al-Qawl al-Sadid fi al-Radd ala man Ankar Taqsim al-Tawhid
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- Dar Ibn al-Qayyim
al-Qawl al-Sadid fi al-Radd ala man Ankar Taqsim al-Tawhid (The Sound Discourse in Refuting Those Who Deny the Categorization of Tawhid) is a theological treatise written by the contemporary Saudi scholar Abd al-Razzaq ibn Abd al-Muhsin al-Badr to defend the classical Sunni division of tawhid (monotheism) against contemporary theological challenges .
Background and Purpose
The treatise was composed as a direct polemical response to the Jordanian scholar Hasan ibn Ali al-Saqqaf, particularly his pamphlet titled al-Tandid bi-man Addada al-Tawhid: Ibtal Muhawalat al-Tathlith fi al-Tawhid wa-al-Aqidah al-Islamiyyah (Denunciation of Those Who Pluralize Tawhid: Invalidation of the Attempted Trinitarianism in Tawhid and Islamic Creed) . In that work, al-Saqqaf claimed that categorizing tawhid into three parts—tawhid al-rububiyyah (Lordship), tawhid al-uluhiyyah (divinity and worship), and tawhid al-asma wa-al-sifat (divine names and attributes)—was an illegitimate innovation invented by Ibn Taymiyyah and popularized by later commentators such as Ibn Abi al-Izz, comparing this tripartite classification to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity .
Al-Badr authored the book to refute these accusations, demonstrate that the categorization is rooted in the Quran and the Sunnah, and show that early Islamic scholars had recognized these distinctions long before Ibn Taymiyyah . The book includes a prefatory endorsement written by the Saudi scholar Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan, dated 15 Rabi al-Awwal 1414 AH .
Method and Core Arguments
Al-Badr structures his refutation around textual evidence, inductive analysis, and historical documentation from classical authorities:
- Refutation of the Trinity Comparison: The author rejects the assertion of trinitarianism, pointing out that Christian Trinity posits three separate divine persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), which the Quran explicitly condemns as disbelief in verses such as لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَـٰثَةٍۢ ("They have certainly disbelieved who say, 'Allah is the third of three'"). In contrast, the classification of tawhid pertains to the distinct aspects of affirming the oneness of a single, indivisible God .
- Inductive Derivation (Istiara): Al-Badr argues that the tripartite division (or the equivalent bipartite division into knowledge and affirmation, and intent and worship) is established through full inductive survey (istiqra) of scriptural texts . He cites scholars like Bakr Abu Zayd comparing this method to the inductive categorization of Arabic speech into noun, verb, and particle by early grammarians, which was an analytical tool rather than a theological innovation .
- Historical Precedents Among Early Scholars: The work demonstrates that the distinction among aspects of tawhid predated Ibn Taymiyyah by centuries, quoting early authorities such as Ibn Battah al-Ukbari in al-Ibanah and Ibn Mandah in Kitab al-Tawhid, as well as references in the writings of Ibn Jarir al-Tabari and Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi .
- Critique of al-Saqqaf's Scholarship: Al-Badr criticizes al-Saqqaf for distortion of scholarly quotations, abusive rhetoric against traditional Sunni scholars, and alignment with Jahmi theological premises regarding the divine attributes .
Reception and Publication
The treatise received positive appraisals from contemporary Salafi scholars. Ibrahim ibn Amir al-Ruhayli commended it as a valuable and comprehensive treatise refuting al-Saqqaf on the subject of tawhid , and Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Khalaf highlighted its effectiveness in establishing early precedents for the division of tawhid .
The book was first printed by Maktabat al-Ghuraba in Medina in 1414 AH / 1993–1994 CE and published by Dar Ibn Affan in al-Khubar in 1417 AH / 1997 CE . A third edition was co-published by Dar Ibn al-Qayyim in Dammam and Dar Ibn Affan in Cairo in 1422 AH / 2001 CE .
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