Abd Allah al-Mawsili

Abd Allah al-Mawsili is a Sunni writer and polemicist known for his doctrinal treatise on Twelver Shia Islam, Haqiqat al-Shiah ("The Reality of the Shia"), which was originally published under the title Hatta La Nankhadi' ("Lest We Be Deceived") Haqiqat al-Shia «Hatta la….

Scholarly Focus and Method

Al-Mawsili dedicated his writing to examining the theological doctrines, ethics, and historical stances of Twelver Shia Islam toward Sunni Muslims Haqiqat al-Shia «Hatta la…. In the introduction to his primary treatise, he noted that his purpose was to address what he characterized as a widespread lack of knowledge among Sunnis regarding Shia beliefs and to warn against religious dissimulation (taqiyya) Haqiqat al-Shia «Hatta la…+1. He maintained that theological rapprochement (taqrib) between Sunnis and Shias is impossible due to fundamental doctrinal divergences, arguing that calls for rapprochement function as a cover for sectarian outreach Haqiqat al-Shia «Hatta la….

Regarding his methodology, al-Mawsili stated that he adhered to neutrality by relying exclusively on documented citations from authoritative Shia texts, providing exact references to the title, volume, page number, and publication edition for every quotation Haqiqat al-Shia «Hatta la…. His treatise attained broad circulation among both Sunni and Shia readers, prompting revised printings in which he reorganized the book's chapters and expanded its source material Haqiqat al-Shia «Hatta la…. Among its various publications, it was printed in Cairo by Dar Salamah Thumma Absartu al-Haqiqa.