Al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya (
Arabic: العقيدة الطحاوية) or Bayan al-Sunna wa al-Jama'a (
Arabic: بيان السنة والجماعة,
lit. 'Exposition of Sunna and the Position of the Majority') is a popular exposition of
SunniMuslim doctrine written by the tenth-century Egyptian theologian and
Hanafi jurist
Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi.[1][2]
Summary
The sole aim of al-Tahawi was to give a summary of the theological views of
Abu Hanifa, the founder of the
Hanafi school, as he states at the very beginning of his work that it is written in accordance to the methodology of the jurists, Abu Hanifa,
Abu Yusuf and
Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani. However, it can be said to represent the creed of both the
Ash'aris and the
Maturidis, especially the latter, given his being a follower of the Hanafi school. The Shafi'i scholar
Taj al-Din al-Subki (d. 771/1370) writes that the followers of the four main schools of law, the
Hanafis, the
Malikis, the
Shafi'is and the
Hanbalis are all one in creed:[3]
All of them follow the opinion of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama'a (the People of the
Prophetic Way and the Majority). They worship Allah in accordance with the creed of
Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (and
Abu Mansur al-Maturidi). None of them deviates from it, save the riffraff among the Hanafis and the Shafi'is who adopted the
Mu'tazili creed and those among the Hanbalis who adopted
anthropomorphism. However, Allah protected the Malikis from such things, for we have never seen a Maliki except that he was Ash'ari in creed. In summation, the creed of al-Ash'ari (and al-Maturidi) is what is contained in the creed of Imam
Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi, which the scholars of the various legal schools have endorsed and are content with as a creed.
The doctrines enumerated in this work are entirely derived from the
Qur'an and the authentic
Hadith. It starts with the
monotheistic oneness of God, then goes on to the assertion of His positive and eternal attributes. Al-Tahawi asserts the reality of the
beatific vision without modality (
bila kayf). Most of the other theoretical issues relating to the
next world are not rationally explained. God can predetermine some people to be happy and others to be miserable. Knowledge of the
decree of God is not given to mankind. Belief consists of assent by heart and confession by tongue. Sinners cannot be declared to be unbelievers. The actions of man are the creation of God and the acquisition of man.[4]
Commentators
Several scholars have written commentaries on this work. Among them are the following:[5]
Isma'il ibn Ibrahim al-Shaybani (d. 629/1231).
Najm al-Din Mankubars (d. 652/1254).
Mahmud al-Qunawi (d. 771/1369), entitled al-Qala'id fi Sharh al-'Aqa'id.[6][7]
Aqeedatul Tahawi, with commentary by
Qari Muhammad Tayyib, the former rector of
Darul Uloom Deoband. English translation by Afzal Hoosen Elias. First published in 2007 by Zam Zam Publishers.[16]
The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi, translated, introduced and annotated by
Hamza Yusuf. First published in 2009 by Fons Vitae.[17]
The Creed of Imam Tahawi, translated by Mohammad Ibrahim Teymori. According to the translator himself, this translation is heavily indebted to the works of Hamza Yusuf and Iqbal Ahmad Azami.
Al-'Aqidat at-Tahawiyyah (Kindle Edition), translated by Tahir Mahmood Kiani. First published in 2012 by T. M. Kiani.[18]
Al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya: Arabic Text with English Translation and Commentary, translated and prepared by Fahim Hoosen. This edition includes a brief and simple commentary. First published in 2015 by Azhar Academy.[19][20] The second edition published by Dar Ul Thaqafah in 2018.
Imam al-Tahawi's Creed of Islam: An Exposition, translated by Amjad Mahmood. This edition includes a commentary by the Hanafi scholar, judge and Maturidi theologian
Abu Hafs Siraj al-Din al-Ghaznawi [
ar] (d. 773/1372). First published in 2020 by Heritage Press.[21]
Indonesian edition
‘Aqidah Ath-Thahawiyah: Matan dan Terjemah translation by Nor Kandir. First published in 2017 in
Surabaya.[22]
French edition
La 'Aqîda Tahâwiyya (La profession de foi des gens de la Sunna), translated and commented on by Corentin Pabiot.[23] Published in 2015 by Maison d'Ennour.[24]
Kinyarwanda edition
Ibisobanuro By'imyemerere ya a-twahawiyat : Kugaragaza imyemerere y'abagendera ku migenzo y'Intumwa y'Imana (Ahlu Sunat wal Djama'at), translated by Maktabat al-Qalam, 2020
Malay edition
Terjemahan Al-Aqidah Al-Thahawiyyah, translated by Raja Ahmad Mukhlis al-Azhari.[25]
Tahâvî Şerhi Bâbertî Tercümesi, translated with commentary of
Akmal al-Din al-Babarti (d. 786/1384) by İsmailağa Fıkıh ve Te'lif Kurulu.[30]
Tâhâvi Akâidi Baberti Şerhi, translated with commentary of al-Babarti (d. 786/1384) by İzzet Karasakal.[31]
Tahâvi Akîdesi Bâbertî Şerhi, translated with commentary of al-Babarti (d. 786/1384) and
Siraj al-Din al-Ghaznawi [
ar] (d. 773/1372) by Yasin Karataş.[32]
İslam Akâid Metinleri, translated by Ali Pekcan.[33]
Urdu edition
Sharh al-'Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah, translated with commentary by Ehsanullah Shayeq.[34]
Al-Aseedah as-Samawiyyah Sharh al-Aqeedah At-Tahawiyyah, translated with commentary by Rida-ul-Haq.[35]
'Aqidat al-Tahawi wa al-'Aqidah al-Hasanah, translated by Abd al-Hamid Khan Swati. The book contains two works on
aqidah translated and published together due to sharing the same topic. The first is al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya, and the second is al-Aqidah al-Hasanah of
Shah Waliyyullah.[36]
Uzbek edition
Aqidatut Tahoviya sharhining talxiysi, Muhammad Anwar Badakhshani's "Talkhees Sharh Al Aqeedah Al-Tahawiyya" translated by
Sheikh Muhammad Sadik Muhammad Yusuf.[37]
^Vincent J. Cornell, Voices of Islam: Voices of tradition, p 208.
ISBN0275987337
^Bosworth, C.E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W.P.; Lecomte, G.; Bearman, P.J.; Bianquis, Th. (2000). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Vol. X (T-U) (New ed.). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. p. 101/102.
ISBN9004112111.
^Muhammad Hisham Kabbani.
"New Kharijism". livingislam.org. Archived from
the original on 16 Mar 2023. Ibn Abi al-ʿIzz's commentary on al-Tahawi's ʿAqida. The latter is a normative classic of Islam but Ibn Abi al-ʿIzz is an unknown, unacceptable as a source for Ahl al-Sunna teachings. Examples of his unreliability are his rejection of al-Tahawi's articles §35 ("The Seeing of Allah by the People of the Garden is true, without their vision being all-encompassing and without the manner of their vision being known") and §38 ("He is beyond having limits placed on Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs, nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are") by the statements, "Can any vision be rationally conceived without face-to-face encounter? And in it there is a proof for His elevation (ʿuluw) over His creatures," and "Whoever claims that Allah is seen without direction, let him verify his reason!"2 down He also endorses Ibn Taymiyya's view of the finality of Hellfire3 down in flat contradiction of the al-Tahawi's statement, §83. "The Garden and the Fire are created and shall never be extinguished nor come to an end." There is also doubt as to Ibn Abi al-ʿIzz's identity and authorship of this Sharh (cf. 4.1.3).
^"The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi". Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2022.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
link)
^İslam Akaid Metinleri. Rağbet Yayınları. 14 July 2017.
ISBN9786054074228. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
link)
^"Sharh Aqeedatul Tahawiyah". Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
link)
^Yusuf, Hamza (2008), The Creed of Imam Al-Tahawi, Oxford: Zaytuna Institute (1 Oct 2008),
ASIN097028439X
^Cornell, Vincent J. (1 Dec 2006), Voices of Islam: Voices of tradition, Praeger,
ASIN0275987329{{
citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link)