Madkhal li-Dirasat al-Aqida al-Islamiyya
- Author died
- 1439 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Sawādī lil-Tawzī‘
Madkhal li-Dirasat al-Aqida al-Islamiyya (Introduction to the Study of Islamic Creed) is a foundational textbook on Islamic theology authored by Uthman Dumayriyah (d. 1439 AH / 2018 CE), presenting a systematic introduction to the principles, sources, and historical codification of Islamic doctrine according to Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a.
Composition and Background
The work originated as a series of university lectures on Islamic creed delivered to undergraduate students at the Teachers College in Ta'if, and was subsequently completed and compiled at the College of Education at Umm al-Qura University (Ta'if branch). The author structured the book to serve as a general portal and comprehensive primer for students of knowledge before delving into specialized doctrinal treatises, modeling its introductory scope after similar introductory texts (madakhal) established in the fields of Islamic jurisprudence, linguistics, and history.
Contents and Structure
The book is structured into a general preface, six primary sections, and a concluding overview:
- First Section: Examines the holistic nature of Islam as both creed and legal code (aqida wa-shari'a) as initially received and understood by the Prophet's Companions.
- Second Section: Explores the internal factors and external influences that prompted the emergence of creed as an independent religious discipline. It traces the chronological development of theological codification from the second century AH through the end of the fourth century AH, examining traditional nomenclature such as al-fiqh al-akbar, al-iman, al-sunna, tawhid, al-shari'a, and usul al-din, alongside modern terminology like al-tasawwur al-islami (Islamic worldview).
- Third Section: Clarifies foundational conceptual terms (such as Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a, the Salaf, and Ahl al-Hadith) and identifies the primary sources of Islamic belief—namely the Quran, the Sunna, and scholarly consensus. It also analyzes the status of the intellect (aql), its harmony with revelation, and the imperative of adhering to authentic doctrine while warning against religious innovations (bida').
- Fourth Section: Treats monotheism (tawhid) and its classifications, with an emphasis on the unity of worship (tawhid al-uluhiyya) and lordship (tawhid al-rububiyya).
- Fifth Section: Analyzes deviations from monotheism, providing definitions and divisions for major and minor polytheism (shirk), disbelief (kufr), and hypocrisy (nifaq).
- Sixth Section: Details the doctrine of loyalty and disavowal (al-wala' wa-l-bara'), including its linguistic and legal parameters, scriptural proofs, and practical distinctions between benevolent treatment (birr) and religious allegiance.
- Conclusion: Summarizes the distinguishing attributes of Islamic creed, such as its divine and revealed nature (tawqifiyya), its focus on the unseen (ghaybiyya), comprehensiveness (shumul), integrality, and balance.
Methodology and Sources
The author employs an integrated methodological approach across the work. In historical sections, he adopts a chronological method to map the development of doctrinal writings, while applying a descriptive and analytical approach to present theological concepts and definitions. He also incorporates an evaluative and comparative framework to defend the positions of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a against divergent schools of thought.
The text relies strictly on scriptural evidence, limiting hadith citations to authentic (sahih) or good (hasan) narrations and tracing them back to their primary source compilations. The book includes extensive documentation, citing more than 330 historical and modern reference works in its bibliography.
Reception and Publication
The work received praise from several contemporary scholars and educators. Sheikh Nasir ibn Hamad al-Rashid, head of the Board of Grievances and member of the Council of Senior Scholars in Riyadh, commended the book for organizing the principles of creed and articulating them with clarity and rigorous deduction. Further favorable reviews and endorsements were written by Dr. Fu'ad Mukhaymar of Al-Azhar University, Dr. Abd Allah al-Abbadi and Dr. Hammad al-Thumali of Umm al-Qura University, Dr. Muhammad Sa'id al-Ghamdi, and literary scholar Dr. Ibrahim Awad in the Saudi newspaper al-Jazeera.
The first edition was published in 1414 AH (recorded in some references as 1415 AH) by Maktabat al-Sawadi in Jeddah. Subsequent printings followed, including a third edition published by Maktabat al-Sawadi in 1420 AH and a fifth edition published by Dar al-Sunna in al-Khobar in 1418 AH (1997 CE).
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