al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuhu wa Atwaruhu al-Aqadiyya

al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuhu wa Atwaruhu al-Aqadiyya (Imam al-Ash'ari: His Life and Theological Phases) is a specialized biographical and doctrinal study by Salih bin Muqbil al-Usaymi on the historical context, intellectual evolution, and writings of the theologian Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (260–324 AH / 874–936 CE) al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…+1.

Purpose and Scope

The work investigates the biographical details and doctrinal transitions of Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari to determine the final creedal stage upon which his theology settled al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…. Al-Usaymi emphasizes the contemporary importance of this investigation due to the prevalence of the Ash'arite school across Islamic educational institutions and universities—such as al-Azhar—and addresses whether later adherents remained aligned with al-Ash'ari's concluding theological positions al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…. The study aims to highlight the doctrinal positions in which al-Ash'ari aligned with the early generations (al-Salaf), specifically concerning the divine textual attributes (al-sifat al-khabariyya), divine aboveness (al-uluww), and ascension over the Throne (al-istiwa), while also examining his synthesis of rational and traditional evidence al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh….

Structure and Contents

The book is organized into an introduction, a methodological prelude (tamhid), and four primary chapters, followed by analytical indexes al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…+1:

• Prelude: Outlines the significance of the topic, research problems, study objectives, limitations, research obstacles, and methodological procedures, including the documentation of primary sources, chains of narration, and the identification of individuals and geographical locations al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…+1.
• Chapter 1: The Life of Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari: Encompasses eight sections covering his lineage back to the companion Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, his kunya and titles (such as Nasir al-Din and Imam al-Mutakallimin), his birth in Basra, scholarly praise, his legal madhhab, his teachers (including the hadith scholar Zakariyya al-Saji), his students, and his death al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…+1.
• Chapter 2: His Era: Examines the political circumstances under the Abbasid Caliphate—including periods of turmoil such as the Zanj rebellion—as well as the social and intellectual environment characterized by extensive scholarly compilation and the spread of Mu'tazilite thought al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…+1.
• Chapter 3: The Evolution of His Creedal and Intellectual Life: Explores his initial forty-year adherence to the Mu'tazilite school under his stepfather Abu Ali al-Jubba'i, the reasons and historical context of his public renunciation in the grand mosque of Basra, and the subsequent phases of his thought up to his final doctrinal stance al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…+1.
• Chapter 4: His Writings: Classifies al-Ash'ari's works into four categories: extant printed treatises, manuscript copies, non-extant books recorded in classical bibliographies (such as those of Ibn Furak and Ibn Asakir), and works authored between 320 AH and his death in 324 AH al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…+1. This section critically evaluates modern scholarship and textual attributions, including analyses by researchers such as Richard J. McCarthy and Fawqiyya Mahmud al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh…+1.

The book concludes with analytical indexes for Quranic verses, prophetic hadiths, narrations (athar), biographical entries, sects and denominations, obscure vocabulary, geographical locations, and bibliography al-Imam al-Ashari Hayatuh….