al-Tawhid li Muhammad Abduh
- Author died
- 1323 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Kitāb al-‘Arabī
al-Tawhid (also known as Risalat al-Tawhid, "The Treatise on Divine Unity") is a work on Islamic theology (ilm al-kalam) written by the Egyptian scholar and reformer Muhammad Abduh (1266–1323 AH / 1849–1905 CE) .
Background and Composition
The material for the book originated from lectures on theology that Abduh delivered in 1303 AH (1886 CE) while living in exile in Beirut following the events of 1299 AH (1882 CE) . When invited to teach at al-Madrasah al-Sultaniyyah, he found that existing pedagogical works were inadequate: introductory primers fell short of providing students with necessary instruction, extensive treatises were beyond their comprehension, and intermediate manuals had been compiled for eras other than their own . He consequently dictated new lectures tailored to contemporary students, relying on sound rational proofs rather than conventional scholastic forms .
These lessons were initially preserved only in his students' notebooks . After his return to Egypt, where he was occupied with judicial and public duties, he revised and organized the material into a systematic treatise .
Subject Matter and Method
The work defines tawhid as the science investigating the existence of God, the attributes necessary, permissible, or impossible to ascribe to Him, as well as the proof of divine messengers and their requisite qualities . Abduh notes that the discipline is also termed ilm al-kalam, either due to early debates concerning God's speech or because its arguments rest upon rational demonstration rather than solely upon transmitted reports .
Abduh emphasizes the harmony between reason and divine revelation, arguing that the Quran addresses human intellect, encourages reflection on the order of the cosmos, and establishes that religion does not bring anything logically impossible, even if certain matters surpass human comprehension . In theological orientation, the work primarily adheres to Ash'ari positions on divine names and attributes, but it also draws upon Maturidi perspectives and adopts certain Mu'tazili insights, seeking to move past historical scholastic divisions and reconcile diverse theological currents . Through this approach, Abduh sought to liberate religious thought from blind imitation (taqlid) and present Islamic doctrine through a modern, accessible prose style .
Reception, Editions, and Translations
Risalat al-Tawhid was recognized by contemporary scholars and educators as one of Abduh's most prominent works . It was incorporated into educational curricula; for instance, at the Tha'alibiyya School in Algeria, it was taught alongside Abu Hamid al-Ghazali's al-Iqtisad fi al-I'tiqad . The Algerian scholar Muhammad ibn al-Qa'id Ali eulogized the book in verse, describing it as a powerful attraction for hearts .
An early edition of the treatise was proofread and corrected by the scholar Mahmud Mustafa at the Amiri Press in Bulaq in 1315 AH . The text was later translated into French by Mustafa Abd al-Raziq in collaboration with the French scholar B. Michel .
Answer updated