Juhud al-Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin al-Shinqiti fi Taqrir 'Aqidat al-Salaf
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- Editions
- Maktabat al-Ubaykan
Juhud al-Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin al-Shinqiti fi Taqrir 'Aqidat al-Salaf (The Efforts of Sheikh Muhammad al-Amin al-Shinqiti in Affirming the Creed of the Salaf) is an academic treatise in Islamic theology authored by Abd al-Aziz bin Salih bin Ibrahim al-Tuwayan . The book examines and documents the theological positions and creedal contributions of the Mauritanian scholar Sheikh Muhammad al-Amin al-Shinqiti (1325–1393 AH) .
Background and Purpose
The work was originally prepared as a master's thesis in theology at the Islamic University of Madinah . The topic was suggested to the author by Sheikh Abd al-Muhsin al-Abbad, who had studied under al-Shinqiti . Al-Tuwayan undertook the study to fill a scholarly void, noting that previous research on al-Shinqiti had focused primarily on his work in Quranic exegesis (tafsir) and legal theory (usul al-fiqh), leaving his exposition of Islamic creed (aqidah) unaddressed in a dedicated comprehensive study .
The book was published in two volumes by Maktabat al-Obeikan in Riyadh in 1419 AH / 1998 CE .
Method and Sources
The author's methodology relies on gathering al-Shinqiti's statements on creed across his published works, manuscripts, and audio recordings . For biographical details, al-Tuwayan drew largely on oral testimonies obtained directly from al-Shinqiti's students .
In addressing theological topics, the author introduces each doctrinal issue, summarizes al-Shinqiti's view, quotes his texts, and corroborates them with statements from early Muslim authorities (al-salaf) to illustrate how al-Shinqiti adhered to their methodology . Where al-Shinqiti engaged in polemics against deviant theological groups, the author outlines the opposing sect's arguments from their original works before presenting al-Shinqiti's systematic refutation .
Structure and Contents
The work is organized into an introduction, a preliminary biographical overview, two main parts, and a conclusion :
- Preliminary Overview (al-Tamhid): Divided into two chapters. The first covers al-Shinqiti's personal life—his lineage, birth in Mauritania in 1325 AH, upbringing, arrival and settlement in Saudi Arabia in 1367 AH, physical and moral characteristics, and death . The second covers his scholarly life, including his pursuit of knowledge, teachers, creed, official posts, students, writings, and scholarly praise .
- Part One (al-Bab al-Awwal): Dedicated to al-Shinqiti's efforts in elucidating faith in Allah (al-Iman billah), divided into three chapters :
- Tawhid al-Rububiyyah (Oneness of Divine Lordship) .
- Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah (Oneness of Divine Worship), addressing proofs of monotheism, categories of worship (such as supplication, reliance, loyalty and disavowal, fear and hope, and ruling by divine revelation), and practices that contradict pure worship (such as polytheism, slaughtering for other than Allah, claiming knowledge of the unseen, swearing by other than Allah, sorcery, and constructing edifices over graves) .
- Tawhid al-Asma' wal-Sifat (Oneness of Divine Names and Attributes), examining the foundations and rules of the Salafi understanding of attributes, specific attributes addressed by al-Shinqiti, and his stance toward figurative interpretation (ta'wil) and its proponents .
- Part Two (al-Bab al-Thani): Covers al-Shinqiti's treatment of the remaining articles of faith across seven chapters :
- Belief in Angels .
- Belief in Divine Scriptures .
- Prophethood, discussing belief in the messengers, the identity and status of al-Khidr, belief in Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and prophetic miracles .
- The Last Day, covering the signs of the Hour, the grave, the resurrection, the scales (al-Mizan), the bridge (al-Sirat), Paradise, the beatific vision of Allah, and Hellfire .
- Divine Decree and Predestination (al-Qadar), detailing its levels, the distinction between universal and legislative divine will, human actions, and refutations of determinism (al-Jabriyyah) and denial of predestination (al-Qadariyyah) .
- The Nature of Faith (Haqiqat al-Iman), covering its definition, its increase and decrease, categories of believers, major sins, and the theological status of people of the interval (Ahl al-Fatrah) .
- The Leadership and Governance (al-Imamah) .
- Conclusion (al-Khatimah): Summarizes the principal findings, concluding that al-Shinqiti strictly followed the creed of the Salaf rooted in the Quran and the Sunnah across all doctrinal branches, including the three categories of tawhid and the definition of faith as statement, action, and conviction that increases with obedience and decreases with sin .
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