Mawqif Ibn Taymiyya min al-Ashaira
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Mawqif Ibn Taymiyya min al-Ashaira (The Stance of Ibn Taymiyya towards the Ash'arites) is an academic treatise in Islamic theology by Abd al-Rahman ibn Salih al-Mahmud, examining the historical and theological critique formulated by Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyya against the Ash'ari school.
Origins and Purpose
The work originated as a doctoral dissertation submitted to the Department of Creed and Contemporary Trends at the College of Usul al-Din in Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. The defense took place on 19 Jumada al-Ula 1409 AH before an examination committee consisting of Dr. Salim ibn Abd Allah al-Dakhil as supervisor, accompanied by Nasir ibn Hamad al-Rashid and Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Ghunayman as examiners, receiving the doctorate with first-class honors.
The author framed the study to delineate the distinctions between the methodology of the early predecessors (al-Salaf) and the Ash'ari school, addressing widespread conflations between the two traditions. The work highlights that Ibn Taymiyya's critique was uniquely situated: he emerged after Ash'arism had reached its height of systemic maturity and diffusion across educational institutions and state contexts through figures like Abu Hamid al-Ghazali and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, giving his responses exceptional breadth and direct engagement with late Ash'ari scholastic texts.
Structure and Scope
The book is structured into an introduction, a preliminary study (tamhid), two main parts (abwab), a conclusion, and analytical indexes:
- Preliminary Study (al-Tamhid): Covers definitions of al-Salaf, Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a, and Ahl al-Hadith, discussing the historical origins of these labels and the theological principles and epistemological foundations of the Salaf.
- Part One: Ibn Taymiyya and the Ash'arites (Ibn Taymiyya wa-l-Asha'ira): Divided into five chapters:
- The Life and Era of Ibn Taymiyya: Analyzes his historical context—marked by Crusader campaigns, the Mongol invasions, and the Mamluk Sultanate—alongside his biography, teachers, scholarly standing, trials in Damascus and Cairo, disciples, polemical writings against Ash'aris, and death.
- Ibn Taymiyya's Epistemology and Methodology: Examines his approaches to evidence, theological discourse, debate with opponents, and scholarly accuracy.
- Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari: Surveys Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari's life, teachers, students, writings, and the stages of his theological development, including his final transition reflected in al-Ibanah 'an Usul al-Diyanah.
- Origins and Doctrines of the Ash'arite Movement: Traces their predecessors among the Kullabiyya, ties with the Maturidiyya, factors behind their spread, and their general creed.
- Development of Ash'arism and Its Major Figures: Traces the school's trajectory toward metaphorical interpretation (ta'wil), Sufism, and philosophical dialectic, detailing prominent scholars including Abu Bakr al-Baqillani, Ibn Furak, Abd al-Qahir al-Baghdadi, al-Bayhaqi, al-Qushayri, al-Juwayni, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Ibn Tumart, Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi, al-Shahrastani, Ibn Asakir, Fakhr al-Razi, Sayf al-Din al-Amidi, al-Izz ibn Abd al-Salam, al-Baydawi, Safi al-Din al-Hindi, Adud al-Din al-Iji, and Badr al-Din Ibn Jama'ah.
- Part Two: Ibn Taymiyya's Stance towards the Ash'arites (Mawqif Ibn Taymiyya min al-Ashaira): Divided into three chapters:
- Recognition of Ash'ari Merits: Focuses on Ibn Taymiyya's fairness in recognizing Ash'ari defenses of Islam against philosophers, esotericists (Batiniyya), and the Mu'tazila.
- General Methodological Critique: Analyzes overarching critique points, such as the sufficiency of scripture, the authority of solitary transmissions (ahad) in creed, the censure of speculative theology (kalam), harmony between reason and transmission, and internal doctrinal discrepancies.
- Detailed Doctrinal Critique: Investigates specific theological topics, organized into divine lordship and worship (tawhid al-uluhiyya wa-l-rububiyya), divine names and attributes (al-asma' wa-l-sifat), divine decree (al-qada' wa-l-qadar), faith (al-iman), and other disputed creedal questions.
The conclusion compiles the core findings of the study, and the volume is supplemented by thematic indexes for Quranic verses, hadiths, biographical notices, sects, sources, and subjects.
Publication
The work was published in a multi-volume format by Maktabat al-Rushd in Riyadh, with its first edition appearing in 1415 AH / 1995 CE, followed by a second edition in 1416 AH / 1996 CE.
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