Tanbih al-Ikhwan ala al-Akhata fi Masalat Khalq al-Quran
- Author died
- 1413 AH
- Editions
- Dar Al-Liwa for Publishing and Distribution
Tanbih al-Ikhwan ala al-Akhta fi Masalat Khalq al-Quran (Alerting the Brothers to Errors Concerning the Issue of the Creation of the Quran) is a theological polemical treatise by the Saudi Hanbali scholar Hammud ibn Abdullah al-Tuwayjiri (d. 1413 AH / 1992 CE) addressing doctrines and historical claims regarding the creation of the Quran.
Background and Purpose
Al-Tuwayjiri composed the work as a direct rebuttal to a treatise published by Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda titled Mas'alat Khalq al-Quran wa-Atharuha fi Sufuf al-Ruwat wa-al-Muhaddithin wa-Kutub al-Jarh wa-al-Ta'dil (The Issue of the Creation of the Quran and Its Impact in the Ranks of Transmitters, Hadith Scholars, and Biographical Evaluation Works). In his introduction, al-Tuwayjiri stated that Abu Ghudda's treatise included unacceptable views resembling those of the Jahmiyya, prompting him to author a critique to warn students of religious knowledge against being misled by them.
Content and Arguments
The book focuses on scrutinizing specific historical and theological assertions made in Abu Ghudda's treatise:
- Critique of Claims Regarding Abu Hanifa: Al-Tuwayjiri disputes Abu Ghudda's assertion that the trial of the creation of the Quran first surfaced during the lifetime of Abu Hanifa and that Abu Hanifa uttered a decisive judgment that silenced its proponents. Al-Tuwayjiri characterizes this as unfounded exaggeration, maintaining that standard Sunnī sources do not record such an occurrence from Abu Hanifa.
- Critique of al-Kawthari's Formulations: He criticizes Abu Ghudda's reliance on quotations from Muhammad Zahid al-Kawthari, particularly the statement attributed to Abu Hanifa that "whatever subsists in creation is created." Al-Tuwayjiri argues that the report is unproven, and that interpreting it to mean that the Quranic texts memorized in minds, recited by tongues, or written in codices are created aligns with Jahmī doctrines.
- Sunnī Position on Recitation and the Recited: Al-Tuwayjiri presents the doctrine of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-al-Jama'ah, emphasizing the distinction between the created actions and faculties of the servant (such as the voice, recitation, paper, and ink) and the uncreated speech of God that is recited, heard, memorized, and transcribed. To substantiate this, he cites classical reports, notably the fivefold distinction transmitted by Ibrahim al-Harbi from Ahmad ibn Hanbal, as well as Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari's treatise Khalq Af'al al-Ibad (The Creation of Servants' Actions), supporting these points with verses of the Quran, hadiths, and lines from Ibn al-Qayyim's theological poem al-Kafiya al-Shafiya.
Publication
The work was published in its first edition in 1404 AH / 1984 CE by Dar al-Liwa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was distributed as a religious endowment (waqf) under the auspices of the General Presidency of the Administrations of Scientific Research, Ifta, Da'wa, and Guidance in Saudi Arabia.
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