Qatf al-Thamar fi Bayan Aqidat Ahl al-Athar
- Author died
- 1307 AH
- Editions
- Wizarat al-Shu'un al-Islamiyyah wa-al-Awqaf wa-al-Da'wah wa-al-Irshad - al-Mamlakah al-Arabiyyah al-Sa'udiyyah
Qatf al-Thamar fi Bayan Aqidat Ahl al-Athar (The Plucking of Fruits in Clarifying the Creed of the People of Tradition) is a concise treatise on Islamic theology authored by the Indian scholar Siddiq Hasan Khan (1248–1307 AH / 1832–1890 CE) . The book outlines the creedal positions of Ahl al-Hadith and the classical adherents of the prophetic traditions .
Composition and Purpose
Siddiq Hasan Khan composed the treatise in 1289 AH (1872 CE) . As he noted at the conclusion of the text, he compiled it specifically for the religious instruction of his youngest son, Sayyid Ali ibn Siddiq .
Structure and Content
The treatise is organized into twenty-six chapters :
- General tenets and divine attributes: It opens with an exposition summarizing the creed of the traditionalist scholars of hadith, followed by an extensive citation of Quranic verses affirming the divine attributes (al-sifat) and God's transcendence above creation (al-uluww) .
- Censure of speculative theology: It incorporates transmitted statements from prominent classical imams censuring dialectical theology (dhamm al-kalam) .
- Epilogue: The work concludes with an epilogue reflecting on the author's scholarly orientation and personal humility .
Method and Sources
In assembling the work, the author drew directly from classical works of traditionalist creed, particularly the writings of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Taymiyyah, and Ibn al-Qayyim . The text encompasses virtually all the material contained in Ibn Taymiyyah's al-Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah and the majority of Ahmad ibn Hanbal's Kitab al-Sunnah, frequently citing entire passages verbatim or with minor variations in wording .
Publication History
The book was first printed as a lithograph at al-Matba' al-Nizami in Kanpur, India, in 1295 AH (1878 CE)—seventeen years prior to the author's death—spanning thirty-one medium-sized pages . It was later critically edited and annotated by Asim ibn Abd Allah al-Qaryuti .
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