Abu Hanifa - Fique Al Akber

Summary:

You're about to hear a summary and exploration of the foundational Islamic treatise titled Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, by Imam Abu Hanifa. This work is titled "The Greater Knowledge" to signify that its subjects of divine oneness, known as tawhid, and doctrine, known as aqida, are superior to jurisprudence, or fiqh. The work contains ten main sections, exploring the divine being, prophethood, and eschatology to provide believers with certainty and secure their success in the Hereafter. The codification of such theological texts became necessary during the Abbasid era due to political turmoil and the spread of deviant ideas influenced by Hellenistic philosophy. In this context, the orthodox Sunni schools of theology, the Ash'ari and the Maturidi, emerged to defend traditional beliefs.

Let's begin by discussing the major theological schools.

The Ash'ari and Maturidi schools form the bedrock of orthodox Sunni theology, differing primarily in methodology rather than core creed. The Ash'ari school gave preference to sacred texts over reason, while the Maturidi school attempted to reconcile them. <break time="0.5s" /> These orthodox schools stood in contrast to several early sects. The Mutazila championed reason, denying God's eternal attributes and asserting that the Quran was created and that humans create their own actions. Other groups included the Qadariyya, who advocated for absolute free will; the Khawarij, who declared major sinners to be unbelievers; the Jabriyya, who were fatalists denying human agency; the Karramiyya, who were anthropomorphists; and the Murji'a, who claimed that sin does not harm a person's faith.

This concludes our look at the theological landscape. Now, moving to the author, commentators, and context of the work, we'll explore its origins.

Classical scholars unanimously attribute the work to Imam Abu Hanifa, the revered founder of the Hanafi school of law known as "the Greatest Imam." The text's concepts were likely dictated by him and compiled by his students, with its transmission secured through his son, Hammad. Prominent commentaries were authored by the Hanafi jurist Abu 'l-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi and the renowned hadith scholar Mulla Ali al-Qari. It is important to note that many early scholars expressed strong disapproval of polemical theology, a discipline known as ilm al-kalam, viewing it as a harmful innovation that distracts from the Quran and Sunna, introduces doubt, and leads to fruitless disputes.

Having covered the historical context, let's turn our attention to the core doctrines, starting with the Divine Being, Oneness, and Attributes.

The foundation of belief is a declaration of faith in Allah, His angels, scriptures, messengers, the resurrection, and destiny as being from Him, while affirming the reality of the Final Reckoning, the Scale, Paradise, and Hell. Divine oneness, or tawhid, means negating any partner, similarity, or divisibility in Allah's essence and attributes, confirming He is utterly unlike His creation.

Allah eternally possesses all His names and attributes, which are uncreated. They are classified as either essential attributes, whose opposites cannot be ascribed to Him, such as Life, Power, and Knowledge, or active attributes, whose opposites can be ascribed, such as Creating and Sustaining. Ambiguous attributes mentioned in the Quran, like "Hand" or "Countenance," are to be affirmed "without description," a principle known as bila kayf. This means their reality is accepted as stated, but knowledge of their true nature and modality is consigned to Allah, a process called tafwid, while figurative interpretation, known as ta'wil, is rejected. Likewise, concepts like "closeness" and "distance" are understood metaphorically, referring to a servant's spiritual honor or humiliation, not physical proximity.

This brings us to the nature of the Quran and Divine Speech.

The Quran is the eternal, uncreated speech of Allah. His attribute of Speech is an internal quality, referred to as kalam nafsi, that is without sound or letters. The physical, recited Quran—including its sounds, letters, and the ink and paper it is written on—is the created expression of this uncreated divine speech. To claim that the speech of Allah is created is an act of unbelief. All verses of the Quran are equal in virtue as the speech of God, though some verses possess an added virtue due to their majestic subject matter.

From the nature of divine speech, we now turn to the concepts of predestination and human action.

Everything that occurs happens through Allah's pre-eternal will, knowledge, and decree, which are recorded in the Preserved Tablet. This divine knowledge is perfect and unchanging; any change occurs in the state of the created being, not in God's knowledge. All actions of humans are their own "acquisition," a concept known as kasb, for which they are responsible, while Allah is the ultimate Creator of those actions. Acts of obedience occur with Allah's approval and love, whereas acts of disobedience occur by His will but without His approval or love. A believer must be satisfied with Allah's decree but is not required to be pleased with the evil that has been decreed.

This leads us to a discussion of faith, submission, and human nature.

Allah created all humans in a pure state, having taken a primordial covenant from them, known as the mithaq, in which they affirmed His lordship. This established a natural faith, or iman fitri, upon which every person is born. An individual who believes does so through their own choice, aided by divine guidance, or tawfiq, while one who disbelieves does so by their own rejection of truth, which occurs when Allah forsakes them, an act called khidhlan.

True faith, or iman, requires both conviction in the heart and affirmation on the tongue. Submission to God's commands, or islam, is inseparable from faith. The term religion, or din, is a comprehensive term that encompasses both. While all believers are equal in the core articles of their faith, they differ in the strength of their conviction and spiritual qualities, such as certainty, trust, love, fear, and hope.

Having covered the nature of faith, let's explore the status of prophets, companions, and the issue of sin.

All prophets are protected from major sins, though not from minor slips. The Prophet Muhammad never committed any sin, major or minor. The Companions of the Prophet must only be spoken of with praise, and any conflicts between them arose from differences in juristic reasoning, or ijtihad, not a loss of faith. The order of superiority among the Rightly-Guided Caliphs is Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman, and then Ali.

A believer is not declared an unbeliever for committing a sin, no matter how great, unless they declare that sin to be lawful. A sinner remains a believer, though potentially an unrighteous one. A believer who dies without repenting for sins less than polytheism is subject to Allah's will; He may forgive them or punish them, but they will not remain in Hellfire for eternity. Allah rewards out of His generosity, punishes out of His justice, and forgives out of His kindness.

Now, moving to miracles and eschatology, we'll explore the unseen realities of the faith.

The signs of the prophets, known as mujizat, and the miracles of the saints, known as karamat, are real. In contrast, extraordinary acts performed by God's enemies are deceptions intended to lead them to ruin, a phenomenon called istidraj.

In the afterlife, the soul is returned to the body in the grave, an intermediate realm known as the barzakh. There, the deceased is questioned by the angels Munkar and Nakir and will experience either reward or punishment. On the Day of Judgment, the weighing of deeds on the Scale, or mizan, the Prophet's Watering Pool, or hawd, and the Bridge over Hell, known as the sirat, are all realities. The greatest reward for believers will be the Beatific Vision, where they will see Allah in Paradise with their own eyes, a vision that will be without any comparison or physical modality. Paradise and Hellfire have already been created and will exist for eternity.

Finally, we conclude with some key points of doctrinal guidance from the text.

The text affirms key juristic positions, such as the permissibility of wiping over leather socks and the validity of Tarawih prayers. It also addresses theological debates, noting the Maturidi view that reason alone obligates a person to recognize God, versus the Ash'ari view that accountability requires a prophetic message. If a person encounters a confusing doctrinal issue, they must immediately affirm the correct position according to Allah in a general sense and then seek knowledge from a reliable scholar without delay to resolve the doubt. Remaining in a state of uncertainty about the core principles of faith is not permissible.

This concludes our exploration of the key doctrines presented in Al-Fiqh al-Akbar.

Full Audiobook.

The treatise Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, authored by Imam Abu Hanifa. <break time="1.0s" /> This work is a foundational text on Islamic beliefs, exploring the core principles of divine oneness, prophethood, and eschatology. We will examine its historical context, the major theological schools of its time, its authorship, and the biographies of its key figures and commentators, before delving into the core tenets of the treatise itself. Let's begin with the first section: The Text and Its Context. <break time="1.0s" /> The treatise Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, authored by Imam Abu Hanifa, is a foundational and reliable work on Islamic beliefs. Its title, translating to "The Greater Knowledge," signifies its focus on the most noble subjects: divine oneness, known as tawhid, and doctrine, or aqida, which are considered superior to the science of jurisprudence, or fiqh. The study of this science, Ilm al-tawhid, aims to refine a Muslim's understanding of the Creator, His messengers, and the purpose of creation. It primarily addresses three major themes: first, the divine being and attributes, referred to as ilahiyyat; second, the functions of prophethood, or nubuwwat; and third, eschatology, known as mughayyabat. A firm grasp of these beliefs is essential for Muslims, particularly in the face of diverse modern ideologies, as it serves to eliminate doubts and provide answers to fundamental questions about God, faith, and the afterlife, with the ultimate goal of achieving success in the Hereafter. <break time="2.0s" /> This concludes our introduction to the text's context. Now, moving to the Rise of Codified Theology, we'll explore why such formal works became necessary. <break time="1.0s" /> While the earliest generations of Muslims had little need for formalized theological works, the rise of deviant ideas and political turmoil, beginning as early as the caliphate of Uthman, necessitated the systematic codification of Islamic sciences. During the Abbasid period, the introduction of Hellenistic philosophy led to significant discord, with the Mutazila school gaining political favor and persecuting those who held orthodox views, such as Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. It was in this turbulent environment that the two primary orthodox theological schools of Sunni Islam emerged to defend the traditional beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunna wa 'l-Jama'a. These schools were founded by Abu 'l-Hasan al-Ash'ari and Abu Mansur al-Maturidi. <break time="2.0s" /> Having covered the rise of codified theology, let's turn our attention to the Major Theological Schools that emerged during this period. <break time="1.0s" /> The Ash'ari and Maturidi schools form the bedrock of orthodox Sunni theology. The differences between them are considered minor and primarily methodological rather than creedal, leading them to often be grouped together. The Ash'ari school gave greater preference to sacred texts over reason, while the Maturidi school attempted to reconcile between them. Historically, most followers of the Hanafi school of law are Maturidi in creed, while followers of the Maliki and Shafi'i schools are predominantly Ash'ari. <break time="1.0s" /> These orthodox schools stood in contrast to several other early sects. <break time="0.5s" /> First, the Mutazila championed reason and held five core principles. Their key doctrines included the negation of eternal divine attributes, the denial of the beatific vision of God in the hereafter, the createdness of the Quran, and the belief that humans create their own actions. <break time="0.5s" /> Second, the Qadariyya were proponents of absolute free will, denying that God creates evil actions. <break time="0.5s" /> Third, the Khawarij, the first sect to break from the mainstream, were extremists who declared any Muslim who committed a major sin to be an unbeliever. <break time="0.5s" /> Next, the Jabriyya were fatalists who believed that humans have no free will and are compelled in all their actions. A sub-group of this sect was the Jahmiyya. <break time="0.5s" /> Additionally, the Karramiyya were an anthropomorphic sect that ascribed a physical body, direction, and movement to God. <break time="0.5s" /> Finally, the Murji'a represented the opposite extreme of the Khawarij, claiming that sin does not harm a person's faith. <break time="2.0s" /> This concludes our overview of the major schools. Now we will explore the Authorship and Transmission of Al-Fiqh al-Akbar. <break time="1.0s" /> There has been some modern scholarly debate regarding the attribution of Al-Fiqh al-Akbar to Imam Abu Hanifa. However, classical and medieval scholars, commentators, and early bibliographers like Ibn al-Nadim unanimously affirm his authorship. It is suggested that the Mutazila may have spread doubt about its origin to discredit its refutation of their doctrines. The work exists in two main recensions: a dialogue-based text known as Al-Fiqh al-Absat and the more famous version, Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, which was transmitted by the Imam's son, Hammad. A widely accepted view is that the concepts were dictated by Imam Abu Hanifa and later compiled by his students. This text is based on the reliable transmission from his son, Hammad. <break time="1.0s" /> This translation is primarily based on the concise and comprehensive commentary by Abu 'l-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi, and it is supplemented with selections from the more detailed commentary by Mulla Ali al-Qari, which also incorporates Imam Abu Hanifa's work Al-Wasiyya. <break time="2.0s" /> Let us now turn to the biography of the author himself, Abu Hanifa Nu'man ibn Thabit. <break time="1.0s" /> Imam Abu Hanifa Nu'man ibn Thabit, known as Imam Azam, or "the Greatest Imam," was born in Kufa in the year eighty AH, or six hundred ninety-nine CE. As a member of the generation of the Followers, or Tabi'un, he had the opportunity to see some of the Prophet's Companions, including Anas ibn Malik. Though he began his career as a trader, he was encouraged by the scholar Imam Sha'bi to pursue religious studies due to his evident intelligence. <break time="1.0s" /> His initial focus was on the foundations of faith, or usul al-din, and theology, known as kalam, and he frequently traveled to Basra to debate various deviant sects. He later shifted his focus to jurisprudence, or fiqh, after realizing its practical importance and became a devoted student of the jurist Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman. He also became a master of hadith, though he was primarily known for incorporating hadith into his legal rulings rather than narrating them extensively. One of his most famous students was the ascetic and hadith scholar Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak. Imam Abu Hanifa passed away in the year one hundred fifty AH, or seven hundred sixty-seven CE, after being poisoned in prison under the command of the Abbasid Caliph Mansur. His mausoleum is located in the Al-A'zamiyya district of Baghdad, which is named in his honor. <break time="2.0s" /> Now, we will learn about the commentator Abu 'l-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi. <break time="1.0s" /> Ahmad ibn Muhammad, known as Abu 'l-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi, was an accomplished Hanafi jurist and a master of Quranic recitation, or muqri. He was born in Magnisia, a town in present-day Turkey, and lived around the turn of the first millennium AH, with his death dated to either the year one thousand AH, corresponding to fifteen ninety-two CE, or one thousand ninety AH, corresponding to sixteen seventy-nine CE. In addition to his prominent commentary on Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, his works include a commentary on Shatabi's Qasida on Quranic recitation and the Qasida Nuniyya, a work on Islamic theology. <break time="2.0s" /> Next, we'll discuss the second commentator, Mulla Ali al-Qari. <break time="1.0s" /> Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Qari, popularly known as Mulla Ali al-Qari, was a renowned hadith scholar, jurist, and theologian from Herat, Afghanistan. After his initial education, he traveled to Makka where he studied under eminent scholars like Shaykh Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haytami. His mastery of Quranic recitation earned him the title "Al-Qari," meaning The Reciter. He authored many influential works, including Mirqat al-Mafatih, a comprehensive commentary on the hadith collection Mishkat al-Masabih, and Minah al-Rawd al-Azhar, his detailed commentary on Al-Fiqh al-Akbar. He remained in Makka, where he taught until his death in the year ten fourteen AH, or sixteen oh six CE. <break time="2.0s" /> Having covered the key figures, let's now examine the Scholars' Stance on Ilm al-Kalam, or polemical theology. <break time="1.0s" /> The prologue begins with a hadith from the Prophet Muhammad stating that the Muslim community would divide into seventy-three factions, all destined for Hellfire except one: those who adhere to his way and that of his Companions. Following this, the text explains that the majority of early scholars, or salaf, and many later ones, known as khalaf, expressed strong disapproval of ilm al-kalam, or polemical theology. <break time="1.0s" /> Quotations from prominent Imams illustrate this condemnation. Imam Abu Yusuf stated that knowledge of kalam is ignorance and that pursuing it leads to the loss of one's religion. Imam Shafi'i was even more severe, ruling that practitioners of kalam should be beaten for having abandoned the Quran and Sunna, declaring that it is better for a person to meet God with any sin other than polytheism than to meet Him with kalam. <break time="2.0s" /> We will now move to an Analysis of Kalam's Harms and Benefits. <break time="1.0s" /> Imam Ghazali provides a more nuanced analysis, identifying two extreme views: one that deems kalam a forbidden innovation, and another that considers it an obligatory and superior form of worship. Ghazali himself concluded that kalam contains both harm and benefit. Its potential harms include inducing doubt, weakening firm belief, and causing innovators to become more entrenched in their errors. As an expert in the field, Ghazali asserted that the path to true experiential knowledge of God is ultimately blocked by the methods of kalam. <break time="1.0s" /> The text outlines several core reasons for the early scholars' abhorrence of this discipline. First, it distracts from the study of the primary sources of Islam. Second, it often leads to ill-mannered and fruitless disputation. Third, it can introduce crippling doubts into a believer's heart. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal criticized writing rebuttals of innovators because it required exposing readers to the original deviant arguments. Fourth, it leads to the neglect of practical Islamic law; a theologian might spend decades on abstract debates while remaining ignorant of basic rules of purification and prayer. Fifth, its ultimate result is often confusion and misguidance, a fact lamented by several great thinkers like Imam al-Juwayni on their deathbeds. Sixth, it encourages the use of personal opinion in matters of divine oneness, which is a severe innovation. And finally, it leads to a preoccupation with the arguments of philosophers who reject divine revelation. <break time="1.0s" /> The prologue concludes that the path of the Prophet is complete and sufficient, which was the way of the pious predecessors, the great Imams of jurisprudence and hadith, and the masters of tasawwuf. <break time="2.0s" /> Now we will hear the introduction by the commentator, Abu 'l-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi. <break time="1.0s" /> The introduction begins by praising Allah for guiding believers to the path of the Ahl al-Sunna wa 'l-Jama'a, meaning the People of the Sunna and the Community. He affirms that Imam Abu Hanifa's Al-Fiqh al-Akbar is a reliable and accepted treatise on the subject of Islamic creed. <break time="1.0s" /> To establish the text's authority, Maghnisawi quotes the esteemed scholar Imam Ali al-Bazdawi, who stated that the principle for understanding divine oneness, or tawhid, and God's attributes is to adhere strictly to the Quran, the Sunna, and the path of the pious predecessors. Al-Bazdawi confirms that this was the path of Imam Abu Hanifa and his primary students, and that Al-Fiqh al-Akbar was the Imam's work on this very subject. <break time="1.0s" /> Following this validation, Maghnisawi states that his own intention is to compile relevant statements from the Quran, the Sunna, and other reliable works to serve as a concise commentary that explains this distinguished treatise. <break time="2.0s" /> This brings us to the core of the treatise, beginning with The Essential Declaration of Faith. <break time="1.0s" /> The foundation of divine oneness, or tawhid, and correct belief rests upon a mandatory declaration. A person must state their belief in Allah, His angels, His scriptures, His messengers, the resurrection after death, and destiny, both good and evil, as being from Allah. Furthermore, one must affirm that the final Reckoning, the Scale for weighing deeds, Paradise, and Hellfire are all true realities. The concept of tawhid is defined as negating any partner, similarity, or divisibility in Allah's essence and attributes, and clearing the divine essence of all human conceptions. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's now consider The Nature of Belief. <break time="1.0s" /> True faith, or iman, consists of two integral parts: conviction in the heart, known as tasdiq, and affirmation with the tongue, or iqrar. According to the Maturidi school and the most correct Ash'ari view, heartfelt conviction is what constitutes faith between a person and Allah. Verbal confession is a necessary condition only for the person to be treated as a believer under Islamic law in this world. Other jurists, however, hold that verbal confession is an integral pillar of faith itself, without which faith is incomplete. The existence of Allah is considered a self-evident truth, established in the primordial nature, or fitra, of humanity and demonstrated by the order of creation. Therefore, the primary mission of the prophets was not to prove God's existence, but to establish His absolute oneness. <break time="2.0s" /> Next, we will explore The Articles of Faith Explained. <break time="1.0s" /> First, Angels: They are subtle bodies capable of assuming various forms. They are of two types: those in the highest heavens who are absorbed in the gnosis of God, and those who manage the affairs of the universe. <break time="0.5s" /> Second, Scriptures: A believer must be firmly convinced that the divine scriptures are the uncreated word of Allah. A total of one hundred and four scriptures have been revealed throughout history. <break time="0.5s" /> Third, Messengers: A messenger, or rasul, is a prophet, known as a nabi, who is given a new sacred law. Belief in all prophets is essential. While a hadith mentions one hundred twenty-four thousand prophets, it is best not to insist on a specific number. <break time="0.5s" /> Fourth, Resurrection: This is the belief that Allah will resurrect the deceased by reassembling their original physical bodies and returning their souls. This is fundamentally different from the concept of transmigration or reincarnation, known as tanasukh, which involves the soul moving into a new and separate body within this world. <break time="0.5s" /> Fifth, Destiny, or Qadar: A believer must affirm that all destiny, both good and evil, is from Allah Most High. <break time="0.5s" /> And finally, Eschatology: The Reckoning, the Scale that will weigh deeds, Paradise, and Hellfire are all true future realities that must be affirmed. The precise form of things like the Scale is beyond human comprehension. <break time="2.0s" /> This leads us to the central theme of The Oneness and Nature of Allah. <break time="1.0s" /> Allah is described as One, not in a numerical sense, but in that He has no partner. This affirms the Quranic declaration that, quote, "He neither begets nor is He begotten, and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him," end quote. He is unlike anything in His creation, and nothing created is like Him. A logical proof for His oneness is that if multiple gods existed, their wills could conflict, leading to a state of powerlessness for one or the unification of opposites, both of which are impossibilities. Therefore, the existence of more than one creator is logically impossible. <break time="2.0s" /> Now we will examine The Divine Attributes. <break time="1.0s" /> Allah is eternally possessor of all His names and attributes, which are categorized as either essential or active. These attributes are uncreated and have always existed; no attribute was acquired by Him at a later time. The orthodox position of the Ahl al-Sunna is that these attributes are neither identical to His essence nor are they separate entities from it. To claim that the attributes of Allah are created, or to express doubt about their eternal nature, is an act of unbelief. The distinction is made between the Doer, who is Allah; His Doing, which is His eternal, uncreated attribute or creative potential; and that which is done, which is the created effect. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's first discuss The Essential Attributes. <break time="1.0s" /> The essential attributes, or sifat dhatiyya, are those whose opposite cannot be ascribed to Allah. The text identifies seven primary essential attributes. <break time="0.5s" /> First is Life, or Hayat: An eternal attribute through which He is the Ever-Living. <break time="0.5s" /> Second is Power, or Qudra: An eternal attribute by which He has power over all things. <break time="0.5s" /> Third is Knowledge, or Ilm: An eternal attribute by which His knowledge encompasses all things, whether existent or nonexistent, possible or impossible. <break time="0.5s" /> Fourth is Speech, or Kalam: An eternal, internal attribute, known as kalam nafsi, that is without sound, letters, or organs. The revealed scriptures, like the Quran, are the created expressions of this uncreated speech. <break time="0.5s" /> Fifth is Hearing, or Sam': An eternal attribute by which He hears all sounds without any physical medium. <break time="0.5s" /> Sixth is Seeing, or Basar: An eternal attribute by which He sees all things without any physical medium. <break time="0.5s" /> And seventh is Willing, or Irada: An eternal attribute by which all events occur. Nothing happens, good or evil, except through His will. <break time="2.0s" /> Next, we turn to The Active Attributes. <break time="1.0s" /> The active attributes, or sifat fi'liyya, are those whose opposite can be ascribed to Allah, such as Giving Life and Causing Death. These include attributes like Creating, or takhliq; Sustaining, or tarziq; and Originating, or ibda. The Maturidi school considers the primary active attribute, Bringing into Being, or takwin, to be an eighth eternal attribute from which all other actions derive. The Ash'ari school, conversely, views these actions as originated manifestations of the eternal attribute of Power, or qudra. This difference is largely considered to be semantic. <break time="2.0s" /> This brings us to a crucial concept: The Dual Nature of the Quran. <break time="1.0s" /> The Quran is the eternal, uncreated speech of Allah. It is written down in physical texts, memorized in human hearts, recited by tongues, and was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. A critical distinction must be made: while the Quran as an eternal attribute of Allah is uncreated, the human actions associated with it are created. Therefore, our uttering, writing, and reciting of the Quran are all created acts. Similarly, the ink, paper, and letters used to record the Quran are created things. The eternal speech of Allah subsists with His essence, and these created elements serve as the necessary means for humans to access and understand it. <break time="2.0s" /> To elaborate further, let's explore The Eternal Speech Attribute. <break time="1.0s" /> To claim that the speech of Allah is created is an act of unbelief. Allah's attribute of speech is an eternal, internal quality, known as kalam nafsi, that is without sounds, words, or letters, unlike the speech of created beings who require physical organs. The words and sounds of the revealed scriptures are a created articulation of this uncreated divine archetype. <break time="1.0s" /> When the Quran narrates the words of created beings, such as Moses or even Pharaoh, the text is still the uncreated speech of Allah informing humanity about them. The speech of Moses is created, but the Quran itself, which relates his words, is Allah's eternal speech. Allah was eternally the "Speaker" even before He spoke to Moses, just as He was the "Creator" before He brought forth creation; His attributes are pre-eternal and do not depend on the existence of an object to relate to. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's now consider the Virtue of the Quranic Verses. <break time="1.0s" /> In that they are all the speech of Allah, every verse of the Quran is equal in virtue and exaltedness. However, a distinction is made regarding their subject matter. Some verses, like the Throne Verse, possess a dual virtue: the virtue of being Allah's speech and the virtue of their content, which describes the majesty and attributes of Allah Himself. Other verses, such as those recounting stories of unbelievers, possess the virtue of being Allah's speech, even though their content—the unbelievers—holds no intrinsic virtue. Similarly, all the names and attributes of Allah are equal in their greatness. <break time="2.0s" /> This brings us to the important topic of Allah's Transcendence. <break time="1.0s" /> Allah is an existing entity, or shay', but He is unlike any other entity. The meaning of His existence as an "entity" is that He is established without being a physical body, or jism; a substance, or jawhar; or an accident, or arad. He is transcendent of any definition, opposite, equal, or peer. <break time="2.0s" /> A key methodological principle is Affirming Attributes Without Modality, or Bila Kayf. <break time="1.0s" /> The text affirms the attributes that Allah has mentioned in the Quran, such as His Hand, or yad; Countenance, or wajh; and Self, or nafs. These are to be understood as His attributes "without description," or bila kayf. This means their reality is affirmed as mentioned in the sacred texts, but their modality—the "how"—is unknown and incomprehensible to the human mind. <break time="1.0s" /> The treatise explicitly rejects the practice of explaining these attributes away through figurative interpretation, known as ta'wil. For example, one must not claim that Allah's "Hand" means His power or His blessing, as doing so is considered an invalidation of the attribute itself. This invalidating approach is identified as the view of the Mutazila and Qadariyya sects. Similarly, attributes like Allah's Anger and Pleasure are affirmed without describing them in human terms, as they are dissimilar to the emotions experienced by created beings. <break time="2.0s" /> Let us review the Orthodox Methodologies for Ambiguous Texts. <break time="1.0s" /> The proper approach to these ambiguous attributes is that of the pious predecessors, or salaf, which is known as tafwid. This methodology involves affirming the attribute's reality as it appears in the text while consigning the knowledge of its true nature and modality to Allah. This is encapsulated in the famous statement of Imam Malik regarding Allah's establishment, or istiwa, on the Throne, quote: "The establishment is known, the 'how' is unknown, belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is an innovation," end quote. <break time="1.0s" /> The text also acknowledges that some later scholars, or khalaf, engaged in figurative interpretation, or ta'wil, as a means to protect the masses from the errors of anthropomorphism. However, it notes that this was a specific response to the challenges of their time and that many who practiced it, like Imam al-Juwayni, ultimately returned to the safer path of the salaf. <break time="2.0s" /> Now, we turn to the concepts of Pre-eternal Knowledge and Decree. <break time="1.0s" /> Allah created all things from no substance. In pre-eternity, before anything came into being, Allah possessed complete knowledge of all things. He is the one who apportioned and ordained every event. Nothing occurs in this world or the next except that it happens through His will, knowledge, ordination, known as qada', decree, or qadar, and its recording in the Preserved Tablet. The essences of all things are real, not imaginary as the Sophists claim; this is proven by the fact that Allah commanded the Pen to write down everything that would come to exist until the Day of Judgment. Ordaining, decreeing, and willing are His pre-eternal attributes, the full nature of which cannot be described or comprehended by the human intellect. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's clarify The Nature of Divine Writing. <break time="1.0s" /> A crucial distinction is that Allah's writing in the Preserved Tablet consists of descriptions, not commands. The Tablet does not contain a command like, "Let a person be a believer," which would imply compulsion. Instead, it contains a description, such as, "This person will become a believer through their own choice and power". This concept refutes the fatalistic belief of the Jabriyya sect by affirming that human beings are not involuntarily compelled to believe or disbelieve. <break time="2.0s" /> Furthermore, we must understand The Unchanging Knowledge of Allah. <break time="1.0s" /> Allah's eternal knowledge is perfect and unchanging. He knows the nonexistent in its state of nonexistence and knows precisely how it will be when He brings it into existence. He knows the existent as it exists and knows how it will eventually perish. Change, alteration, and the acquisition of new information are characteristics that apply only to the knowledge of created beings, not to the Creator. While His knowledge is one, the things that are known by Him are numerous. <break time="2.0s" /> The text continues by Responding to Theological Objections. <break time="1.0s" /> This section refutes the Mu'tazila's claim that if unbelief is from Allah's decree, one would be obligated to be satisfied with the act of unbelief itself. The orthodox response is that one must distinguish between the decree, or qada', and the thing that is decreed, or maqdi. While it is necessary for a believer to be satisfied with Allah's decree—that is, His act of willing something to exist according to His wisdom—one is not required to be satisfied with the decreed thing itself if it is evil, such as the act of unbelief. Unbelief is an attribute of a person acquired through their own choice, for which they are held responsible. <break time="2.0s" /> Let us now explore The Primordial State and the Covenant. <break time="1.0s" /> Allah created all human beings in a pure, neutral state, free from both acquired belief and unbelief. Faith and disbelief are actions that people acquire later in life through their own choices after they reach maturity and are addressed by divine commands. <break time="1.0s" /> Before their physical existence, Allah extracted the entire progeny of Adam from his loins in the form of tiny particles. He endowed them with intelligence and took a covenant, known as a mithaq, from them, commanding them to believe in Him and prohibiting them from disbelief. They all affirmed His lordship, and this affirmation constituted a primordial, natural faith, or iman fitri. It is upon this natural faith that every human being is subsequently born, as supported by the prophetic saying, quote, "Every newborn is born upon the natural faith," end quote. <break time="2.0s" /> This leads us to the Acquisition of Faith and Unbelief. <break time="1.0s" /> After being born with this innate disposition towards acknowledging God, individuals choose their path. A person who disbelieves does so through their own action of rejecting and repudiating the truth, thereby replacing and altering their natural faith. This occurs when Allah forsakes them, an act known as khidhlan. Conversely, a person who believes does so through their own choice of affirming the truth, an act which keeps them steadfast on their original disposition. This is achieved when Allah grants them divine guidance and assistance, or tawfiq, which is defined as the harmonization of the servant's will with the divine decree. The reason people do not remember the primordial covenant is that Allah caused it to be forgotten as a test of their ability to believe in the unseen. The covenant is renewed and validated through the sending of prophets and scriptures, leaving no one with a valid excuse for disbelief. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's revisit the concept of The Unchanging Knowledge of God. <break time="1.0s" /> Allah, with His eternal knowledge, knows who will become a believer and who will become an unbeliever before they are even created. However, this pre-eternal knowledge does not undergo any change. When a person who was destined to disbelieve eventually does so, Allah knows him as an unbeliever. If that same person later chooses to believe, Allah then knows him as a believer. The change occurs in the state of the created servant, not in the eternal and unchanging knowledge of Allah. <break time="2.0s" /> Now we will discuss the core theological principle known as The Doctrine of Acquisition, or Kasb. <break time="1.0s" /> All actions of servants, including both motion and stillness, are their own acquisition, or kasb, while Allah is the Creator of those actions. This core doctrine distinguishes the orthodox position from two extremes. It refutes the Mutazila, who claim that humans create their own actions, and the Jabriyya, or fatalists, who deny any real agency to humans. <break time="1.0s" /> Technically, Kasb is defined as the connection of a servant's own will and power to an action, which makes the act "acquired" by them and thus makes them responsible for it. <break time="0.5s" /> Khalq, or creation, is the connection of Allah's power and will to that same action, making Him its ultimate Creator. The servant's power and will are themselves created by Allah. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's explore the role of Divine Will in Obedience and Disobedience. <break time="1.0s" /> Every action, whether good or evil, occurs through Allah's will, knowledge, ordainment, and decree. However, a crucial distinction is made concerning Allah's disposition towards them. <break time="0.5s" /> Acts of obedience occur with Allah's command, love, and approval, in addition to His will and knowledge. <break time="0.5s" /> Acts of disobedience occur through His will and knowledge, but not with His love, approval, or command. This is supported by Quranic verses stating, "And Allah loves not mischief," and "He approves not ingratitude in His servants." <break time="2.0s" /> We will now discuss The Nature of Human Ability. <break time="1.0s" /> The ability, or istita'a, to perform an action is created by Allah and coincides with the moment of the action, not before or after it. If ability existed prior to the action, the servant would be self-sufficient and not in need of Allah at the moment of acting, which is impossible. If it came after, the action could not be performed. <break time="1.0s" /> Accountability is based on the soundness of a person's means and faculties; for this reason, a mute person is not required to verbally articulate their faith, and a bedridden person is not required to stand for prayer. The power to perform either a good or an evil deed is the same; the servant directs this God-given ability toward their intended action. Therefore, an unbeliever is intrinsically capable of belief but chooses to squander that ability on disbelief, making them fully responsible and deserving of punishment. <break time="2.0s" /> This brings us to the next section, concerning The Status of the Prophets. <break time="1.0s" /> All prophets are protected from major sins, unbelief, and wicked acts, both before and after they receive their divine commission. However, they are not immune to minor "slips," known as zalla, or "mistakes," known as khata'. A mistake, such as when Moses unintentionally killed a man, is an inadvertent error. A slip is when a prophet leaves a more worthy or preferred action for a lesser one, an act which is only considered a shortcoming due to their exceptionally high status. This divine protection, known as infallibility or isma, is a favor from Allah that encourages prophets toward good and prevents them from evil, but it does not remove their free will or their experience of trials and tribulations. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's speak specifically about The Prophet Muhammad. <break time="1.0s" /> Muhammad is described as Allah's beloved, His servant, messenger, and chosen one. It is affirmed that he never worshipped an idol, partnered anything with Allah, or committed any sin, minor or major, even for a moment in his entire life. <break time="2.0s" /> Now we will discuss The Companions and the Caliphs. <break time="1.0s" /> The Companions of the Prophet should only be mentioned with praise, and it is forbidden to speak ill of them or curse them. Any conflicts that occurred among them, such as the battles between Ali and Mu'awiya, were the result of differences in personal juristic reasoning, or ijtihad, and not a rejection of faith on either side. The first legitimate ruler to follow the initial thirty-year period of the Rightly-Guided Caliphate was Mu'awiya, who assumed leadership after Hasan ibn Ali willingly transferred it to him. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's clarify The Order of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. <break time="1.0s" /> The most noble people after the prophets are the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs. Their order of superiority is established as: Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman, and then Ali. <break time="0.5s" /> First, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, meaning "the Most Truthful," was chosen by the consensus of the Companions. His superior status was indicated by the Prophet appointing him to lead the prayers during his final illness. <break time="0.5s" /> Second, Umar ibn al-Khattab, "the Differentiator," was appointed as successor directly by Abu Bakr in writing. <break time="0.5s" /> Third, Uthman ibn Affan, "Possessor of the Two Lights," was chosen by a six-member council appointed by Umar before his death. <break time="0.5s" /> And fourth, Ali ibn Abi Talib, "the Chosen One," was selected by the consensus of the Companions in Madina after the martyrdom of Uthman. His caliphate was legitimate, and those Companions who opposed him in battle did so based on an incorrect, yet good-willed, ijtihad. <break time="2.0s" /> Now, we turn to the important distinctions between Sin, Faith, and Unbelief. <break time="1.0s" /> A believer is not declared an unbeliever for committing any sin, even if it is an enormity, provided they do not consider the sinful act to be lawful. To declare a known sin as permissible is an act of unbelief because it is tantamount to rejecting the law of Allah and His Messenger. A person who sins retains the title of a "real believer," though they may be classified as an "unrighteous believer," or fasiq. This position stands in contrast to the Khawarij, who declare major sinners to be unbelievers, and the Mutazila, who place them in an "intermediate position" between belief and unbelief. <break time="2.0s" /> This leads us to the topics of Salvation, Punishment, and Nullification of Deeds. <break time="1.0s" /> The orthodox position rejects the view of the Murji'a sect, who claimed that sin does not harm a believer. For any sin less than polytheism, a believer who dies without repenting is subject to the will of Allah; Allah may punish them or He may forgive them. However, a believer who is punished for their sins will not remain in Hellfire for eternity. <break time="1.0s" /> Good deeds are accepted by Allah if performed with the correct intention and are free from corrupting defects. However, if an act of pure worship is tainted by ostentation, known as riya', or vanity, called 'ujb, its divine reward is eliminated. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's now affirm some Key Juristic Positions. <break time="1.0s" /> To distinguish the orthodox path from that of certain sects, the text affirms several key juristic positions that were rejected by those groups. First, wiping over leather socks is a confirmed sunna, or prophetic practice, and its permissibility is established by such strong evidence that to reject it is feared to lead to unbelief. Second, Tarawih prayer during the nights of Ramadan is also a sunna. And third, prayer is permissible behind any Muslim leader, whether they are righteous or unrighteous, though praying behind an unrighteous person is considered undesirable, or makruh. <break time="2.0s" /> The text also offers a Refutation of the Murji'a. <break time="1.0s" /> The text refutes the extreme doctrines of the Murji'a, such as their claim that believers in Hellfire will not feel punishment. The authentic position of the Ahl al-Sunna, which was sometimes labeled irja', or postponement, by its opponents, is not to claim that sin is harmless. Rather, it is to "postpone" or defer the final judgment of a sinning believer to Allah, maintaining both hope in His mercy and fear of His justice. <break time="2.0s" /> Now we will discuss the Miracles of the Prophets and Saints. <break time="1.0s" /> The signs of the prophets, known as Mujizat, and the miracles of the friends of Allah, known as Karamat, are real. Both are extraordinary acts that defy customary natural laws. <break time="0.5s" /> A mujiza is an inimitable miracle performed by a prophet as a direct challenge to prove the truthfulness of their claim to prophethood. These acts, such as reviving the dead or causing water to gush from fingers, serve as undeniable signs and proofs from Allah. <break time="0.5s" /> A karama is a miracle of divine favor performed by a wali, a friend or saint of Allah. It also departs from the norm but does not involve a challenge or a claim to prophethood. Its purpose is for Allah to honor and strengthen the wali, and it serves as a proof of the truthfulness of the prophet whom that wali follows. A wali is defined as someone who knows Allah and His attributes, is steadfast in obedience, and avoids sin and heedlessness. <break time="2.0s" /> In contrast, we have the Deceptive Marvels of God's Enemies, known as Istidraj. <break time="1.0s" /> Extraordinary acts performed by the enemies of Allah, such as Iblis, or Satan, Pharaoh, or the Antichrist, are neither signs nor miracles. Instead, they are termed the "fulfillment of their needs." The wisdom behind these events is that Allah allows them to occur in order to delude His enemies and lead them gradually toward their ruin, or istidraj. By fulfilling their needs, they become deluded, increase in their tyranny and unbelief, and thus become worthy of greater punishment. This is supported by the Quranic verse, quote, "We grant them indulgence only that they may increase in sin," end quote. <break time="2.0s" /> Related to this is the concept of Spiritual Intuitiveness, or Firasa. <break time="1.0s" /> The text outlines three types. First is faith-based firasa, a light of insight that Allah places in a believer's heart, the strength of which is proportionate to their faith. Second is firasa attained through exercise, which is insight gained through intense spiritual discipline like hunger and sleeplessness. This can be achieved by both believers and unbelievers and is not a sign of nearness to God. And third is physiognomy, the skill of discerning a person's inner character from their external appearance. <break time="2.0s" /> This brings us to one of the most significant beliefs of the Hereafter: The Reality of the Vision. <break time="1.0s" /> The believers will see Allah Most High in the Hereafter. This vision will take place in Paradise, and they will see Him with their own eyes. The belief in this Beatific Vision is a known and true tenet, established through the authority of sacred texts and not through rational deduction. The Prophet Muhammad described it as the single greatest and most beloved reward that the inhabitants of Paradise will ever receive. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's examine The Nature of the Vision: Without Modality. <break time="1.0s" /> The vision of Allah will be without any comparison, description, or modality, or in Arabic, bila kayf. It will occur without the constraints of physical reality, meaning there will be no concept of distance, location, place, or direction between the believers and their Creator. This is a crucial clarification to reject any anthropomorphic understanding of God. The hadith stating, "You will see your Lord as you see the full moon," is not meant to compare Allah to the moon; rather, it emphasizes the absolute clarity and certainty of the vision, free from any doubt. <break time="2.0s" /> We will now review the Scriptural Proofs and Reconciliation for this belief. <break time="1.0s" /> This belief is established by verses from the Quran, such as, "That day will faces be resplendent, looking toward their Lord," and the prophetic interpretation of the word "more" in the verse, "For those who do good is the best reward and more," as referring to the vision of Allah. <break time="1.0s" /> This doctrine does not contradict the verse, "No vision can grasp Him." The term "grasp," or idrak, refers to a complete comprehension or encompassment of something's essence. Therefore, the believers will see Allah, but they will not be able to fully grasp or comprehend His infinite reality, just as a person can see the sun but cannot fully encompass it with their sight or knowledge. <break time="2.0s" /> Now let's move to Defining Iman, or Faith. <break time="1.0s" /> Iman literally means to be convinced and to accept information in the heart. In the technical language of Islamic law, it is defined as affirming with the tongue and having conviction in the heart that Allah is One, without partner, possesses all His attributes, and that Muhammad is His Messenger who brought the scripture and sacred law. Both verbal affirmation, known as iqrar, and internal conviction, or tasdiq, are necessary for complete faith; affirmation alone is the state of a hypocrite, while conviction without affirmation, unless one is under duress, is insufficient. <break time="1.0s" /> The core articles of faith do not increase or decrease. However, a believer's level of certainty and conviction can increase or decrease. Therefore, all believers—whether angels, humans, or jinn—are equal in what they must believe, but they differ in the strength of their conviction and in their actions. <break time="2.0s" /> Next, we turn to Defining Islam, or Submission. <break time="1.0s" /> Islam means to surrender and submit to the commands of Allah. Technically, it implies being satisfied with the laws of Allah—both the obligations and the prohibitions—without any internal objection or disapproval. In its literal sense, islam is a broader term than iman, as it can describe the outward actions of a person, including a hypocrite who submits externally without inner conviction. <break time="2.0s" /> It is important to understand The Inseparable Relationship Between Iman and Islam. <break time="1.0s" /> In the context of sacred law, iman and islam are inseparable and codependent. True iman, or conviction in God, cannot exist without islam, or submission to His commands, and true islam cannot exist without iman. A believer cannot be conceived of as not being a muslim, one who submits, and a muslim cannot be conceived of as not being a believer. The relationship between the two is described as being like that of a back and a stomach: though they are distinct, they cannot be detached from one another and form a single, indivisible whole. <break time="2.0s" /> The text clarifies that Din is the Encompassing Term. <break time="1.0s" /> Din, or religion, is a comprehensive term that encompasses iman, islam, and all of the sacred laws. Depending on the context, the word din may be used to specifically refer to faith, submission, or the specific sacred law revealed to a particular prophet. <break time="2.0s" /> This brings us to The Limits of Knowing and Worshipping God. <break time="1.0s" /> A person can know Allah to the extent that He has made Himself known through His attributes as described in His book and the Sunna of His Prophet. However, one cannot comprehend the ultimate nature of His essence. Similarly, no one is able to worship Allah in a manner that is truly befitting of His infinite glory and grandeur. Therefore, a person worships Allah not according to His ultimate right to be worshipped, but according to the commands He has revealed. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's examine the Equality and Difference in the Faith of Believers. <break time="1.0s" /> All believers are equal in the foundational articles of faith and in the obligation to possess qualities such as knowledge, certainty, trust, love, satisfaction, fear, and hope. However, they are dissimilar in the degree and strength of these qualities. The foundation of their belief does not change, but the intensity of their conviction and spiritual states can increase and decrease, making them unequal in their practical and internal expression of faith. <break time="2.0s" /> Now, let's explore The Degrees of Spiritual Qualities. <break time="1.0s" /> The text defines the core spiritual qualities in which believers differ. <break time="0.5s" /> First is Certainty, or Yaqin. This is an awareness free of doubt and exists on three levels. The first is Knowledge of Certainty, or 'ilm al-yaqin, gained through hearing and contemplation, typical for scholars. The second is the Vision of Certainty, or 'ayn al-yaqin, gained through direct spiritual witnessing, for elect scholars and saints. And the third is the Truth of Certainty, or haqq al-yaqin, which is the highest level, achieved when knowledge and vision combine, and is specific to the prophets. The analogy given is hearing a description of fire, seeing the fire, and finally being consumed by the fire. <break time="0.5s" /> Next is Trust, or Tawakkul. This is defined as complete reliance on what Allah possesses and despairing of what people possess. <break time="0.5s" /> Then there is Love, or Mahabbat, a state of the heart that involves glorifying God and feeling peace in His remembrance. <break time="0.5s" /> Following this is Satisfaction, or Rida', a state of happiness in the heart even with what is decreed of hardship. <break time="0.5s" /> Finally, there are Fear, or Khawf, and Hope, or Raja'. These two qualities are inseparable. True fear prevents a person from disobeying Allah, while true hope is what follows repentance or a good deed. They are described as being like the two wings of a bird that must be balanced for stable flight. Hope without fear is delusion, and fear without hope is despair. <break time="2.0s" /> This leads to a discussion of Allah's Generosity, Justice, and Forgiveness. <break time="1.0s" /> Allah is both kind and just to His servants. <break time="0.5s" /> First is Generosity and Kindness, or Fadl. Out of His pure kindness, Allah may reward a servant many times more than what they are entitled to based on their deeds. The Quran states that a good deed will receive a tenfold reward, and a hadith mentions this reward can be multiplied up to seven hundred times. This reward is a fulfillment of His promise and an act of His generosity and choice, not an obligation or an entitlement earned by the servant. <break time="0.5s" /> Second is Justice, or Adl. Out of His justice, Allah may punish for a sin. This is not considered oppression, or zulm, because oppression is defined as acting within another's dominion without consent. Since the entire universe is His dominion, His actions are, by definition, just. <break time="0.5s" /> And third is Forgiveness, or 'Afw. Out of His generosity, Allah may forgive any sin, whether it has been repented for or not. Forgiveness is the cancellation of a deserved punishment and is a kindness from Him, not a right of the servant. <break time="2.0s" /> The text further clarifies The Divine Prerogative in Reward. <break time="1.0s" /> The text refutes the view that it is not for Allah to give more reward to one of two equally pious people, or to forgive one of two equally sinful people and not the other. Such a claim is considered a grave error that contradicts the Quran and Sunna. It wrongly attempts to impose a human judgment and a sense of limitation upon Allah's absolute will, or irada, and predestination, or qadar. This is countered by the Quranic statement, quote, "All bounties are in the hand of Allah; He grants them to whom He pleases," end quote. <break time="2.0s" /> Now, let's turn to the concept of Intercession. <break time="1.0s" /> Intercession by the prophets on the Day of Judgment is a reality. Specifically, the intercession of the Prophet Muhammad for sinful believers and for those guilty of major sins is an established truth, confirmed by the Quran, the Sunna, and the consensus of the community. Allah's statement, "Who is there that will intercede with Him save by His leave?" establishes the principle of intercession for those He permits. In addition to the prophets, others who will be granted the ability to intercede include the scholars, the martyrs, and the righteous. <break time="2.0s" /> This brings us to the key realities of the Day of Judgment: The Scale, The Pool, and The Bridge. <break time="1.0s" /> First, The Scale, or Mizan. The weighing of human deeds on a scale is a reality. The Quran states, "The weighing on that day is true." <break time="0.5s" /> Second, The Watering Pool, or Hawd. The Prophet Muhammad's watering pool is a reality. It is described as being the size of a month's journey, with water whiter than milk and a fragrance superior to musk. Whoever drinks from it will never experience thirst again. There are two such pools: one before the Bridge where people will drink after their resurrection, and another inside Paradise. <break time="0.5s" /> And third, The Bridge, or Sirat. This is a causeway laid over Hellfire, described as being thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword. Believers will pass over it with speeds proportionate to their deeds—some as quick as a flash of lightning, while others will be lacerated before falling into the Fire below. <break time="2.0s" /> Next, we discuss the Settling of Accounts. <break time="1.0s" /> The settling of accounts between people using good and bad deeds is a reality. A person who has wronged another will have their good deeds transferred to the wronged party. If the wrongdoer has no good deeds left, the sins of the wronged party will be cast upon them, after which they will be thrown into Hellfire. <break time="2.0s" /> The treatise affirms The Eternal Nature of Paradise and Hellfire. <break time="1.0s" /> Paradise and Hellfire have already been created and will never cease to exist. Their pre-existence is indicated by the Quran's use of the past-tense verb "prepared" when describing them. The Quranic statement, "Everything will perish save His countenance," does not contradict their permanence; this can be interpreted to mean either that their destruction will only be temporary or that all contingent existence is like non-existence when compared to Allah's necessary existence. The most reliable opinion is that Paradise is located in the heavens and Hellfire is located beneath the earth. The wide-eyed maidens of Paradise and the rewards and punishments of Allah will also never end. <break time="2.0s" /> This leads us to the topic of Divine Guidance and Justice. <break time="1.0s" /> Allah guides whomever He wills as an act of His generosity, or fadl, and leaves astray whomever He wills as an act of His justice, or 'adl. Guidance, or hidaya, in this context is defined as divine assistance, or tawfiq, which is the act of making a servant's means and choices align with what is virtuous and pleasing to Him. <break time="1.0s" /> Leaving a person to stray, or idlal, is defined as His forsaking them, known as khidhlan. This means He does not grant that servant the divine assistance needed to achieve what is pleasing to Him. Punishing the person who is forsaken for their subsequent disobedience is also an act of His justice. It is not oppression, or zulm, because oppression is to act wrongfully within another's dominion, whereas Allah administers all things within His own absolute dominion. <break time="2.0s" /> Let's clarify The Role of the Servant and Satan. <break time="1.0s" /> It is impermissible to claim that Satan takes faith away from a believer by force or compulsion. If faith were removed by force, the servant would not be held accountable, and thus not be punishable. The correct sequence is that the servant, through their own choice, first abandons their faith. It is only after this abandonment that Satan is able to take it from them. This aligns with the principle that Allah does not create unbelief in a person's heart without that person's own preference and inclination towards it. <break time="2.0s" /> Now, we will explore the events of Life in the Intermediate Realm, or Barzakh. <break time="1.0s" /> After death and before the final resurrection, a person enters an intermediate realm where several key events occur. Orthodox belief affirms that the soul is returned to the body in the grave. Scholars agree that Allah creates a degree of life in the deceased, which allows them to experience either the pain of punishment or the pleasure of reward. The ultimate nature of the soul, or ruh, is a matter whose full knowledge is consigned to Allah, though it is described by some as a subtle body that permeates the physical form. <break time="2.0s" /> A central event in this realm is The Questioning by Munkar and Nakir. <break time="1.0s" /> The questioning of the deceased in the grave by two angels, named Munkar and Nakir, is a reality. A hadith describes them as two blue-eyed, dark angels who will ask the deceased, quote, "What did you used to say about this man?" end quote, referring to the Prophet Muhammad. <break time="1.0s" /> Regarding the believer's response, a believer will answer correctly, "He is the servant of Allah and His Messenger." Their grave will then be expanded and illuminated, and they will be told to sleep peacefully like a bridegroom until the Day of Resurrection. <break time="1.0s" /> As for the unbeliever's response, a hypocrite or unbeliever will be unable to answer, stating, "I used to hear people saying something, and I said the same. I do not know." The angels will respond, "We knew you would say that." <break time="2.0s" /> Let's discuss Punishment and Reward in the Grave. <break time="1.0s" /> The constricting or "squeezing" of the grave is a reality that happens to everyone, though for a believer it is like the embrace of a compassionate mother welcoming her child home after a long journey. Following the questioning, punishment in the grave is a certainty for all unbelievers and a possibility for some disobedient believers. The Quranic verse about the people of Pharaoh being brought before the Fire "morning and evening" before the Day of Judgment is cited as a scriptural proof for punishment in the grave. <break time="2.0s" /> The text also addresses the permissibility of using other languages to describe Allah. <break time="1.0s" /> It is permissible to express the attributes of Allah in languages other than Arabic, with the condition that it is done without any comparison or description of modality. For example, one may express Allah's Countenance in Persian by saying "ru'e khuda". <break time="1.0s" /> The text makes a specific exception, stating that it is not permissible to use the Persian word for "hand," or dast, when referring to Allah. The commentators explain that this prohibition was not absolute but was due to problematic or anthropomorphic connotations associated with that specific word in the Persian language at the time. The general principle is that the permissibility of translating such attributes is governed by the usage of scholars fluent in the target language, ensuring that the chosen words do not imply any form of anthropomorphism. <break time="2.0s" /> Now we will explore The Metaphorical Nature of Closeness and Distance. <break time="1.0s" /> The concepts of "closeness" and "distance" in relation to Allah are not to be understood in physical or spatial terms. Allah is transcendent of place, confines, and direction, so these terms cannot refer to physical proximity. <break time="1.0s" /> Instead, their meaning is metaphorical and relates to a servant's spiritual state. Closeness signifies honor and spiritual perfection. The obedient servant is considered "close" to Allah, but this closeness is without any physical description or modality. Conversely, distance signifies humiliation and imperfection. The disobedient servant is "far" from Him, again, without any physical description. <break time="1.0s" /> These qualities of being near, far, or turning toward apply to the servant in their relationship with Allah, not to Allah Himself. The servant's ultimate closeness to Allah in Paradise and their standing before Him are also realities that are to be understood without modality, as their true nature is beyond human comprehension. <break time="2.0s" /> The text revisits the topic of The Virtue of Quranic Verses. <break time="1.0s" /> All verses of the Quran, in their essence as the speech of Allah, are equal in virtue and exaltedness. However, a distinction can be made based on their subject matter. Some verses, such as the Throne Verse, possess a dual virtue: the virtue of being God's speech and the virtue of their content, which describes Allah's majesty. Other verses, such as those that narrate stories of unbelievers, possess only the virtue of being God's speech, as their content does not have the same inherent virtue. Similarly, while all of Allah's names are equal in greatness, it is also held that some are greater than others, such as the "Greatest Name of Allah," or ism al-a'zam. <break time="2.0s" /> Now, let us turn to a major theological debate concerning Reason and Divine Law. <break time="1.0s" /> This section details a major debate regarding whether divine laws can be known through reason, or aql, alone, without revelation. The Maturidi position, following Imam Abu Hanifa, holds that humans have an intellectual obligation to recognize their Creator, even if no prophet was sent to them. They believe reason is a means through which Allah can make the good or evil of an action known to a person. In contrast, the Ash'ari position holds that none of Allah's rulings can be known except through a prophet. Therefore, a person who never receives a divine message is not held accountable for belief. <break time="1.0s" /> A proposed reconciliation is that the intellectual obligation to know God is a recommendation, not a binding command that entails punishment if unfulfilled. This aligns with the Quranic verse, "And We will not punish until We send a prophet." <break time="2.0s" /> The schools also differed on Accountability for the Impossible. <break time="1.0s" /> The Ash'ari position is that it is conceptually possible for Allah to hold a servant responsible for an act they are unable to perform. A proof cited for this is the Quranic supplication, "Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear," which implies such a burden is possible. The Maturidi position, however, is that it is not permissible for Allah to hold someone accountable for something that is intrinsically beyond human ability, such as commanding a blind person to see. Their proof is the Quranic verse, "On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear." They interpret the aforementioned supplication as a plea to be saved from overwhelming physical burdens, not from being held legally accountable for the impossible. <break time="2.0s" /> Next, the text addresses The Status of the Prophet's Relatives. <break time="1.0s" /> First, concerning Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle and the father of Ali, the text states he died as an unbeliever. The commentary cites the well-known hadith of his deathbed, where he refused to utter the testimony of faith and stated that he would die on the religion of his forefathers. <break time="1.0s" /> Regarding the Prophet's parents, this is a sensitive issue with differing reports. The footnotes clarify that while some manuscripts of Al-Fiqh al-Akbar state they died on unbelief, the most reliable and authenticated manuscripts state that they "did not die on unbelief." The most correct position according to the majority of later authorities, including Imam al-Suyuti, is that they are saved. This is because they lived in the period between prophetic missions, known as fatra, and were therefore not accountable for faith. The safest and most respectful course is to refrain from speaking on the matter except in a favorable way. <break time="2.0s" /> Now, we will review The Prophet's Children and Wives. <break time="1.0s" /> The treatise lists the children of the Prophet Muhammad to clarify their number and names. His sons were Qasim, Tahir, and Ibrahim. All of his sons passed away in childhood. His daughters were Fatima, Ruqayya, Zaynab, and Umm Kulthum. All of his daughters lived to adulthood. All of his children were from his first wife, Khadija, with the exception of Ibrahim, whose mother was Mariya the Copt. <break time="1.0s" /> The text also lists the eleven wives of the Prophet, who are known as the Mothers of the Believers. After Khadija, the most excellent of his wives was A'isha. To slander A'isha is an act of disbelief because it requires denying the verses of the Quran that were revealed to exonerate her. <break time="2.0s" /> The treatise now offers guidance on how to respond to doctrinal doubt. <break time="1.0s" /> Whenever a person encounters a problematic or confusing issue related to the subtleties of the science of divine oneness, or tawhid, they have an immediate and subsequent obligation. The immediate response is that it is obligatory for the person to immediately believe in whatever the correct position is according to Allah, even if they don't yet know what that position is. They can do this by making a general affirmation, such as, "I believe in whatever is correct according to Allah Most High." This act is sufficient to temporarily secure their general faith, or iman ijmali, and prevent them from falling into doubt. <break time="1.0s" /> Following this, there is an obligation to seek knowledge. After this initial affirmation, the person must not delay in finding a learned and reliable scholar to ask about the matter and resolve the confusion. It is not permissible to postpone this inquiry, and there is no excuse for remaining in a state of uncertainty. If the issue pertains to a core article of faith, any continued hesitation or wavering constitutes unbelief, because such doubt negates the firm conviction that is the basis of faith. <break time="1.0s" /> The commentary emphasizes a critical distinction between doubt in doctrine and law. While differences of opinion and scholarly errors in jurisprudence, or fiqh, are considered a mercy and are rewarded, mistakes concerning the fundamental principles of divine oneness and belief are considered deviance and innovation, and can lead to unbelief. <break time="2.0s" /> This concludes the introduction and commentary on the treatise Al-Fiqh al-Akbar.

The Text and Its Context

The treatise Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, authored by Imam Abu Hanifa, is a foundational and reliable work on Islamic beliefs. Its title, translating to "The Greater Knowledge," signifies its focus on the most noble subjects: divine oneness (tawhid) and doctrine (aqida), which are considered superior to the science of jurisprudence (fiqh). The study of this science, Ilm al-tawhid, aims to refine a Muslim's understanding of the Creator, His messengers, and the purpose of creation. It primarily addresses three major themes: the divine being and attributes (ilahiyyat), the functions of prophethood (nubuwwat), and eschatology (mughayyabat). A firm grasp of these beliefs is essential for Muslims, particularly in the face of diverse modern ideologies, as it serves to eliminate doubts and provide answers to fundamental questions about God, faith, and the afterlife, with the ultimate goal of achieving success in the Hereafter.

The Rise of Codified Theology

While the earliest generations of Muslims had little need for formalized theological works, the rise of deviant ideas and political turmoil, beginning as early as the caliphate of Uthman, necessitated the systematic codification of Islamic sciences. During the Abbasid period, the introduction of Hellenistic philosophy led to significant discord, with the Mutazila school gaining political favor and persecuting those who held orthodox views, such as Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. It was in this turbulent environment that the two primary orthodox theological schools of Sunni Islam emerged to defend the traditional beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunna wa 'l-Jama'a. These schools were founded by Abu 'l-Hasan al-Ash'ari and Abu Mansur al-Maturidi.

Major Theological Schools

The Ash'ari and Maturidi schools form the bedrock of orthodox Sunni theology. The differences between them are considered minor and primarily methodological rather than creedal, leading them to often be grouped together. The Ash'ari school gave greater preference to sacred texts over reason, while the Maturidi school attempted to reconcile between them. Historically, most followers of the Hanafi school of law are Maturidi in creed, while followers of the Maliki and Shafi'i schools are predominantly Ash'ari.

These orthodox schools stood in contrast to several other early sects:

The Mutazila championed reason and held five core principles. Their key doctrines included the negation of eternal divine attributes, the denial of the beatific vision of God in the hereafter, the createdness of the Quran, and the belief that humans create their own actions.
The Qadariyya were proponents of absolute free will, denying that God creates evil actions.
The Khawarij, the first sect to break from the mainstream, were extremists who declared any Muslim who committed a major sin to be an unbeliever.
The Jabriyya were fatalists who believed that humans have no free will and are compelled in all their actions. A sub-group of this sect was the Jahmiyya.
The Karramiyya were an anthropomorphic sect that ascribed a physical body, direction, and movement to God.
The Murji'a represented the opposite extreme of the Khawarij, claiming that sin does not harm a person's faith.

Authorship and Transmission

There has been some modern scholarly debate regarding the attribution of Al-Fiqh al-Akbar to Imam Abu Hanifa. However, classical and medieval scholars, commentators, and early bibliographers like Ibn al-Nadim unanimously affirm his authorship. It is suggested that the Mutazila may have spread doubt about its origin to discredit its refutation of their doctrines. The work exists in two main recensions: a dialogue-based text known as Al-Fiqh al-Absat and the more famous version, Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, which was transmitted by the Imam's son, Hammad. A widely accepted view is that the concepts were dictated by Imam Abu Hanifa and later compiled by his students. This text is based on the reliable transmission from his son, Hammad.

This translation is primarily based on the concise and comprehensive commentary by Abu 'l-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi, and it is supplemented with selections from the more detailed commentary by Mulla Ali al-Qari, which also incorporates Imam Abu Hanifa's work Al-Wasiyya.

Abu Hanifa Nu'man ibn Thabit

Imam Abu Hanifa Nu'man ibn Thabit, known as Imam Azam ("the Greatest Imam"), was born in Kufa in the year 80 AH (699 CE). As a member of the generation of the Followers (Tabi'un), he had the opportunity to see some of the Prophet's Companions, including Anas ibn Malik. Though he began his career as a trader, he was encouraged by the scholar Imam Sha'bi to pursue religious studies due to his evident intelligence.

His initial focus was on the foundations of faith (usul al-din) and theology (kalam), and he frequently traveled to Basra to debate various deviant sects. He later shifted his focus to jurisprudence (

fiqh) after realizing its practical importance and became a devoted student of the jurist Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman. He also became a master of hadith, though he was primarily known for incorporating hadith into his legal rulings rather than narrating them extensively. One of his most famous students was the ascetic and hadith scholar Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak. Imam Abu Hanifa passed away in 150 AH (767 CE) after being poisoned in prison under the command of the Abbasid Caliph Mansur. His mausoleum is located in the Al-A'zamiyya district of Baghdad, which is named in his honor.

Abu 'l-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi

Ahmad ibn Muhammad, known as Abu 'l-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi, was an accomplished Hanafi jurist and a master of Quranic recitation (

muqri'). He was born in Magnisia, a town in present-day Turkey, and lived around the turn of the first millennium AH, with his death dated to either 1000 AH (1592 CE) or 1090 AH (1679 CE). In addition to his prominent commentary on

Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, his works include a commentary on Shatabi's Qasida on Quranic recitation and the Qasida Nuniyya, a work on Islamic theology.

Mulla Ali al-Qari

Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Qari, popularly known as Mulla Ali al-Qari, was a renowned hadith scholar, jurist, and theologian from Herat, Afghanistan. After his initial education, he traveled to Makka where he studied under eminent scholars like Shaykh Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haytami. His mastery of Quranic recitation earned him the title "Al-Qari" (The Reciter). He authored many influential works, including

Mirqat al-Mafatih, a comprehensive commentary on the hadith collection Mishkat al-Masabih, and Minah al-Rawd al-Azhar, his detailed commentary on Al-Fiqh al-Akbar. He remained in Makka, where he taught until his death in 1014 AH (1606 CE).

The Scholars' Stance on Ilm al-Kalam

The prologue begins with a hadith from the Prophet Muhammad stating that the Muslim community would divide into seventy-three factions, all destined for Hellfire except one: those who adhere to his way and that of his Companions. Following this, the text explains that the majority of early scholars (salaf) and many later ones (khalaf) expressed strong disapproval of ilm al-kalam, or polemical theology.

Quotations from prominent Imams illustrate this condemnation. Imam Abu Yusuf stated that knowledge of kalam is ignorance and that pursuing it leads to the loss of one's religion. Imam Shafi'i was even more severe, ruling that practitioners of kalam should be beaten for having abandoned the Quran and Sunna, declaring that it is better for a person to meet God with any sin other than polytheism than to meet Him with kalam.

Analysis of Kalam's Harms and Benefits

Imam Ghazali provides a more nuanced analysis, identifying two extreme views: one that deems kalam a forbidden innovation, and another that considers it an obligatory and superior form of worship. Ghazali himself concluded that kalam contains both harm and benefit. Its potential harms include inducing doubt, weakening firm belief, and causing innovators to become more entrenched in their errors. As an expert in the field, Ghazali asserted that the path to true experiential knowledge of God is ultimately blocked by the methods of kalam.

The text outlines several core reasons for the early scholars' abhorrence of this discipline:

It distracts from the study of the primary sources of Islam.
It often leads to ill-mannered and fruitless disputation.
It can introduce crippling doubts into a believer's heart. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal criticized writing rebuttals of innovators because it required exposing readers to the original deviant arguments.
It leads to the neglect of practical Islamic law; a theologian might spend decades on abstract debates while remaining ignorant of basic rules of purification and prayer.
Its ultimate result is often confusion and misguidance, a fact lamented by several great thinkers like Imam al-Juwayni on their deathbeds.
It encourages the use of personal opinion in matters of divine oneness, which is a severe innovation.
It leads to an preoccupation with the arguments of philosophers who reject divine revelation.

The prologue concludes that the path of the Prophet is complete and sufficient, which was the way of the pious predecessors, the great Imams of jurisprudence and hadith, and the masters of tasawwuf.

he introduction by the commentator, Abu 'l-Muntaha al-Maghnisawi, begins by praising Allah for guiding believers to the path of the Ahl al-Sunna wa 'l-Jama'a (the People of the Sunna and the Community). He affirms that Imam Abu Hanifa's Al-Fiqh al-Akbar is a reliable and accepted treatise on the subject of Islamic creed.

To establish the text's authority, Maghnisawi quotes the esteemed scholar Imam Ali al-Bazdawi, who stated that the principle for understanding divine oneness (tawhid) and God's attributes is to adhere strictly to the Quran, the Sunna, and the path of the pious predecessors. Al-Bazdawi confirms that this was the path of Imam Abu Hanifa and his primary students, and that Al-Fiqh al-Akbar was the Imam's work on this very subject.

Following this validation, Maghnisawi states that his own intention is to compile relevant statements from the Quran, the Sunna, and other reliable works to serve as a concise commentary that explains this distinguished treatise.

The Essential Declaration of Faith

The foundation of divine oneness (tawhid) and correct belief rests upon a mandatory declaration. A person must state their belief in Allah, His angels, His scriptures, His messengers, the resurrection after death, and destiny (both good and evil) as being from Allah. Furthermore, one must affirm that the final Reckoning, the Scale for weighing deeds, Paradise, and Hellfire are all true realities. The concept of tawhid is defined as negating any partner, similarity, or divisibility in Allah's essence and attributes, and clearing the divine essence of all human conceptions.

The Nature of Belief

True faith (iman) consists of two integral parts: conviction in the heart (tasdiq) and affirmation with the tongue (iqrar). According to the Maturidi school and the most correct Ash'ari view, heartfelt conviction is what constitutes faith between a person and Allah. Verbal confession is a necessary condition only for the person to be treated as a believer under Islamic law in this world. Other jurists, however, hold that verbal confession is an integral pillar of faith itself, without which faith is incomplete. The existence of Allah is considered a self-evident truth, established in the primordial nature (fitra) of humanity and demonstrated by the order of creation. Therefore, the primary mission of the prophets was not to prove God's existence, but to establish His absolute oneness.

The Articles of Faith Explained

Angels: They are subtle bodies capable of assuming various forms. They are of two types: those in the highest heavens who are absorbed in the gnosis of God, and those who manage the affairs of the universe.
Scriptures: A believer must be firmly convinced that the divine scriptures are the uncreated word of Allah. A total of one hundred and four scriptures have been revealed throughout history.
Messengers: A messenger (rasul) is a prophet (nabi) who is given a new sacred law. Belief in all prophets is essential. While a hadith mentions one hundred twenty-four thousand prophets, it is best not to insist on a specific number.
Resurrection: This is the belief that Allah will resurrect the deceased by reassembling their original physical bodies and returning their souls. This is fundamentally different from the concept of transmigration or reincarnation (tanasukh), which involves the soul moving into a new and separate body within this world.
Destiny (Qadar): A believer must affirm that all destiny, both good and evil, is from Allah Most High.
Eschatology: The Reckoning, the Scale that will weigh deeds, Paradise, and Hellfire are all true future realities that must be affirmed. The precise form of things like the Scale is beyond human comprehension.

The Oneness and Nature of Allah

Allah is described as One, not in a numerical sense, but in that He has no partner. This affirms the Quranic declaration that "He neither begets nor is He begotten, and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him." He is unlike anything in His creation, and nothing created is like Him. A logical proof for His oneness is that if multiple gods existed, their wills could conflict, leading to a state of powerlessness for one or the unification of opposites, both of which are impossibilities. Therefore, the existence of more than one creator is logically impossible.

The Divine Attributes

Allah is eternally possessor of all His names and attributes, which are categorized as either

essential or active. These attributes are uncreated and have always existed; no attribute was acquired by Him at a later time. The orthodox position of the Ahl al-Sunna is that these attributes are neither identical to His essence nor are they separate entities from it. To claim that the attributes of Allah are created, or to express doubt about their eternal nature, is an act of unbelief. The distinction is made between the Doer (Allah), His Doing (His eternal, uncreated attribute or creative potential), and that which is done (the created effect).

The Essential Attributes

The

essential attributes (sifat dhatiyya) are those whose opposite cannot be ascribed to Allah. The text identifies seven primary essential attributes:

Life (Hayat): An eternal attribute through which He is the Ever-Living.
Power (Qudra): An eternal attribute by which He has power over all things.
Knowledge (Ilm): An eternal attribute by which His knowledge encompasses all things, whether existent or nonexistent, possible or impossible.
Speech (Kalam): An eternal, internal attribute (kalam nafsi) that is without sound, letters, or organs. The revealed scriptures, like the Quran, are the created expressions of this uncreated speech.
Hearing (Sam'): An eternal attribute by which He hears all sounds without any physical medium.
Seeing (Basar): An eternal attribute by which He sees all things without any physical medium.
Willing (Irada): An eternal attribute by which all events occur. Nothing happens, good or evil, except through His will.

The Active Attributes

The

active attributes (sifat fi'liyya) are those whose opposite can be ascribed to Allah, such as Giving Life and Causing Death. These include attributes like Creating (

takhliq), Sustaining (tarziq), and Originating (ibda). The Maturidi school considers the primary active attribute, Bringing into Being (

takwin), to be an eighth eternal attribute from which all other actions derive. The Ash'ari school, conversely, views these actions as originated manifestations of the eternal attribute of Power (

qudra). This difference is largely considered to be semantic.

The Dual Nature of the Quran

The Quran is the eternal, uncreated speech of Allah. It is written down in physical texts, memorized in human hearts, recited by tongues, and was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. A critical distinction must be made: while the Quran as an eternal attribute of Allah is uncreated, the human actions associated with it are created. Therefore, our uttering, writing, and reciting of the Quran are all created acts. Similarly, the ink, paper, and letters used to record the Quran are created things. The eternal speech of Allah subsists with His essence, and these created elements serve as the necessary means for humans to access and understand it.

The Eternal Speech Attribute

To claim that the speech of Allah is created is an act of unbelief. Allah's attribute of speech is an eternal, internal quality (

kalam nafsi) that is without sounds, words, or letters, unlike the speech of created beings who require physical organs. The words and sounds of the revealed scriptures are a created articulation of this uncreated divine archetype.

When the Quran narrates the words of created beings, such as Moses or even Pharaoh, the text is still the uncreated speech of Allah informing humanity about them. The speech of Moses is created, but the Quran itself, which relates his words, is Allah's eternal speech. Allah was eternally the "Speaker" even before He spoke to Moses, just as He was the "Creator" before He brought forth creation; His attributes are pre-eternal and do not depend on the existence of an object to relate to.

Virtue of the Quranic Verses

In that they are all the speech of Allah, every verse of the Quran is equal in virtue and exaltedness. However, a distinction is made regarding their subject matter. Some verses, like the Throne Verse, possess a dual virtue: the virtue of being Allah's speech and the virtue of their content, which describes the majesty and attributes of Allah Himself. Other verses, such as those recounting stories of unbelievers, possess the virtue of being Allah's speech, even though their content (the unbelievers) holds no intrinsic virtue. Similarly, all the names and attributes of Allah are equal in their greatness.

Allah's Transcendence

Allah is an existing entity (shay') but He is unlike any other entity. The meaning of His existence as an "entity" is that He is established without being a physical body (jism), a substance (jawhar), or an accident (arad). He is transcendent of any definition, opposite, equal, or peer.

Affirming Attributes Without Modality (`Bila Kayf`)

The text affirms the attributes that Allah has mentioned in the Quran, such as His Hand (yad), Countenance (wajh), and Self (nafs). These are to be understood as His attributes "without description" (bila kayf). This means their reality is affirmed as mentioned in the sacred texts, but their modality—the "how"—is unknown and incomprehensible to the human mind.

The treatise explicitly rejects the practice of explaining these attributes away through figurative interpretation (ta'wil). For example, one must not claim that Allah's "Hand" means His power or His blessing, as doing so is considered an invalidation of the attribute itself. This invalidating approach is identified as the view of the Mutazila and Qadariyya sects. Similarly, attributes like Allah's Anger and Pleasure are affirmed without describing them in human terms, as they are dissimilar to the emotions experienced by created beings.

Orthodox Methodologies for Ambiguous Texts

The proper approach to these ambiguous attributes is that of the pious predecessors (salaf), which is known as tafwid. This methodology involves affirming the attribute's reality as it appears in the text while consigning the knowledge of its true nature and modality to Allah. This is encapsulated in the famous statement of Imam Malik regarding Allah's establishment (istiwa) on the Throne: "The establishment is known, the 'how' is unknown, belief in it is obligatory, and asking about it is an innovation."

The text also acknowledges that some later scholars (khalaf) engaged in figurative interpretation (ta'wil) as a means to protect the masses from the errors of anthropomorphism. However, it notes that this was a specific response to the challenges of their time and that many who practiced it, like Imam al-Juwayni, ultimately returned to the safer path of the salaf.

Pre-eternal Knowledge and Decree

Allah created all things from no substance. In pre-eternity, before anything came into being, Allah possessed complete knowledge of all things. He is the one who apportioned and ordained every event. Nothing occurs in this world or the next except that it happens through His will, knowledge, ordination (

qada'), decree (qadar), and its recording in the Preserved Tablet. The essences of all things are real, not imaginary as the Sophists claim; this is proven by the fact that Allah commanded the Pen to write down everything that would come to exist until the Day of Judgment. Ordaining, decreeing, and willing are His pre-eternal attributes, the full nature of which cannot be described or comprehended by the human intellect .

The Nature of Divine Writing

A crucial distinction is that Allah's writing in the Preserved Tablet consists of

descriptions, not commands. The Tablet does not contain a command like, "Let a person be a believer," which would imply compulsion. Instead, it contains a description, such as, "This person will become a believer through their own choice and power". This concept refutes the fatalistic belief of the Jabriyya sect by affirming that human beings are not involuntarily compelled to believe or disbelieve.

The Unchanging Knowledge of Allah

Allah's eternal knowledge is perfect and unchanging. He knows the nonexistent in its state of nonexistence and knows precisely how it will be when He brings it into existence. He knows the existent as it exists and knows how it will eventually perish. Change, alteration, and the acquisition of new information are characteristics that apply only to the knowledge of created beings, not to the Creator. While His knowledge is one, the things that are known by Him are numerous.

Responding to Theological Objections

This section refutes the Mu'tazila's claim that if unbelief is from Allah's decree, one would be obligated to be satisfied with the act of unbelief itself. The orthodox response is that one must distinguish between the

decree (qada') and the thing that is decreed (maqdi). While it is necessary for a believer to be satisfied with Allah's decree (i.e., His act of willing something to exist according to His wisdom), one is not required to be satisfied with the decreed thing itself if it is evil, such as the act of unbelief . Unbelief is an attribute of a person acquired through their own choice, for which they are held responsible.

The Primordial State and the Covenant

Allah created all human beings in a pure, neutral state, free from both acquired belief and unbelief. Faith and disbelief are actions that people acquire later in life through their own choices after they reach maturity and are addressed by divine commands.

Before their physical existence, Allah extracted the entire progeny of Adam from his loins in the form of tiny particles. He endowed them with intelligence and took a covenant (

mithaq) from them, commanding them to believe in Him and prohibiting them from disbelief. They all affirmed His lordship, and this affirmation constituted a primordial, natural faith (

iman fitri). It is upon this natural faith that every human being is subsequently born, as supported by the prophetic saying, "Every newborn is born upon the natural faith (

fitra)."

Acquisition of Faith and Unbelief

After being born with this innate disposition towards acknowledging God, individuals choose their path. A person who disbelieves does so through their own action of rejecting and repudiating the truth, thereby replacing and altering their natural faith. This occurs when Allah forsakes them (

khidhlan). Conversely, a person who believes does so through their own choice of affirming the truth, an act which keeps them steadfast on their original disposition. This is achieved when Allah grants them divine guidance and assistance (

tawfiq), which is defined as the harmonization of the servant's will with the divine decree. The reason people do not remember the primordial covenant is that Allah caused it to be forgotten as a test of their ability to believe in the unseen. The covenant is renewed and validated through the sending of prophets and scriptures, leaving no one with a valid excuse for disbelief.

The Unchanging Knowledge of God

Allah, with His eternal knowledge, knows who will become a believer and who will become an unbeliever before they are even created. However, this pre-eternal knowledge does not undergo any change. When a person who was destined to disbelieve eventually does so, Allah knows him as an unbeliever. If that same person later chooses to believe, Allah then knows him as a believer. The change occurs in the state of the created servant, not in the eternal and unchanging knowledge of Allah.

The Doctrine of Acquisition (`Kasb`)

All actions of servants, including both motion and stillness, are their own

acquisition (kasb), while Allah is the Creator of those actions . This core doctrine distinguishes the orthodox position from two extremes. It refutes the Mutazila, who claim that humans create their own actions, and the Jabriyya (fatalists), who deny any real agency to humans.

Kasb is technically defined as the connection of a servant's own will and power to an action, which makes the act "acquired" by them and thus makes them responsible for it.

Khalq (creation) is the connection of Allah's power and will to that same action, making Him its ultimate Creator . The servant's power and will are themselves created by Allah.

Divine Will in Obedience and Disobedience

Every action, whether good or evil, occurs through Allah's will, knowledge, ordainment, and decree. However, a crucial distinction is made concerning Allah's disposition towards them.

Acts of obedience occur with Allah's command, love, and approval, in addition to His will and knowledge.
Acts of disobedience occur through His will and knowledge, but not with His love, approval, or command. This is supported by Quranic verses stating, "And Allah loves not mischief," and "He approves not ingratitude in His servants".

The Nature of Human Ability

The ability (

istita'a) to perform an action is created by Allah and coincides with the moment of the action, not before or after it. If ability existed prior to the action, the servant would be self-sufficient and not in need of Allah at the moment of acting, which is impossible. If it came after, the action could not be performed.

Accountability is based on the soundness of a person's means and faculties; for this reason, a mute person is not required to verbally articulate their faith, and a bedridden person is not required to stand for prayer . The power to perform either a good or an evil deed is the same; the servant directs this God-given ability toward their intended action. Therefore, an unbeliever is intrinsically capable of belief but chooses to squander that ability on disbelief, making them fully responsible and deserving of punishment.

The Status of the Prophets

All prophets are protected from major sins, unbelief, and wicked acts, both before and after they receive their divine commission. However, they are not immune to minor "slips" (

zalla) or "mistakes" (khata'). A mistake, such as when Moses unintentionally killed a man, is an inadvertent error. A slip is when a prophet leaves a more worthy or preferred action for a lesser one, an act which is only considered a shortcoming due to their exceptionally high status. This divine protection, known as infallibility (

isma), is a favor from Allah that encourages prophets toward good and prevents them from evil, but it does not remove their free will or their experience of trials and tribulations.

The Prophet Muhammad

Muhammad is described as Allah's beloved, His servant, messenger, and chosen one. It is affirmed that he never worshipped an idol, partnered anything with Allah, or committed any sin, minor or major, even for a moment in his entire life.

The Companions and the Caliphs

The Companions of the Prophet should only be mentioned with praise, and it is forbidden to speak ill of them or curse them. Any conflicts that occurred among them, such as the battles between Ali and Mu'awiya, were the result of differences in personal juristic reasoning (

ijtihad) and not a rejection of faith on either side. The first legitimate ruler to follow the initial thirty-year period of the Rightly-Guided Caliphate was Mu'awiya, who assumed leadership after Hasan ibn Ali willingly transferred it to him .

The Order of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs

The most noble people after the prophets are the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs. Their order of superiority is established as:

Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman, and then Ali.

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ("the Most Truthful") was chosen by the consensus of the Companions. His superior status was indicated by the Prophet appointing him to lead the prayers during his final illness.
Umar ibn al-Khattab ("the Differentiator") was appointed as successor directly by Abu Bakr in writing.
Uthman ibn Affan ("Possessor of the Two Lights") was chosen by a six-member council appointed by Umar before his death.
Ali ibn Abi Talib ("the Chosen One") was selected by the consensus of the Companions in Madina after the martyrdom of Uthman. His caliphate was legitimate, and those Companions who opposed him in battle did so based on an incorrect, yet good-willed, ijtihad.

Sin, Faith, and Unbelief

A believer is not declared an unbeliever for committing any sin, even if it is an enormity, provided they do not consider the sinful act to be lawful . To declare a known sin as permissible is an act of unbelief because it is tantamount to rejecting the law of Allah and His Messenger. A person who sins retains the title of a "real believer," though they may be classified as an "unrighteous believer" (

fasiq) . This position stands in contrast to the Khawarij, who declare major sinners to be unbelievers, and the Mutazila, who place them in an "intermediate position" between belief and unbelief.

Salvation, Punishment, and Nullification of Deeds

The orthodox position rejects the view of the Murji'a sect, who claimed that sin does not harm a believer. For any sin less than polytheism, a believer who dies without repenting is subject to the will of Allah; Allah may punish them or He may forgive them . However, a believer who is punished for their sins will not remain in Hellfire for eternity.

Good deeds are accepted by Allah if performed with the correct intention and are free from corrupting defects. However, if an act of pure worship is tainted by ostentation (

riya') or vanity ('ujb), its divine reward is eliminated.

Key Juristic Positions

To distinguish the orthodox path from that of certain sects, the text affirms several key juristic positions that were rejected by those groups:

Wiping over leather socks is a confirmed sunna (prophetic practice), and its permissibility is established by such strong evidence that to reject it is feared to lead to unbelief .
Tarawih prayer during the nights of Ramadan is also a sunna.
Prayer is permissible behind any Muslim leader, whether they are righteous or unrighteous, though praying behind an unrighteous person is considered undesirable (makruh).

Refutation of the Murji'a

The text refutes the extreme doctrines of the Murji'a, such as their claim that believers in Hellfire will not feel punishment. The authentic position of the Ahl al-Sunna, which was sometimes labeled

irja' (postponement) by its opponents, is not to claim that sin is harmless. Rather, it is to "postpone" or defer the final judgment of a sinning believer to Allah, maintaining both hope in His mercy and fear of His justice .

Miracles of the Prophets (`Mujizat`) and Saints (`Karamat`)

The signs of the prophets are real, and the miracles of the friends of Allah (awliya) are true. Both are extraordinary acts that defy customary natural laws.

A mujiza is an inimitable miracle performed by a prophet as a direct challenge to prove the truthfulness of their claim to prophethood . These acts, such as reviving the dead or causing water to gush from fingers, serve as undeniable signs and proofs from Allah .
A karama is a miracle of divine favor performed by a wali (a friend or saint of Allah). It also departs from the norm but does
not involve a challenge or a claim to prophethood. Its purpose is for Allah to honor and strengthen the
wali, and it serves as a proof of the truthfulness of the prophet whom that wali follows. A
wali is defined as someone who knows Allah and His attributes, is steadfast in obedience, and avoids sin and heedlessness .

Deceptive Marvels of God's Enemies (`Istidraj`)

Extraordinary acts performed by the enemies of Allah, such as Iblis (Satan), Pharaoh, or the Antichrist, are neither signs nor miracles. Instead, they are termed the "fulfillment of their needs." The wisdom behind these events is that Allah allows them to occur in order to delude His enemies and lead them gradually toward their ruin (istidraj). By fulfilling their needs, they become deluded, increase in their tyranny and unbelief, and thus become worthy of greater punishment . This is supported by the Quranic verse: "We grant them indulgence only that they may increase in sin".

Spiritual Intuitiveness (`Firasa`)

Related to these phenomena is firasa, or spiritual intuitiveness. The text outlines three types:

Faith-based firasa: A light of insight that Allah places in a believer's heart, the strength of which is proportionate to their faith .
Firasa attained through exercise: Insight gained through intense spiritual discipline like hunger and sleeplessness. This can be achieved by both believers and unbelievers and is not a sign of nearness to God .
Physiognomy: The skill of discerning a person's inner character from their external appearance.

The Reality of the Vision

The believers will see Allah Most High in the Hereafter. This vision will take place in Paradise, and they will see Him with their own eyes. The belief in this Beatific Vision is a known and true tenet, established through the authority of sacred texts and not through rational deduction. The Prophet Muhammad described it as the single greatest and most beloved reward that the inhabitants of Paradise will ever receive.

The Nature of the Vision: Without Modality

The vision of Allah will be without any comparison, description, or modality (bila kayf). It will occur without the constraints of physical reality, meaning there will be no concept of distance, location, place, or direction between the believers and their Creator. This is a crucial clarification to reject any anthropomorphic understanding of God. The hadith stating, "You will see your Lord as you see the full moon," is not meant to compare Allah to the moon; rather, it emphasizes the absolute clarity and certainty of the vision, free from any doubt.

Scriptural Proofs and Reconciliation

This belief is established by verses from the Quran, such as, "That day will faces be resplendent, looking toward their Lord," and the prophetic interpretation of the word "more" in the verse, "For those who do good is the best (reward) and more," as referring to the vision of Allah.

This doctrine does not contradict the verse, "No vision can grasp Him." The term "grasp" (idrak) refers to a complete comprehension or encompassment of something's essence. Therefore, the believers will see Allah, but they will not be able to fully grasp or comprehend His infinite reality, just as a person can see the sun but cannot fully encompass it with their sight or knowledge.

Defining `Iman` (Faith)

Iman literally means to be convinced and to accept information in the heart . In the technical language of Islamic law, it is defined as affirming with the tongue and having conviction in the heart that Allah is One, without partner, possesses all His attributes, and that Muhammad is His Messenger who brought the scripture and sacred law . Both verbal affirmation (

iqrar) and internal conviction (tasdiq) are necessary for complete faith; affirmation alone is the state of a hypocrite, while conviction without affirmation (unless one is under duress) is insufficient.

The core articles of faith do not increase or decrease. However, a believer's level of certainty and conviction can increase or decrease. Therefore, all believers—whether angels, humans, or jinn—are equal in

what they must believe, but they differ in the strength of their conviction and in their actions.

Defining `Islam` (Submission)

Islam means to surrender and submit to the commands of Allah. Technically, it implies being satisfied with the laws of Allah—both the obligations and the prohibitions—without any internal objection or disapproval. In its literal sense,

islam is a broader term than iman, as it can describe the outward actions of a person, including a hypocrite who submits externally without inner conviction .

The Inseparable Relationship Between `Iman` and `Islam`

In the context of sacred law, iman and islam are inseparable and codependent. True

iman (conviction in God) cannot exist without islam (submission to His commands), and true islam cannot exist without iman . A believer cannot be conceived of as not being a

muslim (one who submits), and a muslim cannot be conceived of as not being a believer. The relationship between the two is described as being like that of a back and a stomach: though they are distinct, they cannot be detached from one another and form a single, indivisible whole .

`Din` as the Encompassing Term

Din (religion) is a comprehensive term that encompasses iman, islam, and all of the sacred laws. Depending on the context, the word

din may be used to specifically refer to faith, submission, or the specific sacred law revealed to a particular prophet .

The Limits of Knowing and Worshipping God

A person can know Allah to the extent that He has made Himself known through His attributes as described in His book and the Sunna of His Prophet. However, one cannot comprehend the ultimate nature of His essence. Similarly, no one is able to worship Allah in a manner that is truly befitting of His infinite glory and grandeur. Therefore, a person worships Allah not according to His ultimate right to be worshipped, but according to the commands He has revealed.

Equality and Difference in the Faith of Believers

All believers are equal in the foundational articles of faith and in the obligation to possess qualities such as knowledge, certainty, trust, love, satisfaction, fear, and hope. However, they are dissimilar in the degree and strength of these qualities. The foundation of their belief does not change, but the intensity of their conviction and spiritual states can increase and decrease, making them unequal in their practical and internal expression of faith.

The Degrees of Spiritual Qualities

The text defines the core spiritual qualities in which believers differ:

Certainty (Yaqin): This is an awareness free of doubt and exists on three levels:
1. Knowledge of Certainty ('ilm al-yaqin): Gained through hearing and contemplation, typical for scholars.
2. Vision of Certainty ('ayn al-yaqin): Gained through direct spiritual witnessing, for elect scholars and saints.
3. Truth of Certainty (haqq al-yaqin): The highest level, achieved when knowledge and vision combine, which is specific to the prophets. The analogy given is hearing a description of fire, seeing the fire, and finally being consumed by the fire.
Trust (Tawakkul): This is defined as complete reliance on what Allah possesses and despairing of what people possess.
Love (Mahabbat): A state of the heart that involves glorifying God and feeling peace in His remembrance.
Satisfaction (Rida'): A state of happiness in the heart even with what is decreed of hardship.
Fear (Khawf) and Hope (Raja'): These two qualities are inseparable. True fear prevents a person from disobeying Allah, while true hope is what follows repentance or a good deed. They are described as being like the two wings of a bird that must be balanced for stable flight. Hope without fear is delusion, and fear without hope is despair.

Allah's Generosity, Justice, and Forgiveness

Allah is both kind and just to His servants.

Generosity and Kindness (Fadl): Out of His pure kindness, Allah may reward a servant many times more than what they are entitled to based on their deeds . The Quran states that a good deed will receive a tenfold reward, and a hadith mentions this reward can be multiplied up to seven hundred times. This reward is a fulfillment of His promise and an act of His generosity and choice, not an obligation or an entitlement earned by the servant.
Justice (Adl): Out of His justice, Allah may punish for a sin. This is not considered oppression (
zulm), because oppression is defined as acting within another's dominion without consent. Since the entire universe is His dominion, His actions are, by definition, just.
Forgiveness ('Afw): Out of His generosity, Allah may forgive any sin, whether it has been repented for or not. Forgiveness is the cancellation of a deserved punishment and is a kindness from Him, not a right of the servant .

The Divine Prerogative in Reward

The text refutes the view that it is not for Allah to give more reward to one of two equally pious people, or to forgive one of two equally sinful people and not the other. Such a claim is considered a grave error that contradicts the Quran and Sunna. It wrongly attempts to impose a human judgment and a sense of limitation upon Allah's absolute will (irada) and predestination (qadar). This is countered by the Quranic statement: "All bounties are in the hand of Allah; He grants them to whom He pleases".

Intercession

Intercession by the prophets on the Day of Judgment is a reality. Specifically, the intercession of the Prophet Muhammad for sinful believers and for those guilty of major sins is an established truth, confirmed by the Quran, the Sunna, and the consensus of the community. Allah's statement, "Who is there that will intercede with Him save by His leave?" establishes the principle of intercession for those He permits . In addition to the prophets, others who will be granted the ability to intercede include the scholars, the martyrs, and the righteous.

The Scale, The Pool, and The Bridge

Several key realities of the Day of Judgment must be affirmed:

The Scale (Mizan): The weighing of human deeds on a scale is a reality. The Quran states, "The weighing on that day is true".
The Watering Pool (Hawd): The Prophet Muhammad's watering pool is a reality. It is described as being the size of a month's journey, with water whiter than milk and a fragrance superior to musk. Whoever drinks from it will never experience thirst again . There are two such pools: one before the Bridge where people will drink after their resurrection, and another inside Paradise.
The Bridge (Sirat): This is a causeway laid over Hellfire, described as being thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword. Believers will pass over it with speeds proportionate to their deeds—some as quick as a flash of lightning, while others will be lacerated before falling into the Fire below.

Settling of Accounts

The settling of accounts between people using good and bad deeds is a reality. A person who has wronged another will have their good deeds transferred to the wronged party. If the wrongdoer has no good deeds left, the sins of the wronged party will be cast upon them, after which they will be thrown into Hellfire .

The Eternal Nature of Paradise and Hellfire

Paradise and Hellfire have already been created and will never cease to exist. Their pre-existence is indicated by the Quran's use of the past-tense verb "prepared" when describing them. The Quranic statement, "Everything will perish save His countenance," does not contradict their permanence; this can be interpreted to mean either that their destruction will only be temporary or that all contingent existence is like non-existence when compared to Allah's necessary existence. The most reliable opinion is that Paradise is located in the heavens and Hellfire is located beneath the earth. The wide-eyed maidens of Paradise and the rewards and punishments of Allah will also never end.

Divine Guidance and Justice

Allah guides whomever He wills as an act of His generosity (fadl) and leaves astray whomever He wills as an act of His justice ('adl). Guidance (hidaya) in this context is defined as divine assistance (tawfiq), which is the act of making a servant's means and choices align with what is virtuous and pleasing to Him.

Leaving a person to stray (idlal) is defined as His forsaking them (khidhlan). This means He does not grant that servant the divine assistance needed to achieve what is pleasing to Him. Punishing the person who is forsaken for their subsequent disobedience is also an act of His justice. It is not oppression (zulm), because oppression is to act wrongfully within another's dominion, whereas Allah administers all things within His own absolute dominion.

The Role of the Servant and Satan

It is impermissible to claim that Satan takes faith away from a believer by force or compulsion. If faith were removed by force, the servant would not be held accountable, and thus not be punishable. The correct sequence is that the servant, through their own choice, first abandons their faith. It is only after this abandonment that Satan is able to take it from them. This aligns with the principle that Allah does not create unbelief in a person's heart without that person's own preference and inclination towards it.

Life in the Intermediate Realm (`Barzakh`)

After death and before the final resurrection, a person enters an intermediate realm where several key events occur. Orthodox belief affirms that the soul is returned to the body in the grave. Scholars agree that Allah creates a degree of life in the deceased, which allows them to experience either the pain of punishment or the pleasure of reward . The ultimate nature of the soul (

ruh) is a matter whose full knowledge is consigned to Allah, though it is described by some as a subtle body that permeates the physical form .

The Questioning by Munkar and Nakir

The questioning of the deceased in the grave by two angels, named Munkar and Nakir, is a reality. A hadith describes them as two blue-eyed, dark angels who will ask the deceased, "What did you used to say about this man?" (referring to the Prophet Muhammad).

The Believer's Response: A believer will answer correctly, "He is the servant of Allah and His Messenger." Their grave will then be expanded and illuminated, and they will be told to sleep peacefully like a bridegroom until the Day of Resurrection .
The Unbeliever's Response: A hypocrite or unbeliever will be unable to answer, stating, "I used to hear people saying something, and I said the same. I do not know." The angels will respond, "We knew you would say that" .

Punishment and Reward in the Grave

The constricting or "squeezing" of the grave is a reality that happens to everyone, though for a believer it is like the embrace of a compassionate mother welcoming her child home after a long journey . Following the questioning, punishment in the grave is a certainty for all unbelievers and a possibility for some disobedient believers. The Quranic verse about the people of Pharaoh being brought before the Fire "morning and evening" before the Day of Judgment is cited as a scriptural proof for punishment in the grave .

It is permissible to express the attributes of Allah in languages other than Arabic, with the condition that it is done without any comparison or description of modality. For example, one may express Allah's Countenance in Persian by saying "ru'e khuda".

The text makes a specific exception, stating that it is not permissible to use the Persian word for "hand" (dast) when referring to Allah. The commentators explain that this prohibition was not absolute but was due to problematic or anthropomorphic connotations associated with that specific word in the Persian language at the time. The general principle is that the permissibility of translating such attributes is governed by the usage of scholars fluent in the target language, ensuring that the chosen words do not imply any form of anthropomorphism.

The Metaphorical Nature of Closeness and Distance

The concepts of "closeness" and "distance" in relation to Allah are not to be understood in physical or spatial terms. Allah is transcendent of place, confines, and direction, so these terms cannot refer to physical proximity.

Instead, their meaning is metaphorical and relates to a servant's spiritual state:

Closeness signifies honor and spiritual perfection. The obedient servant is considered "close" to Allah, but this closeness is without any physical description or modality.
Distance signifies humiliation and imperfection. The disobedient servant is "far" from Him, again, without any physical description.

These qualities of being near, far, or turning toward apply to the servant in their relationship with Allah, not to Allah Himself. The servant's ultimate closeness to Allah in Paradise and their standing before Him are also realities that are to be understood without modality, as their true nature is beyond human comprehension.

The Virtue of Quranic Verses

All verses of the Quran, in their essence as the speech of Allah, are equal in virtue and exaltedness. However, a distinction can be made based on their subject matter. Some verses, such as the Throne Verse, possess a dual virtue: the virtue of being God's speech and the virtue of their content, which describes Allah's majesty. Other verses, such as those that narrate stories of unbelievers, possess only the virtue of being God's speech, as their content does not have the same inherent virtue. Similarly, while all of Allah's names are equal in greatness, it is also held that some are greater than others, such as the "Greatest Name of Allah" (ism al-a'zam).

Reason and Divine Law

This section details a major theological debate regarding whether divine laws can be known through reason (aql) alone, without revelation.

The Maturidi Position: Following Imam Abu Hanifa, the Maturidi school holds that humans have an intellectual obligation to recognize their Creator, even if no prophet was sent to them. They believe reason is a means through which Allah can make the good or evil of an action known to a person.
The Ash'ari Position: The Ash'ari school holds that none of Allah's rulings can be known except through a prophet. Therefore, a person who never receives a divine message is not held accountable for belief.
Reconciliation: A proposed reconciliation is that the intellectual obligation to know God is a recommendation, not a binding command that entails punishment if unfulfilled. This aligns with the Quranic verse, "And We will not punish until We send a prophet".

Accountability for the Impossible

The schools also differ on whether Allah holds humans responsible for what is beyond their ability (taklif ma la yutaq).

The Ash'ari Position: It is conceptually possible for Allah to hold a servant responsible for an act they are unable to perform. A proof cited for this is the Quranic supplication, "Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear," which implies such a burden is possible.
The Maturidi Position: It is not permissible for Allah to hold someone accountable for something that is intrinsically beyond human ability, such as commanding a blind person to see. Their proof is the Quranic verse, "On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear". They interpret the aforementioned supplication as a plea to be saved from overwhelming physical burdens, not from being held legally accountable for the impossible.

The Status of the Prophet's Relatives

The text addresses the faith of several of the Prophet Muhammad's close relatives:

Abu Talib: The Prophet's uncle and the father of Ali, Abu Talib, died as an unbeliever. The commentary cites the well-known hadith of his deathbed, where he refused to utter the testimony of faith and stated that he would die on the religion of his forefathers .
The Prophet's Parents: This is a sensitive issue with differing reports. The footnotes clarify that while some manuscripts of
Al-Fiqh al-Akbar state they died on unbelief, the most reliable and authenticated manuscripts state that they "did not die on unbelief" . The most correct position according to the majority of later authorities, including Imam al-Suyuti, is that they are saved. This is because they lived in the period between prophetic missions (
fatra) and were therefore not accountable for faith. The safest and most respectful course is to refrain from speaking on the matter except in a favorable way .

The Prophet's Children and Wives

The treatise lists the children of the Prophet Muhammad to clarify their number and names.

Sons: Qasim, Tahir, and Ibrahim. All of his sons passed away in childhood.
Daughters: Fatima, Ruqayya, Zaynab, and Umm Kulthum. All of his daughters lived to adulthood.

All of his children were from his first wife,

Khadija, with the exception of Ibrahim, whose mother was Mariya the Copt.

The text also lists the eleven wives of the Prophet, who are known as the Mothers of the Believers. After Khadija, the most excellent of his wives was A'isha. To slander A'isha is an act of disbelief because it requires denying the verses of the Quran that were revealed to exonerate her.

Whenever a person encounters a problematic or confusing issue related to the subtleties of the science of divine oneness (tawhid), they have an immediate and subsequent obligation.

The Immediate Response to Doctrinal Doubt

It is obligatory for the person to immediately believe in whatever the correct position is according to Allah, even if they don't yet know what that position is. They can do this by making a general affirmation, such as, "I believe in whatever is correct according to Allah Most High." This act is sufficient to temporarily secure their general faith (

iman ijmali) and prevent them from falling into doubt .

The Obligation to Seek Knowledge

After this initial affirmation, the person must not delay in finding a learned and reliable scholar to ask about the matter and resolve the confusion. It is not permissible to postpone this inquiry, and there is no excuse for remaining in a state of uncertainty. If the issue pertains to a core article of faith, any continued hesitation or wavering constitutes unbelief, because such doubt negates the firm conviction that is the basis of faith .

The Distinction Between Doubt in Doctrine and Law

The commentary emphasizes a critical distinction: while differences of opinion and scholarly errors in jurisprudence (

fiqh) are considered a mercy and are rewarded, mistakes concerning the fundamental principles of divine oneness and belief are considered deviance and innovation, and can lead to unbelief.

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