Mukhtasar Sharh Tashil al-Aqida al-Islamiyya
- Author died
- 1438 AH
- Editions
- T 6
Mukhtasar Sharh Tashil al-Aqida al-Islamiyya (Abridgment of the Commentary on Facilitating Islamic Creed) is a concise theological treatise authored by the Saudi scholar Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Jibrin (d. 1438 AH / 2017 CE), summarizing his larger commentary on Islamic creed for students and non-specialists .
Background and Purpose
The work is an abridgment of the author's expansive commentary, Sharh Tashil al-Aqida al-Islamiyya, which itself expounded upon his foundational primer, Tashil al-Aqida al-Islamiyya . In the original commentary, al-Jibrin provided extensive footnotes containing hadith attributions, citations from scholars across the four Sunni legal schools, and textual documentation from early authorities (al-salaf) and independent jurists (al-a'imma al-mujtahidun) . To produce a version suited specifically for students and non-specialist readers, he eliminated most of the extensive footnotes and lightly condensed the primary text .
Content and Structure
In certain printed editions, the text of the base primer (matn) is prefixed to the abridged commentary . The book begins with a preliminary introduction addressing fundamental theological terminology:
- Definition of Creed (Aqida): Its linguistic meaning of binding and firm establishment, and its technical meaning as firm faith in God, His oneness, His angels, His revealed scriptures, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree (qadar) . It outlines traditional titles for orthodox creed, including al-Sunnah, Usul al-Din (Foundations of Religion), and al-Fiqh al-Akbar (The Greater Jurisprudence) .
- Adherents and Opposing Groups: The introduction defines Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jama'ah (also termed Ahl al-Hadith, al-Firqa al-Najiyya, and al-Ta'ifa al-Mansura) and contrasts their methodology—grounded strictly in scripture and the way of the early generations—with philosophical theology (kalam) and various non-Sunni or dissenting theological sects, such as the Kharijites, Jahmiyya, Mu'tazila, Ash'aris, and Maturidis .
The main body of the work treats the foundational pillars of Islamic belief, framing faith (iman) as speech of the tongue, conviction of the heart, and deeds of the physical limbs . It details the six pillars of faith: belief in God (including divine lordship, worship, and attributes), belief in the angels, the revealed scriptures, the messengers, the Last Day, and predestination .
Publication
The abridgment has been issued in several editions, including a print by Madar al-Watan li-l-Nashr in Riyadh (1438 AH / 2017 CE) . In his preface completed on Monday, 4 Sha'ban 1438 AH, the author noted that he introduced slight additions and minor revisions in that edition, granting open permission for anyone to reproduce and distribute the work freely for non-commercial purposes without alteration . An earlier edition was published by Maktabat al-Rushd in Riyadh (1424 AH / 1435 AH) .
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