Ithar al-Haqq 'ala al-Khalq fi Radd al-Khilafat
- Author died
- 840 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah
Ithar al-Haqq 'ala al-Khalq fi Radd al-Khilafat (Preferring the Truth over Creation in Resolving Doctrinal Disputes) is a theological treatise on Islamic creed by the Yemeni scholar Ibn al-Wazir (775–840 AH / 1373–1436 CE), dedicated to reconciling sectarian differences by adhering strictly to evidential proof rather than partisan dogma.
Composition and Title
Ibn al-Wazir composed the work in 837 AH (1433–1434 CE), making it the last book he authored before his death. The book is known by several variations of its full title, including Ithar al-Haqq 'ala al-Khalq fi Radd al-Khilafat ila al-Madhhab al-Haqq min Usul al-Tawhid (Preferring the Truth over Creation in Returning Disputed Matters to the True Doctrine of the Fundamentals of Divine Unity) and Ithar al-Haqq 'ala al-Khalq fi Ma'rifat Allah Ta'ala wa-Ma'rifat Sifatih 'ala Manahij al-Rusul wa-al-Salaf (Preferring the Truth over Creation Concerning the Knowledge of God Almighty and His Attributes According to the Ways of the Messengers and the Early Generations). The text opens with praise of God for His guidance, knowledge, and bounties (al-hamdu lillahi Rabbi al-'alamin akmala al-hamd 'ala jami' hidayatih wa-ma'arifih wa-'atayah wa-'awarifih).
Purpose and Methodology
Ibn al-Wazir explains in his introduction that earlier writers on religious creed often mimicked sectarian jurists by defending their own school across both strong and weak points, rather than impartially examining the various doctrines of Muslims and reinforcing whichever view was substantiated by demonstrative proof (al-dala'il al-burhaniyya), regardless of whether it came from an ally or an opponent. Rejecting the assumption that correct understanding in every single theological sub-issue was gathered within any single faction, he sought to revive the practice of abandoning sectarian partisanship (tark al-'asabiyya) and consequently named the work Ithar al-Haqq 'ala al-Khalq.
Methodologically, the author advocates relying on clear scriptural guidance from the Quran and the Sunnah, following the path of the early generations (al-salaf), and avoiding speculative disputes over obscure theological minutiae that lack sound proof and yield no practical or spiritual benefit. He states that while paths to God are numerous, one must restrict oneself to the soundest and clearest among them to avoid straying into paths that divert the seeker, citing the Quranic verse: وَلا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ("And do not follow [other] ways, for they will separate you from His way"). The treatise addresses central theological issues, including the affirmation of divine names and attributes, such as God's mercy, as well as the fundamentals of faith and divine unity.
Manuscripts and Publication
A manuscript copy of the work was historically part of the library of the West African scholar Salih al-Fulani. Ithar al-Haqq 'ala al-Khalq was published in Cairo in 1318 AH (1900 CE) in a single volume, and was later reprinted by publishers in Cairo and Beirut. The text was also prepared and edited in modern academic editions, including master's theses completed at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University by Ahmad Mustafa Husayn Salih and Muhammad ibn Zayd al-'Askar.
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