Naqd Kalam al-Muftarin ala al-Hanabila al-Salafiyyin
- Author died
- 1423 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat Ibn Taymiyyah
Naqd Kalam al-Muftarin ala al-Hanabila al-Salafiyyin (Refutation of the Words of the Fabricators against the Salafi Hanbalis) is a theological treatise by the Qatari jurist and judge Ahmad bin Hajar Al Butami (d. 1423 AH / 2002 CE), written to defend Ahmad ibn Hanbal, his school, and later Salafi scholars against historical and contemporary accusations of anthropomorphism and doctrinal extremism .
Background and Purpose
The composition of the treatise was prompted by an inquiry from a reader in Oman regarding assertions made in Ahmad Amin’s book Duha al-Islam . In that work, Amin attributed to certain Hanbalis the belief that the Quran is pre-eternal in its letters and sounds, and that even the leather binding and paper cover of the codex are pre-eternal, referencing al-Mawaqif by Iji (al-Iji) and Nihayat al-Iqdam by al-Shahrastani . Al Butami undertook a systematic examination of these citations, analyzing their accuracy and outlining the established creed of early and later Hanbali scholars on the nature of God's speech and related theological matters .
Contents and Arguments
The author begins by critiquing Ahmad Amin’s transmission from al-Mawaqif, noting discrepancies between the original wording and Amin's phrasing . Al Butami clarifies that no verified authority among the Hanbalis ever stated that the physical voice of the reciter, the leather binding, or the ink is eternal; rather, their affirmed doctrine is that the Quran is the uncreated speech of God, originating from Him and returning to Him . He challenges polemicists and theologians of speculative scholasticism (mutakallimun) to produce a single authentic passage from the works of Ahmad ibn Hanbal or verified scholars of his school that advocates anthropomorphism (tashbih or tajsim) .
To contextualize these allegations, the book surveys historical conflicts in Baghdad, including the events of 323 AH during the reign of the Abbasid caliph al-Radi and the strife of 475 AH involving Abu al-Qasim al-Bakri al-Maghribi at the Nizamiyya madrasa, attributing the origins of such charges to political tensions and inter-school polemics .
Al Butami extends his defense to Ibn Taymiyya and Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, addressing charges raised against the latter and his followers . He refutes claims that they diminished the status of the Prophet ﷺ, rejected his intercession, burned traditional scholarly works, or prohibited visiting graves, arguing that their adherence to the Prophet's sunnah and Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's authorship of Mukhtasar al-Sirah demonstrate deep veneration for the Prophet ﷺ .
Reception
The treatise has been cited and relied upon in contemporary Salafi literature as a specialized reference answering theological objections raised against Hanbali doctrine and the Najdi reform movement, alongside other works by Al Butami in the same field .
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