Sharh al-Sunnah lil-Muzani

Sharh al-Sunnah (Explanation of the Sunnah) is a concise theological treatise on Islamic creed written by the Egyptian jurist and prominent companion of al-Shafi'i, al-Muzani (d. 264 AH / 878 CE) Tabaqat al-Shafiiyyin+1.

Context and Reason for Composition

The composition of the treatise arose as a response to inquiries regarding al-Muzani's theological stances Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1. Although al-Muzani had engaged with speculative theology (kalam) in his early years, he abandoned it on the advice of his teacher al-Shafi'i and refrained from speculative disputation throughout his life Mukhtasar al-Muzani. Rumors concerning his beliefs spread beyond Egypt to Tripoli in the Maghrib, where local scholars debated whether he had adopted ambiguous or deviant stances concerning the nature of the Qur'an Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1. A group from Tripoli, among whom was Ali ibn Abd Allah al-Hulwani, wrote to al-Muzani asking him to clarify his creed Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1. Al-Muzani responded by drafting this epistle as an explicit guide to the Sunnah, designed to help the questioner remain steadfast and repel speculative doubts and innovations Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1.

Contents and Theological Stances

The treatise presents an outline of theological doctrine following the tradition of early traditionalist scholars (ahl al-hadith):

• Divine Transcendence and Attributes: The text affirms God's oneness, absolute independence, and eternal attributes, stating that God is above His Throne ('al 'ala 'arshihi) and distinct from His creation (ba'in 'an khalqihi), while His knowledge is close to His creation and encompasses all things Ijtima al-Juyush al-Islam…+1.
• The Qur'an: It declares that the Qur'an is the uncreated speech of God (kalam Allah ghayr makhluq), affirming that God's power, descriptions, and words are eternal and uncreated Mukhtasar al-Uluw lil-Ali….
• Divine Decree and Creation: It emphasizes God's omnipotence and prior decree (al-qadar), stating that God created creation by His will without need, and that created beings act according to His foreknowledge of their good and evil actions Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1.

Transmission and Reception

The work has been transmitted through two primary paths originating from Ali ibn Abd Allah al-Hulwani Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1. The prominent chain runs through the hadith transmitter of Ascalon, Ismail ibn Raja, from Abu al-Husayn Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Malti and Abu Ahmad Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Qaysarani, from Ahmad ibn Bakr al-Yazuri, from al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Yazuri, from al-Hulwani Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1.

Later scholars cited and documented the treatise:

• Al-Dhahabi referenced its opening and transmission in Kitab al-Arsh and Kitab al-Uluw al-Arsh lil-Dhahabi+1.
• Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya quoted the full text of the epistle via the transmission of Abu Tahir al-Silafi in his Ijtima al-Juyush al-Islamiyyah Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1.

Manuscripts of the work have survived in libraries such as the Şehid Ali Pasha collection in Turkey and the collection of Hammad al-Ansari Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1. A critical edition of the text was published edited by Jamal Azzun in Saudi Arabia Mukhtasar al-Muzani+1.