Fath al-Majid Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid - Hutayba
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- Fath al-Majid Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid - Hutayba
Fath al-Majid Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid by Ahmad Hutayba is a contemporary scholarly commentary on Fath al-Majid, a classical theological work on Islamic monotheism authored by Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan Al al-Shaykh .
Background and Purpose
The work provides a thorough explanation of Fath al-Majid, which was originally composed by Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan as an abridgment and completion of Taysir al-Aziz al-Hamid, the commentary by Sulayman ibn Abd Allah Al al-Shaykh on Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab's (d. 1206 AH) foundational text, Kitab al-Tawhid (The Book of Monotheism) . Hutayba notes in his introductory remarks that the foundation of the religion rests upon the monotheistic worship of God and disavowal of polytheism (shirk), highlighting that the original Kitab al-Tawhid consists primarily of texts from the Quran and the Sunnah addressing the core tenets of belief .
Structure and Method
The commentary follows the thematic chapters of the original treatise sequentially:
- Linguistic and Conceptual Foundations: Hutayba begins with an extensive analysis of the opening invocation (basmala), examining its grammatical construction, syntactic attachments, and rhetorical nuances . He discusses the etymology and derivation (ishtiqaq) of the name Allah, citing the linguistic assessments of grammarians such as al-Kisa'i, al-Farra', and Sibawayh, as well as commentary from al-Tabari and Ibn al-Qayyim . He also delineates the precise theological distinction between the divine names al-Rahman (the Entirely Merciful) and al-Rahim (the Especially Merciful) .
- Divisions of Monotheism: The commentary expounds upon the threefold division of monotheism: tawhid al-rububiyyah (the oneness of divine Lordship), tawhid al-uluhiyyah (the oneness of God in worship), and tawhid al-asma wa-l-sifat (the oneness of divine names and attributes) .
- Textual Exegesis and Hadith Verification: Hutayba provides detailed line-by-line commentary on the Quranic verses cited across the chapters—such as the divine decree in وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ ("And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him")—explaining linguistic meanings and practical rulings . He evaluates the authenticity of related narrations, identifying weak hadiths and non-canonical Quranic variants (qira'at shadhdhah) where relevant .
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