Hashiyat al-Durra al-Mudiyya fi Aqd al-Furqa al-Mardiyya
- Author died
- 1392 AH
- Editions
- Hashiyat al-Durra al-Mudiyya fi Aqd al-Furqa al-Mardiyya
Hashiyat al-Durra al-Mudiyya fi Aqd al-Furqa al-Mardiyya (Glosses on the Radiant Pearl Concerning the Creed of the Pleasing Sect) is a theological commentary by the Najdi Hanbali scholar Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn Qasim (1312–1392 AH / 1894–1972 CE) . It provides verse-by-verse explanatory notes and analytical supercommentary on al-Durra al-Mudiyya fi Aqd al-Firqa al-Mardiyya, a didactic poem on Islamic creed composed by Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Saffarini (1114–1188 AH / 1702–1774 CE) .
Base Text and Structure
The base text is an urjuza (didactic poem in the rajaz meter) comprising over two hundred verses dedicated to the creed of the early Muslims (Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jama'ah) according to the school of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal . Al-Saffarini organized the poem into an introduction (muqaddima), six chapters (abwab), and a conclusion (khatima) . Ibn Qasim maintains this division, preceding his commentary with a biographical sketch of al-Saffarini, and then annotating the verses sequentially with concise marginal glosses to elucidate their linguistic meanings and theological implications .
Method and Scope
Ibn Qasim's commentary covers core topics of Islamic doctrine, including:
- Divine unity (tawhid) and the classification of divine names and attributes .
- The affirmation of divine attributes established in the Quran and authentic hadith—such as life, speech, sight, hearing, knowledge, power, will, God's descent (al-nuzul), hands, face, eyes, and ascension over the Throne (al-istiwa'—without figurative interpretation (ta'wil), negation (ta'til), or anthropomorphic comparison (tamthil) .
- The Quran as the uncreated, literal speech of God .
- Divine decree (qadar), human actions, and the affirmation of purpose and wisdom (al-hikma) in God's creation .
- The validity of the faith of common believers (al-jazimun min 'awamm al-bashar) who adhere to revelation without engaging in dialectical theological disputation .
A central feature of Ibn Qasim's approach is his critical engagement with expressions in al-Saffarini's poem and commentary (Lawami' al-Anwar al-Bahiyya) that were influenced by speculative theology (ilm al-kalam) . Wherever al-Saffarini incorporated scholastic terminology—such as debates regarding substance (jawhar), accident (arad), and body (jism), or formulations regarding the eternal nature of speech without reference to divine will—Ibn Qasim provides corrections to align the text with the Athari doctrine articulated by classical scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya . He likewise critiques al-Saffarini's attribution of semantic delegation (tafwid al-ma'na) to the Salaf, clarifying that the early generations affirmed the real meanings of the attributes while negating knowledge of their modalities (al-kayf) .
Publication History
The Hashiya was printed in Mecca in 1364 AH / 1945 CE . It later saw subsequent printings, including a second edition published in 1416 AH / 1995–1996 CE .
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