al-Itiqad al-Khalis min al-Shakk wal-Intiqad
- Author died
- 724 AH
- Editions
- Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
al-Iʿtiqād al-Khāliṣ min al-Shakk wal-Intiqād (Arabic: الاعتقاد الخالص من الشك والانتقاد, lit. 'The Pure Creed Free from Doubt and Criticism') is a theological treatise on Sunni creed authored by the Damascene Shafi'i scholar Ibn al-Attar (654–724 AH / 1256–1324 CE), a prominent student of Imam al-Nawawi.
Title and Attribution
The author explicitly designates the work as al-Iʿtiqād al-Khāliṣ min al-Shakk wal-Intiqād in his concluding remarks, and this title appears on surviving manuscript title pages as well as in biographical dictionaries such as al-Aʿlām by Khayr al-Din al-Zirikli. The work has also been referred to under the alternate descriptive title Uṣūl Ahl al-Sunnah fī al-Iʿtiqād (The Principles of the Sunnis in Creed), including by Umar Rida Kahhala in Muʿjam al-Muʾallifīn, drawing from the phrasing of Ibn al-Attar's introduction where he states that he composed the book based on the fundamentals of Sunni belief.
The attribution of the book to Ibn al-Attar is established across manuscript copies, including an early transcript made from the copy of the author's grandnephew, Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn Sulayman ibn Dawud al-Jawhari, who transcribed it and read it directly back to the author.
Scope and Methodology
The work provides a concise exposition of Sunni theology aligned with the traditionalist methodology (madhhab ahl al-hadith) and the consensus of early Muslim scholars (al-salaf al-salih). Ibn al-Attar frames the text around core doctrinal issues, substantiating his positions with texts from the Quran, prophetic traditions, and reports from early authorities.
Key subjects addressed in the text include:
- The divine names and attributes of God, affirming attributes such as divine highness (al-fawqiyyah), the divine descent (al-nuzul), and the beatific vision of God in the afterlife (al-ruʾyah).
- The Quran as the uncreated word of God.
- Rulings regarding apostasy and theological transgressions, including the consensus on the disbelief of anyone who expresses contempt or mockery toward the religion.
Manuscripts and Publication
Manuscript copies of the treatise are preserved in several collections, including al-Zahiriyyah Library in Damascus, the Vatican Library (Ms. 1384/2), and the Princeton University Library (Ms. 936).
The text was edited by Saʿd ibn Hulayyil al-Zuwayhiri and published in a single volume by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of Qatar in 1432 AH / 2011 CE. While the standard historical consensus places the author's death in 724 AH, this edition notes a variant death date of 727 AH.
Answer updated