Sharh al-Tadmuriyya - Nasir al-Aql
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- Sharh al-Tadmuriyya - Nasir al-Aql
Sharh al-Tadmuriyya (شرح التدمرية) is a contemporary pedagogical commentary by the Saudi scholar Nasir al-Aql on Ibn Taymiyya’s (d. 728 AH / 1328 CE) renowned theological treatise al-Risala al-Tadmuriyya (also known as al-Aqida al-Tadmuriyya) . Delivered as a series of recorded scholarly lectures that were later transcribed into written form, the commentary focuses on expounding the creed of the early generations (Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'ah) concerning God's names and attributes (al-asma' wa-l-sifat) and divine decree (al-qadar) .
Origin and Scope
The commentary explains the treatise composed by Ibn Taymiyya for the people of Tadmur (Palmyra) in Syria, which is placed at the beginning of the third volume of Majmu' al-Fatawa . Nasir al-Aql structures his exposition around the text's two fundamental pillars: the first concerning divine names and attributes, and the second concerning divine law (al-shar') and predestination (al-qadar) .
The commentary distinguishes between these two domains based on linguistic and doctrinal divisions:
- Tawhid al-Asma' wa-l-Sifat: Pertains to divine reports (al-khabar) revolving between affirmation and negation, which demand acceptance and submission without addition or innovation .
- Al-Shar' wa-l-Qadar: Pertains to requisition and divine will (al-talab wa-l-irada), encompassing commands, prohibitions, love, and displeasure .
Method and Key Themes
Throughout the lectures, Nasir al-Aql clarifies Ibn Taymiyya's critique of the various factions that engaged in theological disputes, categorizing them into: speculative theologians and philosophers (Ahl al-Nazar), scholars of revealed knowledge (Ahl al-'Ilm), people of spiritual intent and action (Ahl al-Irada), and devout ascetics (al-'Ubbad) . He details how groups such as the Mu'tazilites, Jahmites, and speculative attributists (al-Sifatiyya) fell into doctrinal error by mixing philosophical argumentation with revealed texts .
A central portion of the commentary is dedicated to explaining the comprehensive conclusion (al-khatima al-jami'a) of the first section of the treatise, which sets out seven universal maxims (qawa'id) governing divine attributes . Nasir al-Aql explains that establishing God's attributes in accordance with the Quran and Sunna does not necessitate anthropomorphism (tajsim), because affirmation is made in a manner befitting divine majesty, strictly negating any deficiency, likeness (tamthil), or nullification (ta'til) through both textual and sound rational arguments .
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