al-Difa an Allah wa Rasulihi wa Shar'ihi
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- al-Difa an Allah wa Rasulihi wa Shar'ihi
al-Difa an Allah wa Rasulihi wa Shar'ihi (Defending God, His Messenger, and His Law) is an apologetic and theological work by the Egyptian scholar and preacher Hasan Abu al-Ashbal al-Zuhayri dedicated to refuting modern intellectual criticisms, literary works, and doctrinal deviations directed against Islamic creed, prophetic traditions, and legal rulings.
Purpose and Scope
The work is framed as an effort to counter contemporary trials and intellectual challenges from figures who reject parts of the Quran and the Sunnah, cast doubt on authentic hadith, or deny established religious tenets. The author addresses both broader doctrinal topics and specific contemporary publications and personalities whose writings he views as undermining the foundations of Islamic law and belief.
Contents and Structure
The text is organized into topical refutations addressing theological controversies, legal practices, literary works, and contemporary polemicists:
- Defense of Intercession (Shafa'ah): Establishes the affirmation of intercession according to the Quran, Sunnah, and scholarly consensus (ijma'), delineating its categories, including the Greater Intercession (al-Shafa'ah al-'Uzma), the intercession of the Prophet Muhammad, angels, believers, and righteous children.
- Defense of Prophet Moses: Addresses criticisms regarding the authentic hadith recounting Moses striking the Angel of Death, explaining the theological and contextual understanding articulated by classical scholars.
- Critique of Contemporary Literature and Thinkers: Includes dedicated sections responding to Haidar Haidar's novel Walimah li-A'shab al-Bahr (A Banquet for Seaweed), the writings of Mustafa Mahmud, and the modernist legal ideas advanced by Gamal al-Banna in works such as Nahwa Fiqh Jadid (Toward a New Jurisprudence).
- Defense of Circumcision (Khitan): Responds to those who deny the legitimacy of circumcision, arguing for its establishment in the prophetic Sunnah and traditions of the early generations (salaf).
- Critique of Corrupt Scholars (Ulama al-Su'): Denounces scholars who compromise religious principles for worldly gain or proximity to political authority while attacking upright scholars.
- Refutation of 'Umr Ummat al-Islam: A two-part critique of the book 'Umr Ummat al-Islam (The Lifespan of the Islamic Ummah), rejecting speculative calculations concerning matters of the unseen (al-ghayb) and deviations from traditional methodologies of textual deduction.
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