Alam al-Sunna al-Manshura li-Itiqad al-Taifa al-Najiya al-Mansura = 200 Sual wa Jawab fi al-Aqida al-Islamiyya
- Author died
- 1377 AH
- Editions
- Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da'wah and Guidance - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
A‘lam al-Sunnah al-Manshurah li-I‘tiqad al-Ta‘ifah al-Najiyah al-Mansurah (Arabic: أعلام السنة المنشورة لاعتقاد الطائفة الناجية المنصورة, lit. 'The Prominent Banners of the Sunnah for the Creed of the Saved and Victorious Sect'), also widely known as 200 Su’al wa Jawab fi al-‘Aqidah al-Islamiyyah ("200 Questions and Answers on Islamic Creed"), is a concise pedagogical treatise on Sunni theology written by the Saudi scholar Hafiz ibn Ahmad al-Hakami (1342–1377 AH / 1923–1958 CE).
Purpose and Composition
Al-Hakami composed the work as an accessible primer summarizing the foundational principles of Islamic monotheism (tawhid) and faith (iman). In his introduction, the author stated that he designed the treatise to outline the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah and the path of adherence to the texts, while excluding the views of deviant sects and innovators except when necessary to refute them. He adopted a question-and-answer arrangement to engage the student's attention and facilitate memorization and understanding.
Structure and Content
The treatise is organized systematically across approximately two hundred questions and answers, each followed by textual proofs from the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah.
The text begins by addressing the ultimate purpose for which humanity was created—the knowledge and worship of Allah alone. It proceeds to cover the core domains of Sunni theology, including:
- Tawhid and Worship: The definition and conditions of worship, the divisions of monotheism (divine lordship, exclusive worship, and divine names and attributes), and their opposites, such as major and minor polytheism (shirk), hypocrisy, and innovation.
- The Six Pillars of Faith: Detailed and general belief in Allah, the angels, the revealed scriptures, the messengers, the Last Day (including the events of the grave, resurrection, reckoning, the Scale, and Paradise and Hell), and the divine decree (al-qadr).
- Communal and Political Principles: Belief regarding the Companions of the Prophet (Sahabah), the Prophet's household (Ahl al-Bayt), the order of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, and the obligation of hearing and obeying Muslim rulers (wulat al-umur) in lawful matters while prohibiting rebellion against them.
Reception and Significance
A‘lam al-Sunnah al-Manshurah is regarded as a key introductory text in modern Salafi theological curricula. Contemporary scholars, such as Abd al-Rahman al-Mahmud, have noted that the book functions effectively as a condensed, simplified version of al-Hakami's extensive multi-volume work Ma‘arij al-Qabul, making it particularly suitable for beginner students of knowledge.
The work has been published in numerous editions, including printings issued by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da‘wah, and Guidance, and an edition edited by Hazim al-Qadi.
Answer updated