Sharh Manzumat al-Iman
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- Sharh Manzumat al-Iman
Sharh Manzumat al-Iman (The Commentary on the Didactic Poem of Faith), also titled as the commentary on Qala'id al-'Iqyan bi-Nazm Masa'il al-Iman (The Golden Necklaces Versifying the Issues of Faith), is a theological treatise in Islamic creed authored by Abu Muhammad Issam al-Bashir al-Marrakshi. The work serves as a systematic exposition of his own one-hundred-verse didactic poem composed in the rajaz meter regarding the Sunni doctrine of faith (iman), disbelief (kufr), and the regulations of excommunication (takfir).
Background and Purpose
Al-Marrakshi composed the original didactic poem, Qala'id al-'Iqyan, in one hundred verses—excluding its prologue and epilogue—to summarize essential creedal questions regarding faith while discarding unproductive disputations. He noted that he was motivated to compile a concise pedagogical text suited for contemporary students because existing foundational texts often lacked direct engagement with modern questions, and because prevailing theological trends suffered from confusion—notably modern extensions of Murji'ism on the one hand and extreme forms of excommunication on the other. He subsequently authored the commentary to unpack the poem's expressions, restrict its unqualified statements, clarify its broader aims, and provide necessary theological elaboration.
Contents and Structure
Following an introductory exposition of the poem's opening lines, the commentary is organized into four primary parts alongside a conclusion:
- Part One: The Reality of Faith (Fi Haqiqat al-Iman): Examines the linguistic definition of faith, its legal definition according to Ahl al-Sunnah—subdivided into the speech of the heart, speech of the tongue, actions of the heart, and actions of the limbs—and concludes with the doctrines of opposing theological factions.
- Part Two: The Increase and Decrease of Faith (Fi Ziyadat al-Iman wa-Nuqsanih): Explores textual proofs for the fluctuation of faith, the dimensions and manners in which it increases or decreases, and the stances of dissident groups.
- Part Three: Disbelief and Principles of Excommunication (Fi al-Kufr wa-Dawabit al-Takfir): Outlines the linguistic and terminological definitions of kufr, the criteria and impediments regarding excommunicating a specific individual (takfir al-mu'ayyan), and overarching principles governing judgments of apostasy.
- Part Four: Nullifiers of Faith (Fi Nawaqid al-Iman): Details specific nullifiers categorized under Divine Lordship (rububiyyah), Divine Names and Attributes (al-asma' wa-l-sifat), Divine Worship (uluhiyyah), and matters pertaining to prophethood and the unseen (al-ghayb).
Reception
The treatise was reviewed by Moroccan scholar Abu al-Fadl Umar ibn Mas'ud al-Haddushi, who contributed a commendatory foreword completed in Tetouan in Jumada al-Thaniyah 1421 AH (September 2000 CE). Al-Haddushi praised the composition for elucidating the Sunni understanding of faith and excommunication, highlighting its balanced methodology between the extremes of laxity (irja') and excessive excommunication (kharijiyyah).
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