ مَعَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، بَرِّهِمْ وَفَاجِرِهِمْ إِلَى قِيَامِ السَّاعَةِ، لَا يُبْطِلُهُمَا شَيْءٌ وَلَا يَنْقُضُهُمَا.
The Hajj and Jihad will continue under the leadership of the Muslim rulers, whether righteous or sinful, until the establishment of the Hour. Nothing will abolish them or invalidate them.
الإيمان بالآخرة
Faith in the Hereafter
وَنُؤْمِنُ بِالْكِرَامِ الْكَاتِبِينَ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ جَعَلَهُمْ عَلَيْنَا حَافِظِينَ.
We believe in the honorable scribes (the recording angels), for Allah has appointed them as guardians over us.
وَنُؤْمِنُ بِمَلَكِ الْمَوْتِ الْمُوَكَّلِ بِقَبْضِ أَرْوَاحِ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَبِعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ لِمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ أَهْلًا، وَسُؤَالِ مُنْكَرٍ وَنَكِيرٍ فِي قَبْرِهِ عَنْ رَبِّهِ وَدِينِهِ وَنَبِيِّهِ، عَلَى مَا جَاءَتْ بِهِ الْأَخْبَارُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ، وَعَنِ الصَّحَابَةِ رِضْوَانُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِمْ.
We believe in the Angel of Death, who is entrusted with taking the souls of all worlds. And in the punishment of the grave for those who are deserving of it, and in the questioning in the grave by Munkar and Nakir about one's Lord, religion, and prophet, as has come in the reports from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.
وَالْقَبْرُ رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ، أَوْ حُفْرَةٌ مِنْ حُفَرِ النِّيرَانِ.
The grave is either a garden from the gardens of Paradise or a pit from the pits of Hellfire.
وَنُؤْمِنُ بِالْبَعْثِ وَجَزَاءِ الْأَعْمَالِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَالْعَرْضِ وَالْحِسَابِ، وَقِرَاءَةِ الْكِتَابِ، وَالثَّوَابِ وَالْعِقَابِ، وَالصِّرَاطِ وَالْمِيزَانِ.
We believe in the resurrection and the recompense of deeds on the Day of Judgment, the presentation, the reckoning, the reading of the book [of deeds], the reward, the punishment, the Bridge (al-Sirat), and the Scale (al-Mizan).
وَالْجَنَّةُ وَالنَّارُ مَخْلُوقَتَانِ، لَا تَفْنَيَانِ أَبَدًا وَلَا تَبِيدَانِ، وَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ قَبْلَ الْخَلْقِ، وَخَلَقَ لَهُمَا أَهْلًا، فَمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ فَضْلًا مِنْهُ، وَمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ عَدْلًا مِنْهُ، وَكُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ لِمَا قَدْ فُرِغَ لَهُ، وَصَائِرٌ إِلَى مَا خُلِقَ لَهُ.
Paradise and Hellfire are created; they will never cease to exist nor perish. Allah created Paradise and Hellfire before the rest of creation, and He created inhabitants for each of them. Whoever He wills goes to Paradise out of His grace, and whoever He wills goes to Hellfire out of His justice. Everyone acts according to what has been destined for them and proceeds towards what they have been created for.
أفعال العباد
The Actions of Servants
وَالْخَيْرُ وَالشَّرُّ مُقَدَّرَانِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ.
Good and evil are both decreed for the servants.
وَالِاسْتِطَاعَةُ الَّتِي يَجِبُ بِهَا الْفِعْلُ مِنْ نَحْوِ التَّوْفِيقِ الَّذِي لَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُوصَفَ الْمَخْلُوقُ بِهِ، فَهِيَ مَعَ الْفِعْلِ، وَأَمَّا الِاسْتِطَاعَةُ مِنْ جِهَةِ الصِّحَّةِ وَالْوُسْعِ وَالتَّمَكُّنِ وَسَلَامَةِ الْآلَاتِ فَهِيَ قَبْلَ الْفِعْلِ، وَبِهَا يَتَعَلَّقُ الْخِطَابُ، وَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: (لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا).
The ability which necessitates an action, which is of the nature of divine success (tawfiq) and which a created being cannot be described as possessing, is simultaneous with the action. As for the ability in terms of health, capacity, capability, and sound limbs, it exists before the action. The religious obligation is related to this, as Allah Almighty says: 'Allah does not burden a soul beyond its scope.' (Qur'an 2:286).
وَأَفْعَالُ الْعِبَادِ خَلْقُ اللهِ، وَكَسْبٌ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ.
The actions of the servants are a creation of Allah and an acquisition (kasb) of the servants.
وَلَمْ يُكَلِّفْهُمُ اللهُ تَعَالَى إِلَّا مَا يُطِيقُونَ، وَلَا يُطِيقُونَ إِلَّا مَا كَلَّفَهُمْ، وَهُوَ تَفْسِيرُ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ، نَقُولُ: لَا حِيلَةَ لِأَحَدٍ، وَلَا حَرَكَةَ لِأَحَدٍ، وَلَا تَحَوُّلَ لِأَحَدٍ عَنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ إِلَّا بِمَعُونَةِ اللهِ، وَلَا قُوَّةَ لِأَحَدٍ عَلَى إِقَامَةِ طَاعَةِ اللهِ وَالثَّبَاتِ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا بِتَوْفِيقِ اللهِ.
Allah has not tasked them except with what they can bear, and they can only bear what He has tasked them with. This is the explanation of 'There is no power and no strength except with Allah.' We say: there is no stratagem for anyone, no movement for anyone, and no turning for anyone from disobeying Allah except with Allah's help, and no one has the power to carry out the obedience of Allah and persevere in it except with Allah's guidance (tawfiq).
وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ يَجْرِي بِمَشِيئَةِ اللهِ تَعَالَى وَعِلْمِهِ وَقَضَائِهِ وَقَدَرِهِ، غَلَبَتْ مَشِيئَتُهُ الْمَشِيئَاتِ كُلَّهَا، وَغَلَبَ قَضَاؤُهُ الْحِيَلَ كُلَّهَا، يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ أَبَدًا، تَقَدَّسَ عَنْ كُلِّ سُوءٍ وَحِينٍ، وَتَنَزَّهَ عَنْ كُلِّ عَيْبٍ وَشَيْنٍ، لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ.
Everything happens according to the will of Allah Almighty, His knowledge, His decree, and His ordainment. His will has overcome all other wills, and His decree has overcome all stratagems. He does what He wills, and He is never unjust. He is sanctified from all evil and ruin, and He is transcendent above all flaw and defect. 'He is not asked about what He does, but they will be asked.' (Qur'an 21:23).
وَفِي دُعَاءِ الْأَحْيَاءِ وَصَدَقَاتِهِمْ مَنْفَعَةٌ لِلْأَمْوَاتِ، وَاللهُ تَعَالَى يَسْتَجِيبُ الدَّعَوَاتِ وَيَقْضِي الْحَاجَاتِ.
There is benefit for the deceased in the supplications and charity of the living. Allah Almighty answers the supplications and fulfills the needs.
أصحاب النبي ﷺ
The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ
وَيَمْلِكُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَلَا يَمْلِكُهُ شَيْءٌ، وَلَا غِنَى عَنِ اللهِ تَعَالَى طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ، وَمَنِ اسْتَغْنَى عَنِ اللهِ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ، وَصَارَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَيْنِ.
He owns everything and nothing owns Him. There is no independence from Allah for the blink of an eye. Whoever considers himself independent of Allah for the blink of an eye has disbelieved and become one of the people of perdition.
وَاللهُ يَغْضَبُ وَيَرْضَى لَا كَأَحَدٍ مِنَ الْوَرَى.
Allah becomes angry and is pleased, not like any of the creation.
وَنُحِبُّ أَصْحابَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ، وَلَا نُفَرِّطُ فِي حُبِّ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ، وَلَا نَتَبَرَّأُ مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ، وَنُبْغِضُ مَنْ يُبْغِضُهُمْ، وَبِغَيْرِ الْخَيْرِ يَذْكُرُهُمْ، وَلَا نَذْكُرُهُمْ إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ، وَحُبُّهُمْ دِينٌ وَإِيمَانٌ وَإِحْسَانٌ، وَبُغْضُهُمْ كُفْرٌ وَنِفَاقٌ وَطُغْيَانٌ.
We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. We do not go to excess in our love for any one of them, nor do we disassociate ourselves from any of them. We hate those who hate them and who speak ill of them. We only mention them in a good way. Love for them is religion, faith, and excellence (Ihsan), and hatred for them is disbelief, hypocrisy, and transgression.
وَنُثْبِتُ الْخِلَافَةَ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَوَّلًا لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ تَفْضِيلًا لَهُ وَتَقْدِيمًا عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْأُمَّةِ، ثُمَّ لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ لِعُثْمَانَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، وَهُمُ الْخُلَفَاءُ الرَّاشِدُونَ وَالْأَئِمَّةُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ.
We affirm the Caliphate after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, first for Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, giving him preference and precedence over the entire Ummah; then for 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him; then for 'Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him; and then for 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him. They are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and the guided leaders.
وَأَنَّ الْعَشَرَةَ الَّذِينَ سَمَّاهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَبَشَّرَهُمْ بِالْجَنَّةِ نَشْهَدُ لَهُمْ بِالْجَنَّةِ، عَلَى مَا شَهِدَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ، وَقَوْلُهُ الْحَقُّ، وَهُمْ: أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَعُمَرُ، وَعُثْمَانُ، وَعَلِيٌّ، وَطَلْحَةُ، وَالزُّبَيْرُ، وَسَعْدٌ، وَسَعِيدٌ، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ، وَأَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ؛ وَهُوَ أَمِينُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ.
The ten whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ named and gave the glad tidings of Paradise, we bear witness that they are in Paradise, according to the testimony of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whose word is truth. They are: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, Talhah, al-Zubayr, Sa'd, Sa'id, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf, and Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, who is the trustee of this Ummah, may Allah be pleased with them all.
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنَ الْقَوْلَ فِي أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَزْوَاجِهِ الطَّاهِرَاتِ مِنْ كُلِّ دَنَسٍ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِ الْمُقَدَّسِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ رِجْسٍ؛ فَقَدْ بَرِئَ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ.
Whoever speaks well of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and his pure wives, free from any impurity, and his sacred descendants, free from any filth, is free from hypocrisy.
وَعُلَمَاءُ السَّلَفِ مِنَ السَّابِقِينَ، وَمَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ مِنَ التَّابِعِينَ أَهْلُ الْخَيْرِ وَالْأَثَرِ، وَأَهْلُ الْفِقْهِ وَالنَّظَرِ، لَا يُذْكَرُونَ إِلَّا بِالْجَمِيلِ، وَمَنْ ذَكَرَهُمْ بِسُوءٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى غَيْرِ السَّبِيلِ.
The scholars of the Salaf (the predecessors) and those who followed them among the Tabi'un (the successors), the people of goodness and tradition, and the people of jurisprudence and sound reasoning, should only be mentioned in the best way. Whoever speaks ill of them is not on the right path.
الأنبياء والأولياء
Prophets and Saints
وَلَا نُفَضِّلُ أَحَدًا مِنَ الْأَوْلِيَاءِ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَامُ، وَنَقُولُ: نَبِيٌّ وَاحِدٌ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْأَوْلِيَاءِ.
We do not prefer any of the saints (Awliya') over any of the Prophets, peace be upon them. We say: one single Prophet is better than all the saints combined.
وَنُؤْمِنُ بِمَا جَاءَ مِنْ كَرَامَاتِهِمْ، وَصَحَّ عَنِ الثِّقَاتِ مِنْ رِوَايَاتِهِمْ.
We believe in the miracles (karamat) that have been reported about them and authenticated in the narrations from trustworthy sources.
أشراط الساعة
Signs of the Hour
وَنُؤْمِنُ بِأَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ مِنْهَا: خُرُوجُ الدَّجَّالِ، وَنُزُولُ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، وَنُؤْمِنُ بِطُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا، وَخُرُوجِ دَابَّةِ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ مَوْضِعِهَا.
We believe in the signs of the Hour, such as: the appearance of the Dajjal (Antichrist), the descent of 'Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus, son of Mary), peace be upon him, from the heavens, the rising of the sun from the west, and the emergence of the Beast of the Earth from its place.
الخاتمة
Conclusion
وَلَا نُصَدِّقُ كَاهِنًا وَلَا عَرَّافًا، وَلَا مَنْ يَدَّعِي شَيْئًا يُخَالِفُ الْكِتَابَ وَالسُّنَّةَ وَإِجْمَاعَ الْأُمَّةِ.
We do not believe any soothsayer or fortuneteller, nor anyone who claims something that contradicts the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the Ummah.
وَنَرَى الْجَمَاعَةَ حَقًّا وَصَوَابًا، وَالْفُرْقَةَ زَيْغًا وَعَذَابًا.
We hold the community (al-Jama'ah) to be true and correct, and division to be deviation and torment.
وَدِينُ اللهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاءِ وَاحِدٌ، وَهُوَ دِينُ الْإِسْلَامِ، قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: (إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللهِ الْإِسْلَامُ)، وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: (وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا).
The religion of Allah in the heavens and the earth is one, and it is the religion of Islam. Allah says, 'Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.' (Qur'an 3:19), and He says, '...and have approved for you Islam as religion.' (Qur'an 5:3).
وَهُوَ بَيْنَ الْغُلُوِّ وَالتَّقْصِيرِ، وَبَيْنَ التَّشْبِيهِ وَالتَّعْطِيلِ، وَبَيْنَ الْجَبْرِ وَالْقَدَرِ، وَبَيْنَ الْأَمْنِ وَالْإِيَاسِ.
It lies between extremism and negligence, between anthropomorphism (tashbih) and stripping of attributes (ta'til), between fatalism (jabr) and free will (qadar), and between certainty (of salvation) and despair (of mercy).
فَهَذَا دِينُنَا وَاعْتِقَادُنَا ظَاهِرًا وَبَاطِنًا، وَنَحْنُ بُرَآءُ إِلَى اللهِ مِنْ كُلِّ مَنْ خَالَفَ الَّذِي ذَكَرْنَاهُ وَبَيَّنَّاهُ، وَنَسْأَلُ اللهَ تَعَالَى أَنْ يُثَبِّتَنَا عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ، وَيَخْتِمَ لَنَا بِهُ، وَيَعْصِمَنَا مِنَ الْأَهْوَاءِ الْمُخْتَلِفَةِ، وَالْآرَاءِ الْمُتَفَرِّقَةِ، وَالْمَذَاهِبِ الرَّدِيئَةِ، مِثْلِ الْمُشَبِّهَةِ وَالْمُعْتَزِلَةِ وَالْجَهْمِيَّةِ وَالْجَبْرِيَّةِ وَالْقَدَرِيَّةِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ؛ مِنَ الَّذِينَ خَالَفُوا السُّنَّةَ وَالْجَمَاعَةَ، وَحَالَفُوا الضَّلَالَةَ، وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُمْ بُرَآءُ، وَهُمْ عِنْدَنَا ضُلَّالٌ وَأَرْدِيَاءُ، وَبِاللهِ الْعِصْمَةُ.
This is our religion and our creed, both inwardly and outwardly. We absolve ourselves before Allah of anyone who opposes what we have mentioned and explained. We ask Allah to make us firm upon faith, to seal our lives with it, and to protect us from variant whims, divergent opinions, and corrupt schools of thought, such as the Mushabbihah, the Mu'tazilah, the Jahmiyyah, the Jabriyyah, the Qadariyyah, and others who have opposed the Sunnah and the Jama'ah and allied themselves with misguidance. We are free of them, and in our view, they are misguided and corrupt. And protection is from Allah.
About the Author
The creed of Imam Al-Tahawi is one of, if not the oldest complete works on Sunni creed in Islamic history. It was written by Imam Abu Ja'far Ahmed Al-Tahawi, an Egyptian scholar born in 239 A.H., in the city of Taha. Imam Al-Tahawi was the nephew of one of the greatest students of Imam Al-Shafi'i, Imam Isma'il ibn Yahya Al-Muzani, although Imam Al-Tahawi left the Shafi'i school early in his life to become a Hanafi. Imam Al-Tahawi studied under the auspices of the greatest inheritors and representatives of the Hanafi school, including Imam Ahmed ibn Imran Al-Hanafi, a scholar who had studied under both of the sahibayn, the two companions of Imam Abu Hanifa: Imam Muhammad Al-Shaybani and Qadi Abu Yusuf.
Imam Al-Tahawi is considered to be one of the highest authorities of the Hanafi school, mastering not only jurisprudence, but also Hadith, Arabic, and concievably all of the other Islamic sciences as well. He was a prolific author, writing Sharh Ma'ani ul-Athaar and Sharh Mushkil ul-Athaar, two crucial texts in Hadith literature, along with a host of other works in other topics.
About the Text
Imam Al-Tahawi lived in the early stages of the Abbasid era, a time marked by the rise of heterodox sects in Islam such as the Mu'tazila and others, who were often given positions of power and authority in the Abbasid courts and legal systems. The Mu'tazila were predominantly Hanafi in their jurisprudence, although they could not lay claim to Imam Abu Hanafi in their heretical theological positions. Imam Al-Tahawi represented the strongest, most authoritative rebuttal of the Mu'tazili claims to Imam Abu Hanafi as he was a living authority on what Imam Abu Hanifa and his companions actually represented. As a student of the direct students of Imam Abu Hanifa and his companions, Imam Al-Tahawi had an indisputable connection to the scholars of the salaf, i.e., the early generations of Islam, that were described by the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, in the Hadith narrated by Al-Tabarani, Al-Tirmidhi, Imam Ahmed, and others: "the best of generations is my generation, then the ones after them, then the ones after them, then falsehood will be rampant." The first three generations praised by the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, represent the salaf or early generations of Islam.
Although the exact definition of "generation" and the exact eras differ, it is indisputable that Imam Al-Tahawi either directly belonged to the early generations or at the very least was a representative of the ideology and creed of the early generations. By Imam Al-Suyuti's definition of the three generations, Imam Al=Tahawi was squarely within the generations of the salaf. Imam Al-Subki explains the importance of Imam Al-Tahawi's creed, saying, "the majority of the four schools that are on the truth met the creed of Al-Tahawi with acceptance- both from the salaf and the later generations."
Imam Al-Tahawi represented Imam Abu Hanifa, who was undoubtably the greatest of the scholars of the salaf in his creed, along with Imam Muhammad Al-Shaybani and Qadi Abu Yusuf. Imam Al-Tahawi opens his text with the line, " This is a presentation of the creed of the People of the Sunnah and the Community, according to the school of the jurists of this religion: Abu Hanifah al-Nu'man ibn Thabit al-Kufi, Abu Yusuf Ya'qub ibn Ibrahim al-Ansari, and Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani (may Allah be pleased with them all); and what they believe regarding the fundamentals of the religion and profess to the Lord of the worlds..." so as to say, "this is nothing more than a clarification and summary of the beliefs of the greatest and most widely accepted jurists of Sunni Islam." Not only is the text a sharp rebuke to Mu'tazili claims over Imam Abu Hanifa, but it is also a primer of Islamic creed for beginner students.
For these reasons, the text was preserved, taught, memorized, and commentated upon by scholars for hundreds of years from the time of Imam Al-Tahawi in the fourth century A.H., until present day, more than a thousand years later. It is a representation of the creed of Sunni Islam, free from abberation, deviation, and speculation. One will observe that no group that claims to represent Sunni Islam today can deny the importance of Al-Tahawiyya, because denial of it would be a denial of Sunni Islam itself. After all, the majority of the text's verbiage is directly taken from verses of the Qur'an, Hadiths, and the statements mentioned by Imam Abu Hanifa in his own works of theology such as Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar. However, the astute student would fare well by paying attention to the commentaries and statements of various factions regarding Imam Al-Tahawi. Some commentaries and scholars preserve and explain Imam Al-Tahawi's words without distortion or deviation. Other texts, especially some contemporary ones from the past few centuries, claim to explain the text, but in fact, editorialize it, more often disagreeing with the text than faithfully explaining it. Paying attention to the differences in these approaches would aid the critical mind in knowing the difference between the true representatives of Imam Al-Tahawi's creed and the false claimants.
About the Translator
This text is translated by Naz Hassan, an author and teacher from New Jersey. He is also the author of Pearls in the Deep, a theological text in English explaining the Qur'anic approach to the supposed "Problem of Evil". He is a teacher and student of Islamic theology. This text was translated by Naz Hassan and published to his website and project, Sunni Aqeeda - SunnahSpace, an exploration of timeless questions about existence, oneness, and the nature of the Divine through reason, logic, and classical Islamic scholarship. He graciously permitted for it to be uploaded to Sharh. Readers of this translation are encouraged to explore the rest of his website and works, where he breaks down contemporary issues in Islamic theology, philosophy, and current events.