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Imam al-Tahawi rahmatullahi ‘alayhi was a mujtahid across the board and was thoroughly familiar with the fiqh of all four schools, as shown by his work on comparative study of Shari’ah entitled ‘Ikhtilaf al-fuqaha'. His works, ‘Sharh ma`ani al-athar ‘ and ‘Mushkil al-athar‘, have long been regarded as indispensable for training students of fiqh. While a great expert in hadith and fiqh, having reached the stage of kamal in both those branches of Islamic learning, he was an Imam of ‘Ilm al- Tawhid, or ‘Aqaid, as Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Imam Nasai, Imam Abu Dawud, Imam Tirmidhi and Imam Ibn Majah were imams of hadith; Imam Jalauddin as-Suyuti, Imam Ibn Kathir, Imam Baydhawi were imams of tafsir; and Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, Imam al-Shafa’i, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal were imams of fiqh - while all of them being great experts in the other branches of Islamic learning as well. Thus, on matters of ‘Aqaid, or understanding Tawhid, teachings of Imam al-Tahawi are as essential for subsequent generations as are the teachings of Imams Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasai and Ibn Majah for learning hadith; or the teachings of Imams Abu Hanifah, Malik, Shafa’i and Ahmad bin Hanbal for understanding the Shari’ah.

The following compilation by Imam al-Tahawi rahmatullahi ‘alayhi, though small in size, is a basic text for all times, listing what a Muslim must know and believe and inwardly comprehend. There is consensus (Ijma’) among the Sahaba, the Tabi’iin and all the leading Islamic authorities, such as the four Imams and their authoritative followers - radhi Allahu ta’aala ‘anhum ajma’iin - on the doctrines enumerated in this work, which are entirely derived from the undisputed primary sources of Religion, the Holy Qur'an and the sahih hadith. This work sums up the guidance in matters of belief, which have been set forth in those two sources to define the sound beliefs which are required by Islam. These are necessary for refuting the views of such sects that have deviated from the Sunnah, as the Mu`tazila, the Jahmiyya, the Karramiyya, the Qadariyya, and the Jabariyya, etc. and their subsequent offshoots or ideational successors.

In the manner of the Salaf al-Saalihiin, i.e. the upright Predecessors of Muslims, the book was actually "said" by the Imam, and put down in writing by disciples under his instruction. The following is perhaps the closest possible translation in English of the Imam’s original statement in ‘Arabic. The text, in translation, is given in its entirety, except for a very minor abridgment of the opening sentence. Certain parts of the text have been printed in bold, to highlight some of those concepts about which some confusion, misunderstanding and misguidance seems to be present amongst some in the present times. Occasionally, a word or two have been provided in parentheses for clarification on matters, which might be Beyond comprehension of some, due to unfamiliarity with the Arabic language, theological idiom, and/or the historical circumstances in which the text was originally compiled, However, this has been kept to the barest minimum here; we intend to provide such clarification in greater detail in the Sharh’ i.e. Commentary on this text a separate work, which also shall be available in print, in’ shaa Allah, in the near future.

Al-’Aqidah (Text)
B’Ismi ‘Llaahi ‘r-Rahmaani ‘r-Rahiim

Hujjat al-lslam Abu Ja'far al-Warraq al-Tahawi al-Misri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

This is a presentation of the beliefs ... according to the... jurists of this religion, ... may Allah be pleased with them all, and what they believe regarding the fundamentals of the religion and their faith in the Lord of the worlds.

We say about Allah's unity, believing by Allah's help that:

1. Allah is one, without any partners.

2. There is nothing like Him.

3. There is nothing that can overwhelm Him.

4. There is no God other than Him.

5. He is the Eternal without a beginning and enduring without end.

6. He will never perish or come to an end.

7. Nothing happens except what He wills.

8. No imagination can conceive of Him and no understanding can comprehend Him.

9. He is different from any created being.

10. He is living and never dies and is eternally active and never sleeps.

11. He creates without His being in need to do so and provides for His creation without any effort.

12. He causes death with no fear and restores to life without difficulty.

13. He has always existed together with His attributes since before creation. Bringing creation into existence did not add anything to His attributes that was not already there. As He was, together with His attributes, in pre-eternity, so He will remain throughout endless time.

14. It was not only after the act of creation that He could not be described as "the Creator" nor was it only by the act of origination that He could be described as "the Originator."

15. He was always the Lord even when there was nothing to be Lord of, and always the Creator even when there was no creation.

 

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