Usul Masa'il al-Aqida inda al-Salaf wa inda al-Mubtadia
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Usul Masa'il al-Aqida inda al-Salaf wa inda al-Mubtadia (Principles of Creedal Issues According to the Salaf and According to the Innovators) is a contemporary treatise on Islamic theology authored by the Saudi scholar Saud bin Abdul Aziz al-Khalaf . The book examines the foundational principles and epistemic methodology governing creed (aqida) among the early righteous generations (al-Salaf al-Salih) and contrasts them with the approaches adopted by various theological sects and innovators (al-mubtadi'a) .
Subject and Conceptual Framework
The work begins by defining essential terms, defining aqida technically as the matters that a Muslim is obligated to firmly believe in regarding Allah, the other pillars of faith, and related doctrinal subjects such as the caliphate . It identifies the Salaf as the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Successors (Tabi'un), and subsequent leading scholars who adhered strictly to their guidance, in contradistinction to sects such as the Kharijites, Rafidites, Jahmites, and Mu'tazilites .
The author argues that the creed of the Salaf is characterized by absolute reliance on divine revelation in both subtle and major theological questions, leading to internal consensus and unity, whereas innovation introduces divergent opinions and theological discord .
Methodological Foundations
The author derives the methodological rules of the Salaf from early classical authorities—such as Abu Bakr al-Ajurri in al-Shari'a and Ibn Battah in al-Ibanah—as well as syntheses by Ibn Taymiyyah . These core principles include:
- Exclusive reliance on the Qur'an and Sunnah: Affirming that revelation encompasses both the foundational principles (usul) and secondary applications (furu') of religion, and that matters of the unseen (ghayb) cannot be deduced independently by human intellect .
- Harmonization of revealed texts: Maintaining that there is no contradiction between the Qur'an and authentic prophetic traditions, as the Sunnah functions to clarify and elucidate scriptural meanings .
- Adherence to the understanding of the early generations: Following the authoritative precedent of the Companions and their righteous successors without introducing theological innovations .
- Refraining from subjecting texts to subjective opinions: Abstaining from prioritizing speculative reason or personal desires over textual evidence and actively cautioning against innovators .
Critique of Opposing Methodologies
The treatise contrasts this framework with the underlying premise of theological innovators, summarizing their deviation into a single overarching root: giving precedence to personal opinions, passions, intuitive unveilings (kashf), or rationalist speculation over scriptural transmission (naql) .
The work details how scholastic theologians (al-mutakallimun) established the subordination of scripture to dialectical reason (taqdim al-aql 'ala al-naql), while other groups—including the Kharijites, Rafidites, and Sufis—similarly diverged from the prophetic corpus due to differing subjective objectives, resulting in continuous internal fractioning and doctrinal conflict .
Publication
The book was published in Riyadh by Dar Adwa' al-Salaf (first edition, 1420–1421 AH / c. 1999–2000 CE) .
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