al-Mukhtasar al-Mufid fi Aqaid Aimmat al-Tawhid
- Author died
- 1435 AH
- Editions
- Mu’assasat al-Rayyān li-l-Ṭibā‘ah wa-l-Nashr wa-l-Tawzī‘
al-Mukhtasar al-Mufid fi Aqaid Aimmat al-Tawhid (The Concise and Beneficial Exposition of the Creeds of the Imams of Monotheism) is a contemporary treatise on Islamic creed (aqidah) and theology written by Midhat ibn al-Hasan Al Farraj (d. 1435 AH / 2014 CE) . The book compiles and elucidates core theological doctrines and rulings, focusing on the concepts of monotheism (tawhid) and the methodology of early Islamic scholarship and the scholars of the Najdi reform movement .
Purpose and Scope
The author compiled the work to outline what he described as a balanced and comprehensive theological methodology grounded strictly in the Quran and the Sunnah, as understood by the first three generations of Islam (al-salaf al-salih) . The treatise addresses the foundational principles of religion (usul al-din) and the rules of the faith (qawa'id al-millah), providing definitions and boundaries for essential theological topics :
- The realities and pillars of Islam and faith (iman) .
- The categorization of tawhid, alongside its nullifiers and corruptive acts, including polytheism (shirk) and disbelief (kufr) in their various forms .
- Loyalty and disavowal (al-wala' wa-al-bara'), including complete disassociation from polytheism and its practitioners .
- The definition of the false deity (al-taghut) and the requirement of rejecting it .
- Singling out God in obedience, the obligation of ruling by Islamic law (tahkim al-shari'ah), and striving (jihad) to uphold it .
- The distinction between the abode of Islam (dar al-Islam) and the abode of disbelief (dar al-kufr), along with the rulings governing migration (hijrah) between them .
Structure and Content
The work opens with an introductory section titled "The Conditions of Polytheists Between Alteration and Change" (Ahwal al-mushrikin bayn al-tabdil wa-al-taghyir), which is divided into two thematic discussions: the widespread emergence of polytheistic practices, and the tendency of people to follow names devoid of their actual realities rather than abiding by the substantive meanings upon which legal rulings are based .
Subsequent chapters systematically address key doctrines of faith. For instance, the third chapter covers "How to Believe in the Prophetic Message and Fulfill Its Pillars and Requirements" (Kayfiyyat al-iman bi-al-risalah wa-tahqiq arkaniha wa-muqtadayiatuha), organized into six distinct inquiries :
- The blessing of sending messengers and humanity's essential need for them .
- The purpose of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ mission and the proofs of his prophethood .
- The requirements and implications of testifying to prophethood .
- How affirming God's oneness in Lordship and divinity necessitates affirming His Messenger ﷺ, singling him out for obedience and following, and submitting to his judgment in all disputes .
- How the Prophet ﷺ conveyed monotheism and protected its domain from foreign innovations .
- The legal ruling regarding insulting the Prophet ﷺ, mocking any of his judgments, rejecting what he brought, or permitting anyone to step outside his Sharia .
Method and Sources
The author relies on direct textual evidence from the Quran and prophetic hadith, employing methodical categorization (al-sabr wa-al-taqsim) and outlining conditions and disqualifiers across every doctrinal question . The book draws extensively on classical Sunni authorities and particularly the writings of later Najdi theologians, including Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and Sulayman ibn Abdallah, using their treatises and legal responses to elaborate on grave visitation, mediation, and rulings on shirk .
Publication and Reception
The book received a commendatory preface (taqdim) from the hadith scholar Abdullah ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'd, who praised the work for its focus on fundamental theological tenets, its reliance on textual evidence, and its systematic categorization of essential creedal issues . The treatise was published in Beirut, Lebanon, by Mu'assasat al-Rayyan in its first edition in 1426 AH / 2005 CE .
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