Sharh al-Aqida al-Tahawiya - Yusuf al-Ghufays
- Author died
- -
- Editions
- Sharh al-Aqida al-Tahawiya - Yusuf al-Ghufays
Sharh al-Aqida al-Tahawiya is a contemporary theological commentary by Yusuf al-Ghufays on the foundational creedal treatise composed by Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi (239–321 AH / 853–933 CE) .
Introductory Framework
The work begins with three preliminary discourses (muqaddimat) establishing the historical and doctrinal context of the text:
- The Creed of Imam Abu Hanifa: An analysis of the theological positions associated with Abu Hanifa in early sources . The author clarifies that while Abu Hanifa's legal stature is universally acknowledged, his followers diverged significantly in theology into various factions—including the Maturidiyya, sections of the Ash'ariyya, and the Karramiyya . He notes that Abu Hanifa's doctrine on faith (iman) traced back to Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman, whereas reports attributing theological errors to him in divine attributes and predestination (qadar) lack verified transmission .
- The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi and the Doctrinal Stances of the Juristic Schools: An examination of al-Tahawi's intellectual background—having been raised in a Shafi'i household before adopting the Hanafi school—and an assessment of how subsequent adherents of the four Sunni legal schools approached theology . The author classifies post-formative jurists into three broad categories: those who remained strictly faithful to the early imams' theological foundations (found most consistently among Hanbalis); those who adopted distinct scholastic movements such as Mu'tazilism or Ash'arism; and those who generally adhered to traditional tenets but absorbed certain scholastic terms and interpretations through contact with contemporary theological currents .
- Assessment of al-Aqida al-Tahawiya: An evaluation explaining why al-Tahawi's treatise attained broad acceptance across diverse theological groups . The author attributes this widespread reception to al-Tahawi's use of generalized expressions in contentious matters and his occasional employment of terminology common among scholastic theologians (mutakallimun), such as the concept of kasb (acquisition) regarding human actions, the negation of boundaries, organs, and the six directions concerning divine transcendence, and the discussion of imposing obligations beyond human capacity (taklif ma la yutaq) .
Method and Doctrinal Exposition
In expounding the main body of the text, the commentary examines al-Tahawi's statements clause by clause from an Athari/Salafi perspective . When discussing divine names and attributes, the work emphasizes affirming the literal meanings established in revelation while consigning their ultimate modality (kayfiyya) to God, contrasting this approach with both scholastic figurative interpretation (ta'wil) and total negation (ta'til) . The commentary also contextualizes al-Tahawi's specific formulations by comparing them against the views of early theological sects—such as the Jahmiyya and Mu'tazila—as well as later scholastic traditions .
Answer updated