Sharh al-Aqida al-Wasitiyya - al-Ghunayman
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- Sharh al-Aqida al-Wasitiyya - al-Ghunayman
Sharh al-Aqida al-Wasitiyya (Commentary on the Wasiti Creed) is a contemporary theological work by the Saudi scholar Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Ghunayman (b. 1352 AH / 1933–1934 CE), explaining the classic Sunni creedal treatise Al-Aqida al-Wasitiyya by Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728 AH / 1328 CE) .
Origin and Transmission
The commentary originated from oral lectures and student study circles (al-jalasat al-tullabiyya) delivered by al-Ghunayman . Al-Ghunayman taught al-Aqida al-Wasitiyya alongside other major texts in settings that included Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina, where his study circles were attended by advanced students . The audio recordings of the lessons were later transcribed and published in digital format by the Islamweb network and included in the al-Maktaba al-Shamila digital library .
Content and Method
The work provides a systematic exposition of the theological principles outlined in Ibn Taymiyya's treatise, focusing on the creed of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a regarding the divine names and attributes . Al-Ghunayman proceeds by analyzing the scriptural passages cited in the base text clause by clause, highlighting their linguistic and doctrinal implications .
Among the topics detailed in the commentary:
- Divine Praise and Perfection: Explaining the opening Quranic citations, such as وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا (And say: Praise be to God, who has not taken a son), al-Ghunayman elucidates God's entitlement to all forms of praise (al-hamd) for His essence, attributes, and actions, distinguishing hamd (praise grounded in love) from madh (general commendation) and shukr (gratitude in response to a specific favor) .
- Transcendence and Negation of Deficiency: Affirming God's absolute self-sufficiency (ghina) and sovereignty while negating any partner in dominion (sharik fi al-mulk) or offspring, categorizing anthropomorphic claims made by various groups as fundamental mischaracterizations of divine majesty .
- Affirmation of Scriptural Attributes: Upholding the affirmative attributes established in the Quran and prophetic Sunna without distortion (tahrif), denial (ta'til), describing the modality (takyif), or likening God to creation (tamthil) .
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