Al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya (Arabic:العقيدة الطحاوية) orBayan al-Sunna wa al-Jama'a (Arabic:بيان السنة والجماعة,lit.'Exposition of Sunna and the Majority') is a popular exposition ofSunniMuslim doctrine written by the tenth-century Egyptian theologian andHanafi juristAbu Ja'far al-Tahawi.[1][2]
The sole aim of al-Tahawi was to give a summary of the theological views ofAbu Hanifa, the founder of theHanafi 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 andMuhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani. However, it can be said to represent the creed of both theAsh'aris and theMaturidis, especially the latter, given his being a follower of the Hanafi school. The Shafi'i scholarTaj al-Din al-Subki (d. 771/1370) writes that the followers of the four main schools of law, theHanafis, theMalikis, theShafi'is and theHanbalis are all one in creed:[3]
All of them follow the opinion ofAhl al-Sunna wa al-Jama'a (the People of theProphetic Way and the Majority). They worship Allah in accordance with the creed ofAbu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (andAbu Mansur al-Maturidi). None of them deviates from it, save the riffraff among the Hanafis and the Shafi'is who adopted theMu'tazili creed and those among the Hanbalis who adoptedanthropomorphism. 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 ImamAbu 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 theQur'an and the authenticHadith. It starts with themonotheistic oneness of God, then goes on to the assertion of His positive and eternal attributes. Al-Tahawi asserts the reality of thebeatific vision without modality (bila kayf). Most of the other theoretical issues relating to thenext world are not rationally explained. God can predetermine some people to be happy and others to be miserable. Knowledge of thedecree 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]
According to Mizan Harun, it is impossible to precisely account for the countless scholars who have interpreted, taught, printed, and studiedAl-Aqida al-Tahawiyya over the centuries. Among Islamic works that have profoundly influenced the Muslim community, this text holds among the first places. Al-Tahawi wrote from a perspective aimed at the entireSunni community rather than any specific group, giving the work a universal character. Over time, however, later commentators often framed it according to particular doctrinal positions, portraying al-Tahawi as aligned with specific factions. This process diminished the text’s original universality, turning a clear exposition of Sunni creed into a more complex and nuanced work in the eyes of later generations.[5]
Aqeedatul Tahawi, with commentary byQari Muhammad Tayyib, the former rector ofDarul Uloom Deoband. English translation by Afzal Hoosen Elias. First published in 2007 by Zam Zam Publishers.[17]
The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi, translated, introduced and annotated byHamza Yusuf. First published in 2009 by Fons Vitae.[18]
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.[19]
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.[20][21] 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 theologianAbu Hafs Siraj al-Din al-Ghaznawi [ar] (d. 773/1372). First published in 2020 by Heritage Press.[22]
La 'Aqîda Tahâwiyya (La profession de foi des gens de la Sunna), translated and commented on by Corentin Pabiot.[24] Published in 2015 by Maison d'Ennour.[25]
Tahâvî Şerhi Bâbertî Tercümesi, translated with commentary ofAkmal al-Din al-Babarti (d. 786/1384) by İsmailağa Fıkıh ve Te'lif Kurulu.[31]
Tâhâvi Akâidi Baberti Şerhi, translated with commentary of al-Babarti (d. 786/1384) by İzzet Karasakal.[32]
Tahâvi Akîdesi Bâbertî Şerhi, translated with commentary of al-Babarti (d. 786/1384) andSiraj al-Din al-Ghaznawi [ar] (d. 773/1372) by Yasin Karataş.[33]
İslam Akâid Metinleri, translated by Ali Pekcan.[34]
Sharh al-'Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah, translated with commentary by Ehsanullah Shayeq.[35]
Al-Aseedah as-Samawiyyah Sharh al-Aqeedah At-Tahawiyyah, translated with commentary by Rida-ul-Haq.[36]
'Aqidat al-Tahawi wa al-'Aqidah al-Hasanah, translated by Abd al-Hamid Khan Swati. The book contains two works onaqidah 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 ofShah Waliyyullah.[37]
Aqidatut Tahoviya sharhining talxiysi, Muhammad Anwar Badakhshani's "Talkhees Sharh Al Aqeedah Al-Tahawiyya" translated bySheikh Muhammad Sadik Muhammad Yusuf.[38]
^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.
^Harun, Mizan (2022).Al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya: In the Light of the Interpretations of the Salaf and Khalaf (in Bengali).Dhaka: Rahnuma Prakashoni. pp. 6–7.ISBN978-984-93987-2-1.
^Muhammad Hisham Kabbani."New Kharijism".livingislam.org. Archived fromthe 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).
^İslam Akaid Metinleri. Rağbet Yayınları. 14 July 2017.ISBN9786054074228. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved17 November 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"Sharh Aqeedatul Tahawiyah". Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved15 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)
