TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD BY SHAYKH WAHBA AL-ZUAYL

FOREWORD BY SHAYKH MUAMMAD SAD RAMAN AL-B

9
11

INTRODUCTION

15

CHAPTER ONE
The Meaning of the Term Ashar

19

CHAPTER TWO
The Biography of Imm Ab al-asan al-Ashar

23

CHAPTER THREE
Did al-Ashar Die upon a Different Doctrine?

25

REFUTING THE FIRST PREMISE:

THE THREE STAGES OF IMM AL-ASHAR
REFUTING THE SECOND PREMISE
ABDULLH B. SAD B. KULLB
REFUTING THE THIRD PREMISE
THE BOOK AL-IBNA
REFUTING THE CLAIM THAT SOME OF THE IMMS
RETRACTED FROM THE ASHAR DOCTRINE

26
29
38
50

CHAPTER FOUR
Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama

57

CHAPTER FIVE
The Statements of Some Contemporary Scholars
Regarding the Ashars

73

THE AMBIGUOUS VERSES

ACCORDING TO THE EARLY AND LATTER-DAY SCHOLARS
THE CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF THE AMBIGUOUS VERSES

76
76

CHAPTER SIX
Disagreements in Matters of Doctrine

91

STATEMENTS FROM THE RELIABLE IMMS NEGATING DIRECTION FROM

ALLAH, THE EXALTED, AND DECLARING HIM TRANSCENDENT ABOVE PLACE

99

AHL AL-SUNNA: THE ASHARIS

Imm Mlik
Imm al-abar and his negation of physical loftiness [uluw]
Q Iy
Imm al-Nawaw
Imm al-Shib
Al-fi Ibn ajar al-Asqaln
Imm al-Qushayr
Q al-Qut Ibn al-Munr
Imm al-Bayw
Imm al-Qurub

99
101
101
102
102
103
105
105
106
106

DISAGREEMENTS IN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF AHL AL-SUNNA

108

CHAPTER SEVEN
Non-Specific Interpretation [Tafw]
and Specific Figurative Interpretation [Tawl]

111

THE POSITION OF THE MAJORITY OF THE SALAF WAS TAFW

Important Notice:
The Salafs understanding of the ambiguous texts
FIGURATIVE INTERPRETATION IS A CORRECT METHOD
TAKEN FROM THE SALAF AND THE ARABIC LANGUAGE
EXAMPLES OF FIGURATIVE INTERPRETATION
GIVEN BY THE SCHOLARS
STATEMENTS FROM THE SCHOLARS
IN WHICH THEY NEGATE SENSORY MODALITIES

113
118
122
134
164

CHAPTER EIGHT
Figurative Interpretation [Tawl] and Extreme Denial [Tal] 173
THE REALITY OF EXTREME DENIAL
DO THE ASHARS NEGATE ALLAHS ATTRIBUTES?

173
173

CHAPTER NINE
The Salafs Figurative Interpretations
of the Texts Pertaining to the Attributes

189

Ibn Abbs interpretation of footstool [kurs]

Ibn Abbs interpretation
of the coming of the Lord
Ibn Abbs interpretation of the word eye [ayn]
Ibn Abbs interpretation of the word hand [yad]

189
189
190
190

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ibn Abbs interpretation of light [nr]
Ibn Abbs interpretation
of the texts that mention face [wajh]
Ibn Abbs interpretation of shin [sq]
Ibn Abbs interpretation of side [janb]
Mujhid and al-Sudds interpretation
of the word side [janb]
The interpretation of Al-ak, Qatda,
and Sad b. Jubayr for the word shin [sq]
The interpretation of Sufyn al-Thawr
and Ibn Jarr al-abar for rising [istiw]
The interpretation of Mujhid, al-ak,
and Ab Ubayda for the word face [wajh]
Imm al-Shfis interpretation of the word face [wajh]
Imm al-abars interpretation of the word eye [ayn]
Imm Mliks interpretation of the adth of descent [nuzl]
Imm Amads interpretation of Allahs coming
Al-asan al-Bars interpretation
Imm al-Bukhrs interpretation of laughter [aak]
Imm al-Bukhrs interpretation of the word face [wajh]
Notice: The misconception that the affirmation of general
meanings negates specific affirmation of attributes
Response: Attributes are affirmed as they have appeared,
without explanation or imparting specific meanings

191
191
191
191
192
192
193
193
193
194
194
194
195
195
196
197
198

CHAPTER TEN
The Ashars and Mturds are the Majority of the Umma

203

THE SENIOR QURNIC EXEGETES OF THE UMMA

FROM THE ASHARS AND MTURDS
Notice: Imm Muammad b. Jarr al-abar

203
206

SOME OF THE LATTER-DAY ASHAR QURNIC EXEGETES

THE SENIOR ADTH SCHOLARS AND MASTERS OF THE UMMA
FROM THE ASHARS AND MTURDS
THE SENIOR JURISTS OF THE UMMA FROM THE ASHARS AND MTURDS
THE NOTABLE SCHOLARS OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
FROM THE ASHARS AND MTURDS
AUTHORS ON THE PROPHETIC BIOGRAPHY [SRA]
FROM THE ASHARS AND MTURDS

206
207
210
211
212

AHL AL-SUNNA: THE ASHARIS

CHAPTER ELEVEN
The Noble Efforts of Ahl al-Sunna
in Defending the Religion and Refuting the Innovators

219

CHAPTER TWELVE
Formal Legal Verdicts and Statements from the Scholars
Regarding the Virtue of the Ashars and Harsh Words
Against Those who Condemn Them

227

The legal verdict of Imm Ibn Rushd al-Jadd

Imm al-Nawaw
Imm Ibn ajar al-Haytam
Al-fi Ibn Askir
Sayyid Muammad b. Alaw al-Mlik al-asan
The legal verdict of the Sacred Law Committee in Dubai
The formal legal verdict of Shaykh Amad al-ajj al-Kurd
The formal legal verdict of the Mufti of Lebanon

228
230
231
231
233
234
235
236

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The Doctrine of Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama

239

CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY

245
249