Mutaqad Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jamaa fi Tawhid al-Asma wal-Sifat
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Muʿtaqad Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah fī Tawḥīd al-Asmāʾ wa-l-Ṣifāt (The Creed of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'ah Regarding the Unity of the Divine Names and Attributes) is a contemporary theological monograph by Muhammad ibn Khalifa al-Tamimi outlining the Sunni creed concerning the names and attributes of God.
Context and Purpose
The treatise serves as the introductory work in al-Tamimi's multi-volume academic series titled Dirāsāt fī Mabāḥith Tawḥīd al-Asmāʾ wa-l-Ṣifāt (Studies in the Discourse on the Unity of the Divine Names and Attributes). The author designed this volume to establish the overarching tenets and foundational rules of the creed before addressing detailed subtopics in subsequent installments of the series.
Al-Tamimi delineated three primary objectives for the work:
- Presenting the doctrine of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jama'ah regarding God's names and attributes in a comprehensive yet thorough manner, proceeding from general principles to detailed analyses.
- Systematizing and organizing the scattered discussions found across classical Sunni works into a structured and accessible format for students of Islamic theology.
- Clarifying the invalidity and theological deviations of opposing viewpoints that diverged from orthodox textual affirmations.
Structure and Content
The book opens with an introduction and a prologue discussing the importance and theological status of tawhid al-asma' wa-l-sifat as an integral component of faith in God. The core text is divided into two primary chapters, followed by a conclusion and detailed indexes:
- Chapter One: Definition of Tawhid al-Asma' wa-l-Sifat and Its Relation to the Other Categories of Tawhid (Taʿrīf Tawḥīd al-Asmāʾ wa-l-Ṣifāt wa-ʿAlāqatuhu bi-Bāqī Anwāʿ al-Tawḥīd): This chapter contains two sections defining the singled-out affirmation of God's most beautiful names and lofty attributes as established in the Quran and the Sunnah, and examining its connection to the categories of divine lordship (tawhid al-rububiyya) and divine worship (tawhid al-uluhiyya).
- Chapter Two: The Creed of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'ah Regarding the Names and Attributes of God (Muʿtaqad Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah fī Asmāʾ Allāh wa-Ṣifātih): This chapter comprises three sections defining the righteous predecessors (al-Salaf al-Salih) and Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'ah, expounding their specific doctrinal stance on the divine names and attributes, and articulating the epistemological and methodological foundations upon which this creed is constructed.
Publication
The book has been printed in several editions, including a publication by Dār Īlāf al-Dawliyyah in Kuwait (1417 AH / 1996 CE) and an edition published by Dār al-Salām in Cairo.
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