Sharh al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya - Khalid al-Muslih
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- Sharh al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya - Khalid al-Muslih
Sharh al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya is a theological commentary by the contemporary Saudi scholar Khalid al-Muslih, explaining the classical creedal treatise formulated by Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi (d. 321 AH) .
Background and Context
The commentary originated as educational lessons designed to elucidate Islamic theology and clarify core creedal matters for students of religious knowledge . Al-Muslih notes that the base text has been the subject of numerous historical and contemporary commentaries; while some follow the methodology of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a, others align with schools of speculative theology, such as the Ash'aris and the Maturidis, which he characterizes as deviating from textual proofs . Among earlier works, he identifies the commentary by Ibn Abi al-Izz as the most sound and detailed explanation, highlighting its extensive incorporation of arguments from Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya and its thorough grounding in scriptural evidence .
Content and Method
The commentary follows the structure of al-Tahawi's original primer, analyzing each statement phrase by phrase:
- Divine Names and Attributes: Al-Muslih affirms the divine attributes as established in the Quran and the Sunnah without denial or figurative reinterpretation. He affirms that the Quran is the uncreated speech of God (kalam Allah) revealed through Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, explicitly rejecting speculative discourse (khawd) on the nature of God .
- Beatific Vision: He maintains that the believers will see God in the Hereafter without encompassing Him or defining the modality (bi-ghayr ihata wa-la kayfiyya), citing Quranic verses such as وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاضِرَةٌ * إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ ("Some faces that Day shall be radiant, looking at their Lord") and emphasizing absolute textual submission (taslim) over rationalist reinterpretations .
- Prophethood and Eschatology: The work outlines the status of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the chosen servant and seal of the prophets, while affirming the realities of the intermediate realm (barzakh), including the punishment and trial of the grave, the questioning by the angels Munkar and Nakir, the resurrection, and final judgment .
- Divine Decree: The text discusses the doctrine of predestination (qadar), its foundational levels—knowledge, divine will, creation, and writing—and warns against excessive theological disputes regarding divine decree .
Observations on the Base Text
While explaining the treatise, al-Muslih highlights specific structural and theological remarks regarding al-Tahawi's primer:
- Repetition: He observes that several topics are repeated across different sections of the text, suggesting this stemmed from al-Tahawi's desire to reinforce essential points of doctrine .
- Doctrine of Faith (Iman): Al-Muslih points out that al-Tahawi did not adhere strictly to the definition of faith held by the early Salaf, but rather adopted the perspective of the juristic Murji'ah (murji'at al-fuqaha'), an issue al-Muslih clarifies and critiques in the course of his commentary .
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