Mujmal Usul Ahl al-Sunna
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- Mujmal Usul Ahl al-Sunna
Mujmal Usul Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a fi al-Aqida (The Summary of the Creedal Principles of the People of the Sunna and the Community) is a concise theological treatise authored by Nasir ibn Abd al-Karim al-Aql, a professor of Islamic creed at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, outlining the core doctrinal foundations and epistemological principles of Ahl al-Sunna.
Purpose and Methodology
The work was composed to articulate the general rules (qawa'id), foundational issues (masa'il ijmaliyya), and methodological criteria (dawabit wa-manhajiyyat) of the Sunni creed. The author designated it as a summary (mujmal) because it focuses on overarching tenets rather than granular debates or exhaustive presentations of textual evidences, based on the approach that theology encompasses both broad fundamentals and detailed applications.
Contents and Structure
The treatise covers the major domains of belief, dividing them into cognitive creedal principles, practical religious duties, and communal guidelines:
- Epistemology and Derivation (Usul al-Talaqqi wa-Manhaj al-Istidlal): The text defines Islamic creed conceptually and identifies its exclusive foundational sources as the Quran, the prophetic Sunna, and the consensus (ijma') of the early generations (al-Salaf al-Salih). It outlines the linguistic and terminological guidelines for understanding revelation, the harmony between sound intellect and authentic transmission, and the treatment of ambiguous terms.
- Core Articles of Faith: The work addresses the six pillars of belief, including the unity of God (Tawhid), His names and attributes, angels, revealed scriptures, messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree (qadar).
- Community and Governance (al-Jama'a wa-l-Imama): It elaborates on the practical manifestations of Sunni methodology, including adherence to the collective body of Muslims, the rules governing political leadership (imama), and the distinct moral and practical traits that characterize the adherents of the Sunna in their dealings with others.
Publication
The book was published in Riyadh by Dar al-Watan, with its first edition appearing in 1411 AH (c. 1990/1991 CE).
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