Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Iman wa al-Kufr

As'ila wa Ajwiba fi al-Iman wa al-Kufr (Questions and Answers on Faith and Disbelief) is a theological treatise in a question-and-answer format by the contemporary Saudi scholar Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd Allah al-Rajihi, addressing core creedal issues concerning the definitions of faith (iman), disbelief (kufr), apostasy, and related doctrines Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima….

Origin and Scope

The work is a compilation of 36 questions posed to al-Rajihi on theological matters pertaining to faith, disbelief, and polytheism (shirk), along with his detailed responses Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1. It systematically outlines the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah on these topics while addressing classical and contemporary debates, misconceptions, and sectarian positions Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1.

Key Themes and Contents

The treatise covers several principal areas across its 36 questions:

• Definition of Faith and Disbelief: Al-Rajihi affirms that faith comprises speech of the tongue, speech of the heart (affirmation and conviction), actions of the heart (intention and sincerity), and physical deeds of the limbs Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…. He rejects the notion that deeds are merely a "condition of completeness" (shart kamal) or external to faith Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1. Similarly, he explains that major disbelief and apostasy occur through inner conviction, explicit denial (juhud), verbal speech (such as insulting Allah, the Prophet, or the religion), physical action (such as prostrating to an idol), or complete turning away and abandonment (i'rad wa-tark) Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1.
• Critique of Murji'ite Views: The book contrasts mainstream Sunni doctrine with various branches of the Murji'ah, distinguishing between extreme groups (such as the Jahmiyya and Karramiyya) and the Murji'ah of the jurists (Murji'at al-Fuqaha'), associated historically with Kufan figures such as Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman and Abu Hanifa Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1. Al-Rajihi argues that the dispute between mainstream scholars and Murji'at al-Fuqaha' is not purely verbal, highlighting practical doctrinal ramifications such as the exclusion of deeds from the definition of faith and rulings on making conditional statements about one's faith (al-istithna' fi al-iman) Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1.
• Abandonment of Deeds and Scriptural Proofs: The work addresses the status of someone who abandons all outward religious obligations despite uttering the testimony of faith, asserting that genuine inner conviction necessarily produces outward actions Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1. In this context, al-Rajihi contextualizes hadiths often cited by opponents, such as the narration mentioning those who "never did any good" (lam ya'malu khayran qatt) and the "tradition of the card" (hadith al-bitaqah), reconciling them with the broader scriptural corpus Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1.
• Specific Rulings and Theological Nullifiers: Further questions address specific legal and creedal scenarios, including:
  • Insulting the divine or the Prophet, which is characterized as disbelief in and of itself rather than merely a symptom of an inner conviction Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1.
  • Constructing shrines or tombs for worship and the invalidity of praying behind an imam who supplicates to the deceased Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima….
  • The substitution of Islamic legislation with secular or man-made law codes Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima….
  • The conditions and excuses relating to duress (ikrah) in speech and actions Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1.
  • Loyalty and disavowal (al-wala' wa-l-bara'), distinguishing between apostasy-inducing allegiance (tawalli) and major sin involving certain forms of worldly association (muwalat) Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+1.
  • Principles concerning excusing by reason of ignorance (al-udhr bi-l-jahl) and the establishment of proof (iqamat al-hujjah), delineating between clear, fundamental tenets and intricate or obscure matters Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+2.

Method and Sources

The author relies on direct textual evidence from the Quran and hadith collections, frequently drawing upon classical interpretations and rulings by prominent Hanbali and early Sunni scholars, including Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Kathir, and Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima…+2. In guiding students of knowledge, al-Rajihi advises studying foundational treatises across Islamic jurisprudence—noting the chapters on apostasy (bab hukm al-murtadd) found across all four legal schools—as well as works by early and late Najdi scholars Asila wa Ajwiba fi al-Ima….