al-Wajiz fi Aqidat al-Salaf al-Salih Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jamaa
- Author died
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- Editions
- Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
al-Wajiz fi Aqidat al-Salaf al-Salih Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jamaa (The Concise Treatise on the Creed of the Righteous Predecessors, the People of the Sunnah and the Community) is a contemporary handbook on Islamic theology authored by Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Hamid al-Athari, summarizing the tenets of traditional Sunni creed (Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jamaa).
Background and Composition
The author prepared the work as an abridgment of his larger, single-volume book al-Muyassar fi Aqidat al-Salaf al-Salih (The Facilitator of the Creed of the Righteous Predecessors). He cited the motive for writing it as the widespread sectarian divisions and proliferation of conflicting contemporary groups, which left many Muslims uncertain about whom to follow. He intended the book to serve as an accessible introductory manual for general readers, particularly youth and newcomers within the contemporary Islamic revival, emphasizing that understanding theological principles as a coherent whole is necessary for grasping its individual components.
Content and Methodology
The work provides a streamlined summary of Sunni doctrine based on the primary textual sources of Islam—the Quran, the prophetic Sunnah, and reports transmitted from the Companions, the Successors, and prominent early authorities. The author adheres where possible to traditional terms inherited from classical scholars, avoiding scholastic disputes and intricate polemics.
At the end of the text, the author appended a dedicated bibliography of classical Sunni theological works that served as his primary references during compilation, aimed at guiding readers to the original literature on early Islamic creed.
Reception and Publication
The work received endorsements and reviews from several prominent contemporary scholars. It features an introductory preface written in Jumada al-Ula 1421 AH by Salih ibn Abd al-Aziz Al al-Shaykh, then the Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da'wah and Guidance, who praised its clear style, structured organization, and reliance on original textual evidence. The text was also examined and reviewed by Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Jibreen, Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan, Nasir ibn Abd al-Karim al-Aql, Saud ibn Ibrahim al-Shuraym, and Muhammad ibn Jamil Zaynu.
The first edition was published in 1422 AH (c. 2001 CE) by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da'wah and Guidance. A revised third edition was subsequently published in 1425 AH (c. 2004 CE) by Dar al-Rayah in Riyadh.
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