Al- Ibaanah of Imaam Abu Hasan al-Ashari

[boriqee]

inal-hamdulillah wa salatu wa salamu ala nabiyyina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'een

It is quite necessary to save this wonderful Imaam of certain fabrications that have been made against him so bi ithniallah, i will post his final book on creed most represented in the last part of his life after being misguided upon the religion of the mutazilah from which their offspring remain in our times among ashaa'irah and the ahlul-kalaam groups.

Abu Hasan al-'Ash'ari (rahimahullaah) said:
Praise be to Allaah the One, the almighty the glorious, the only one to whom unity is ascribed, the Magnified in praise, whom the attribute of Human beings do not adequately describe. He has neither adversary nor rival, and He is the creator and the restorer, "The Doer of what He wills"- [11:109] He is too exalted to possess consorts or children, too holy to associate with the genera of creation or things corrupt. He has not form capable of expression, nor is a definition of Him by means of a simile possible.
If anybody says to us, " You have denied the beliefs of the Mu`tazilah, the Qadariyyah, the Jahmiyyahh, the Haruriyyah the Rafidha and the Murji`a; now let us know the beliefs you hold and the religion you follow," the answer is:
The belief we hold and the religion we follow consists of:
Holding fast to the book of our Lord, to the Sunnah of our Prophet, and the traditions related on the authority of the Companions and the Successors and the Imaams1 of hadeeth - to that we hold firmly...
The essence of our belief is that we confess faith in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam)s, the revelation of Allaah, and what the trustworthy have handed down on the authority of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam), rejecting none of them.
We confess that Allaah is One - There is none worthy of worship but He - unique, eternal, possessing neither consort nor child;
and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam), who He sent with the guidance and the real Religion;
and that Paradise is real and Hell is real ;
and that there is no doubt regarding the Coming Hour; and that Allaah will raise up all those who are in the graves ;
and that Allaah (istiwaa) His throne (as He has said, "The Merciful is (istiwaa)on the Throne" - [20:4] ) ;
and that He has a face (as He has said, "but the Face of thy Lord shall abide resplendent with majesty and glory" - [55:27] ) ;
And that He has two hands, bila kaifa (without asking how?) (as He has said " I have created with my two hands," - [38:75] and he has said, "nay! Outstretched are both His hands" - [5:69]);
and that He has an eye, without asking how (as He has said "under Our eyes it floated on" - [54:14] ),
and that anybody who thinks that the names of Allaah are other than He is in error;
and that Allaah has Knowledge (as He has said, in His knowledge He sent it down," - [4:164] ), and as He said, "And no female concieveth and bringeth forth without His knowledge" - [35:12] ),
we also assert that Allaah has hearing and sight, and we do not deny it as the Mu`tazila, the Jahmiyyah, and the Khaarijites deny it;
And we assert that Allaah has Prowess(Quwwah) (as He has said, " saw they not that Allaah Who created them was mightier than they in Prowess?" -[41:14] );
and we believe that the Word of Allaah is uncreated, and that He has created nothing without first saying to it, "Be!," And it is "as he has said, "Our word to a thing when we will it is but to say, 'Be!', and it is" - [16:42]),
and that there is no good or evil on earth save what Allaah wishes: and that things exist by Allaah's wish;
and that not a single person has the capacity to do anything until Allaah causes him to act,
and we are not independent of Allaah,
nor can we pass beyond the range of Allaah's knowledge;
and that there is no creator save Allaah, and the works of human beings are things created and decreed by Allaah (as He has said, "Allaah has created you and what you make" - [37:94]);
and that human beings have not the power to create anything, but are them selves created (as He has said, " Is there a creator other than Allaah?" - [35:3], and as He has said, "they create nothing, but are themselves created," - [16:20] and as he said, "Shall He who creates be as who creates not?," - [16:17] and as He has said, "were they created by nothing or were they themselves the creators?," - [52:35] for this is mentioned in Allaah's Book frequently);
and that Allaah favours the Believers by granting them obedience to Him, is gracious to them, considers them, does what is salutary for them, guides them;
whereas He causes the Disbelievers to stray, does not guide them, does not give them the grace to believe".
As the deviators and rebels think for if He were gracious to them and did what salutary for them they would be sound;
and if He guided them, they would be guided; as He has said, "He whom Allaah guides is the guided and they whom be misleads will be the lost" - [7:177],
and that Allaah has power to do what is salutary for the infidels and be gracious to them, that they may become believers, nevertheless He wills that they be infidels, as He knows; and that He forsakes them and seals up their hearts;
and that good and evil are dependant upon the general and the particular decrees of Allah, His sweet and His bitter; and we know that what passes us by was not to befall us, and what befalls us was not to pass us by;
and that human beings do not control for themselves what is hurtful or what is helpful, except what Allaah wishes;
and that we ought to commit our affairs to Allaah and assert our complete need of and dependence upon Him.
We believe, too, that the Qur`an is the uncreated word of Allaah, and that he who believes that the Qur`an is created is an infidel.
We hold that Allaah will be seen in the next world by sight (as the moon is seen on the night it is full, so shall the faithful see Him, as we are told in the traditions that come down on the authority of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam);
and we believe that the infidels will be veiled from Him when the faithful see Him in Paradise (as Allaah has said, "Yea, they shall be shut out as by a veil from their Lord on that day" - [83:15],
and that Musa asked Allaah for the sight of Him ion this world, and "Allaah manifested Himself to the mountain" and "turned it to dust," - [7:139], and taught Musa by it that he should not see Him in this world.
It is our opinion that we ought not to declare a single one of the people of the Qibla an infidel for a sin of which he is guilty, such as fornication or theft or the drinking of wine, as the Kharijites hold, thinking that such people are infidels;
but we believe that he who commits any these mortal sins, such as fornication or theft or the like presumptuously declaring it lawful and not acknowledging that is forbidden is an infidel.
We believe that Islam is more extensive than faith, and that faith is not the whole of Islam.
We hold that Allaah changes men's hearts, and that their hearts are between two of Allaah's fingers, and that Allaah will place the heavens on a finger and the earth on a finger, as we are told in the tradition that comes down on the authority of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam).
We hold that we ought not to relegate any of the Monotheists, or those who hold fast to the faith, to Paradise or to Hell, save him in whose favour the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) of Allaah has borne witness concerning Paradise;
and we hope that sinners will attain to Paradise, but we fear that they will be punished in Hell.
We believe that Allaah, by the intercession of Muhammad, Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam), will bring forth a people from Hell after they have been burned to ashes, in accordance with what we are told in the traditions related on the authority of Allaah's messenger.
We believe in the punishment of the grave, and the Pool, and hold that the Scales are real, and the Bridge is real, and the resurrection after death is real, and that Allaah will line up human beings at the Station, and settle the account with the faithful.
We believe that faith consists of words and deeds, and is subject to increase and decrease;
and we receive the authentic traditions regarding it related on the authority of the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) of Allaah, which the trustworthy have transmitted, one just man from another, until the tradition goes back to the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) of Allaah,
we believe in affection towards our forebears in faith, whom Allaah chose for the company of His Prophet, we praise them with the praise wherewith Allaah praised them, and are attached to them all.
We believe that the excellent Imaam, after the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) of Allaah, is Abu Bakr the Veracious, and that Allaah strengthened the Religion by him and gave him success against the renegades,
and the Muslims promoted him to the imamate just as the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) of Allaah made him leader of prayer, and they all named him the caliph of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam);
then after him came `Umar Ibn Al-Kattab; then Uthmaan bin Affaan (those who fought with him wrongfully and unrighteously); then `Ali Ibn Abi taalib; wherefore these are the Imaams after the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) of Allaah, and their caliphate is a caliphate of Prophecy.
We bear witness concerning Paradise in favour of the ten in whose favour the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) of Allaah bore witness to it, and we are attached to all the Companions of the Prophet, and avoid what was disputed among them.
We hold that the four Imaam are orthodox, divinely guided, excellent caliphs, unmatched by others in excellence.
We accept all the traditions for which for which the traditionists vouch: the descent in to the lower heavens, and the Lord's saying, "Is the there any who has a request? Is there any who ask forgiveness?," and the other things they relate and vouch for; dissenting from what the deviators and followers of error assert.
We rely, in that wherein we differ, upon our Lord's book, and the sunnah of our Prophet, and the unanimous consent (Ijma`) of the Muslims and what it signifies;
and we do not introduce into Allaah's religion innovations that Allaah does not allow,
nor we do we believe of Allaah what we do not know.
We believe that Allaah will come in the day of resurrection (as He has said, "and thy Lord shall come and the Angels rank on rank" - [80:23]);
and that Allaah is near His servants, even as He wishes (as He has said, "We are nearer to him then his Jugular vein," - [50:15] and as He said, "the He came nearer and approached and was at the distance of to bows or even closer" - [53:8,9]).
It belongs to the our religion to observe the Friday Assembly, and the feasts, and the remaining prayers and public devotions under the leadership of every pious man or impious (as it is related of `AbdAllaah ibn Umar that he used to pray behind al-Hajjaj ibn-yusuf);
and we believe that the wiping of the sandals is a sunnah at home and in travel, contrarily to the belief of anybody who denies it;
and we approve prayer for the welfare of the imaams of the Muslims, and the confession of their imamate; and we regard it as error on anybody's part to "going out" against them when they have clearly abandoned rectitude;
and we believe in abstinence from "going out" against them with the sword, and abstinence from fighting in civil commotions (fitnah).
We confess the going forth of Antichrist (ad-Dajjaal), as it is contained in the tradition related on the authority of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam).
We believe in the punishment of the grave, and in Munkar and Nakir, and their interrogation of those who are buried in the graves.
We accept the hadeeth of Ascension (mi`raj) and regard as authentic many of the visions of sleep, and confess there are interpretations to them.
We approve alms on behalf of the Muslim dead, and prayer for their welfare; and we believe that Allaah helps them by it.
We accept it as true that there are sorcerers and sorcery in the world, and that sorcery exists in the world.
We believe in praying for those of the people of the Qibla who are dead, the pious and the impious, and in the lawfulness of being their heirs.
We confess that Paradise and Hell are created;
and that he who dies or is slain at his appointed term;
and that sustenance is from Allaah who gives it to His creatures in the permitted and the forbidden;
and that Satan whispers to man and causes him to doubt and infects him, contrarily to the belief of the Mu`tazilah and the Jahmiyyahh (as Allaah has said, "they who swallow down usury shall arise in the resurrection only as he ariseth who Satan hath infected by his touch," - [2:276] and as he has said, "against the mischief of the stealthily withdrawn whisperer, who wispereth in man's breast-against jinn and men". - [114:46]).
We believe that Allaah can design particularly for the just the signs he manifests to them.
Our belief regarding the children of the polytheists is that Allaah will kindle a fire for them in the next world, and then will say to them, "rush into it!," as the tradition tells us concerning it.
We hold that Allaah knows what human beings are doing, and what they are going to do, what has been, what is, and how what is not would have been if it had been.
We believe in obedience to the Imaams and in the sincere counsel of the Muslims.
We approve separation from every innovation tendency, and the avoidance of the people of straying impulses.

Authentification of al-Ibaanah
In this regard one must understand a reality that this person was resonsible for forming an entire sect, and then their very founder debased the principles which formed their sect, so quite naturally the first and only accusation is to nullify his returning to the aqeedah of ahlu-sunnah wal jama'ah by insinuating that the book is not from him.

As for those who have ascribed the book al-Ibaanah to Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy and have testified that it was his last book concerning aqeedah then they are numerous and amongst them:
• al-Haafidh Ibn Asaakir in Tabyeenul Kadhabul-Muftaree (p.152) which is a refutation of al-Ahwaazee,
• al-Bayhaqee in al-I'tiqaad (p.31),
• Imaam adh-Dhahabee in al-Uluww (no.276) and
• Ibn ul-'Imaad in Shadhraat udh-Dhahab (p.303).
Furthermore, Abu Qaasim Abdul Malik bin Eesaa bin Darbaas [2] (d. 659H) in his book, adh-Dhabb an Abee Hasan al-Ash'ariyy, mentions the People of Knowledge who have ascribed this book to Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy and have testified to it being his aqeedah which he embraced at the end of his life and amongst them he names:
• Al-Imaam al-Haafidh Abul-Abbaas Ahmad bin Thaabit at-Turqee,
• Abu Uthmaan Ismaa'eel as-Saaboonee,
• Imaam ul-Qurraa Abu Alee Hasan bin Alee bin Ibraaheem al-Faarisee,
• al-Imaam al-Faqeeh Abul-Fath Nasr al-Maqdisee,
• al-Imaam al-Haafidh Abul-Qaasim Alee bin Hasan bin Hibatullaah ash-Shaafi'ee,
• al-Faqeeh Abul-Ma'aalee Majallee,
• and al-Haafidh Abu Muhammad bin Alee al-Baghdaadee.

Let us begin with the first shubha

The Ibanah does not have an Isnad, as far as I'm aware. In fact, according to my knowledge only two works ascribed to al-Ash'ari have Isnads: al-Risalah fi'l-Iman and al-Hathth 'ala'l-Bahth, the latter also known under the spurious title of al-Risalah al-Istihsan al-Khawd fi 'Ilm al-Kalam. Abd al-Malik b. Darbas (d.605) says about the issue of Isnad, concerning al-Ash'ari's works, that the only work which has been reported by chain of transmission from him is the Risalah al-Iman. He said:

"And it (i.e. Risalah fi'l-Iman) is with us from the transmission of the Imam and Hafidh Abu Tahir al-Silafi. Nothing has reached us of the writings of Abu'l-Hasan [al-Ash'ari] with a continuous transmission to him, but this one."

He implies by this that the Ibanah has not been transmitted from the Imam by way of Isnad. This conclusion is highly probable, since Ibn Darbas wrote an independant tract in defense of the Ibanah in which he advocated at the utmost for the authenticity of the Ibanah that he rejected any doubts concerning it's ascription. If Ibn Darbas tried to prove its soundness at the utmost, he would definetily mention a Sanad for it. Since he does not, there could not be found any.

This means also, as I suggest now, that the Hafidh Ibn 'Asakir does not know of any Isnad for it. If he does know, why would his student Ibn Darbas neglect mentioning it? Neither does Abu Muhammad, the son of Ibn 'Asakir, know an Isnad for it, for Ibn Darbas may had mention it from the Hafidh through the son. Ibn Darbas was a student of both.

The interesting question that arises is: why does Ibn 'Asakir relies on the Ibanah, even quotes from it abundantly, without evidence of an Isnad?

It seems that the Hafidh did not found an Isnad, but still believed it to be the work of the Imam based on other evidences. These evidences, for example the Isnad-supported narration of Abu 'Uthman al-Sabuni concerning the status of the Ibanah, were strong enough for the Hafidh to confirm it as al-Ash'ari's book. He declared that in the Tabyin al-Kadhib al-Muftari in the following comprehensive answer:

"The book al-Ibanah has always been regarded highly by the People of Religion."

So if the Hafidh Ibn 'Asakir, his son the Hafidh Abu Muhammad, the Qadi Ibn Darbas and others relied on the Ibanah, praised it and quoted from it - all without an Isnad - than who told you that it has a weak narration (i.e. transmission)? These people, I can tell you that for sure, did not consider it to have a weak transmission, for they relied upon it as no other. Their books are proof for this.

Also other scholars relied on the Ibanah, none bothering about the narration or transmission of it, as their predecessors didn't bother either about it. The examples are too many to count. Important is to remember that not a few of these scholars who relied on the Ibanah are themselves major Huffadh, not just Fuqaha or Usuliyyun; their firm knowledge and expertise in 'Ilm al-Riwayah wa'l-Dirayah carries much weight in accepting their conclusions concerning any given word or writing of a former scholar from the Khalaf.

Its also important to realize what Ibn Darbas - and others - imply by neglecting mentioning the Isnad of the Ibanah. Nay, its of the utmost importance to realize Ibn Darbas words,

"Nothing has reached us of the writings of Abu'l-Hasan [al-Ash'ari] with a continuous transmission to him, but this one,"

which means: nothing of the heritage of al-Ash'ari has reached us according to the strictest standards of the Muhaddithun except two works; but these works too have weakness in their transmission! So what should we do with the Madhhab of al-Ash'ari, declare everything of it as having a weak narration?!

The brothers should review what the Hafidh Ibn 'Asakir said about in the Tabyin here, and what Ibn Darbas mentioned concerning it here. They could also take a look at what others said concerning the problem of narration and transmission of works by Ash'arite authors here.

I think this suffices in refuting the false premis that the Ibanah has a weak narration. If more is needed, then they should refer back to some of the editions of the Ibanah and studies of al-Ash'ari, for example the Mawquf of al-Mahmud. There can be also found some discussion on this on not a few Arabic fora, see this one for example.

2) As for the second claim, i.e. that the Ibanah has been wrongly ascribed to Imam al-Ash'ari, then I answered that already. The above refutes this clearly. Only an Kadhdhab (a liar) can hold this. Let me quote explicitly what the Ash'arite Qadi Ibn Darbas said about some pseudo-Ash'arites concerning this:

"And it (i.e. al-Ibanah) has been read out by some of our colleagues to a great one from the Jahmites, those who lie against Abu'l-Hasan al-Ash'ari, in Jerusalem. He rejected it and renounced it and said: 'We've heard nothing of it! It is not from his works'. He strived later concerning its transmission to continue the deception by his troublemaking. He said after moving his beard, saying: 'Maybe he authored it when he was a Hashwite?' I can not direct to what I found most amazing [from all this]! Was it his ignorance of the book, with all its fame, and the many who mentioned it in the books of scholars, or his ignorance of the condition of his Shaykh (i.e. al-Ash'ari), the one about whom he lies, with his inclination towards him?!"

Read carefully, Oh pseudo-Ash'arites, and see whether you have the same thoughts about the Ibanah as the 'azim min 'udama al-jahmiyyah, as articulated by the student of Ibn 'Asakir! Its amazing that people are similar just like this Great One from the Jahmiyyah in our time, doing whatever they can do to reject the Ibanah! Even alleging falsely that his Imam may have been a Hashwi for a while?! Subhan Allah al-'Azim.

There's no need to refute this, as its evident what's correct.

3) As for the last false lie:

We don't have just the Ibanah to prove that Imam al-Ash'ari reputed many of the Ash'arite tenets. The Ibanah is one out of many proofs. However, it is the most important proof and the strongest of all.

A proof which is almost as strong as the Ibanah, in favouring the fact that al-Ash'ari changed his creed, is the statement of the Imam in another book of his: the Maqalat al-Islamiyyin. He ended with the following words when mentioning the creed of the Ahl al-Sunnah:

"And with everything we've mentioned from their saying, we say too; and upon it we traverse."

And in this work he seperated the Sunnites' views from that of the Mu'tazilah and the Kullabiyyah.

So the Ibanah is not the only book in favouring the fact that he changed his creed. Rather, the Maqalat is another book which supports this clearly. Scholars after al-Ash'ari mentioned the changes of this scholar - before you may speak about Salafis. To mention one in particular, the Hafidh Ibn Kathir, who said:

"They mentioned for the Shaykh Abu'l-Hasan al-Ash'ari three conditions. The first: his state of Mu'tazilism from which he returned from. The second state: affirming the Seven Attributes of Reason, and they are the Life, the Knowledge, the Power, the Will, the Hearing, the Seeing and the Speech, and interpreting the partial [Attributes] such as the Face, Two Hands, the Foot, the Shin and similarly. The third state: affirming all of it, without how or comparison, according to what has been handed over from the Salaf, and it is the way of the Ibanah, the one which he authored as last, and which al-Baqillani explained, and which Ibn 'Asakir copied."

And other scholars who mentioned him changing over time are to many to count. All of them adopt the view that he changed over time, the most knowledgeable being Ibn Taymiyyah for having reviewed all of al-Ash'ari's known works, that of his students, that of al-Baqillani, Ibn Furak, al-Baghdadi, al-Bayhaqi, al-Juwayni, Ibn 'Asakir and many more.

There is actually also no dire need to refute this, but if someone desires he should read some of the secundary literature on al-Ash'ari and the Ash'arites concerning this. Some of this has been mentioned here.

wa-Allahu A'lam.

No scholar has ever given an exact date for the composition of the Ibanah by Imam al-Ash’ari.

The claim of Wahbi al-Ghawiji that the Ibanah has been authored according to the testimony of a witness who died in 306 is a lie, a fabrication! None of the sources I've seen has ever mentioned that the person to whom al-Ghawiji referred died in the lifetime of al-Ash'ari. Rather, Wahb has been affected by Wahm: the person he named "Abu'l-Hasan 'Ali b. Ibrahim al-Muqri (Ibn Matar)" is probably a reference to the Imam al-Qurra' Abu 'Ali al-Hasan b. 'Ali b. Ibrahim al-Muqri. For his dates refer to his biography.

The relied upon scholars, in particular those who went before from the Qurra’ (Qur’an-recitors), the Huffadh (Hadith-masters), the Fuqaha’ (Jurists), the Usuliyyun (Jurisprudents & Theologians) and the Mu’arrikhun (Historians), have hinted at an approximate date of its composition. Let us highlight these hints:

The historians (Ibn Furak, Ibn ‘Asakir, Ibn Taymiyyah etc.), agree on the fact that al-Ash’ari was born in Basra in 260, lived most his life in Basra, and repented from Mu’tazilism in Basra. They also agree on the report that he was for 40 years a Mu’tazili. This means his repentance happened somewhere in 300 or later.

The theologian Abu Bakr Ibn Furak, a prominent follower of al-Ash’ari, mentioned the fact that the Imam authored some 70 books between 300 and 320; however, the Ibanah has not been mentioned in this list.

The jurist Abu Sahl al-Su’luki on his travels met al-Ash’ari in Basra; his travels started in the year 322.

The hadith-master Ibn ‘Asakir mentioned also the fact that al-Ash’ari never left Basra for Baghdad, but once in his life; when he arrived, he settled there for the rest of his days.

The recitor Abu ‘Ali al-Ahwazi, author of one of the first writings on al-Ash’ari, said about the Ibanah that he composed it in Baghdad. The historians follow him in this.

These reports, which I’ve collected and arranged in an article, all advocate the fact that the Ibanah has been indeed authored very very late in al-Ash’ari’s career. In fact, according to my research it must have been written in 322, 323 or 324 (the most reliable death-year). The facts do not permit otherwise.

Subhanakallahuma wa bi hamdik wa ashadu an la ilaha illa ant, wastagh firooka wa atoobu elaik
asalamu alaikum warahmatullah

[Ibn Abi Ahmed]

:sl:

Bump.

[MinAhlilHadeeth]

Abu Hasan al'Ash'ariyy's Final Book 'Al-Ibaanah'

Prepared by Abu 'Iyad as-Salafi

The Scholars of the Salaf have exhibited an outstanding role in foiling the plans of the enemies of Islaam - in all their different sects, and the varying doubts they propagate. And that, by which the Islaamic Aqeedah was put to trial with in its very first period was but the various madhaahib and new ideas which entered it by way of philosophy and theological rhetoric.

The Mu'tazilah played a big role in distorting the texts of the Sharee'ah from the Qur'aan and the Sunnah and plotting against the Scholars of the Salaf and attacking their honour. The most famous of such plots is the trial of Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal - may Allaah have mercy upon him - who remained firm in that trial and in refuting their doubts falsifying their falsehood - he and the other Scholars of the Salaf of this Ummah, such as Imaaam Bukhaaree, ad-Daarimee, Ibn Qutaibah, Ibn Mandah and others besides them.

And Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy in the first part of his life, used to be a Mu'taziliyy since he was brought up at the hands of Abu Alee al-Jubaa'ee the Shaikh of the Mu'tazilah of Basrah in his time.

And Allaah willed goodness for Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy and granted him success in taking from the Book and the Sunnah and abandoning the madhhab of the Mu'tazilah. Then he refuted the sophistry of the Mu'tazilah, exposed their falsehood, rendered futile their arguments with both textual evidence and by way of reason. His books testify to that. He then remained, for a period, speaking in certain matters of belief, with the saying of Ibn Kullaab. However, in the final stage of his life he was upon the aqeedah of the Salaf and he spoke with whatever Imaam Ahmad spoke with - may Allaah have mercy upon him - with respect to all the Attributes of Allaah. So he affirmed for Allaah whatever Allaah affirmed for himself and whatever His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) affirmed for Him in his Sunnah.

The Book 'al-Ibaanah' - Abu Hasan al-Ash'aris Last Book
And this has been recorded in his book called Al-Ibaanah an Usool id-Diyaanah. However, those who ascribed themselves to the madhhab of Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy continued taking from the madhhab of Ibn Kullaab and passed it on to those who ascribed themselves to Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy, generation after generation. The truth, however, is what the scholars testify to, those in whose honesty, integrity and impartiality there is no doubt, that the aqeedah which Abu Hasan al'Ash'ariyy held and worshipped Allaah with, is the aqeedah which he has affirmed in his book Al-Ibaanah and that this was the last of his books in which the matter of his aqeedah was settled.

In the present time, many ascribe themselves to Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy and call themselves Ash'ariyyah, claiming that they are holding fast to the aqeedah he was upon, especially in the matters of the Attributes of Allaah. However, the truth is that they have not taken the aqeedah that he embraced at the end of his life and which is propounded in his two books al-Ibaanah an Usool id-Diyaanah and al-Maqaalaat ul-Islaamiyyeen.

What is more strange, however is their claim that Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy wrote his book al-Ibaanah out of taqiyyah (deception) and as an attempt to outwit the Hanbalees, fearing them, for his life. It is well known that taqiyah is but nifaaq (hypocrisy) and this blameworthy characteristic is something the common Muslim seeks to be free from, then how about a Muslim scholar?

And since this slander was an oppression against him and a clear forgery against him, a number of scholars, known to be possessors of knowledge and piety embarked upon explaining the truth. So they exposed the falsehood of those lies and slanders against this esteemed scholar and explained that taqiyah and nifaaq are not the characteristics of the scholars and that Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy is far removed from that.

And everything that has come in his books al-Ibaanah and al-Maqaalaat is what he believes and worships Allaah with. He said, in al-Maqaalaat: "And with everything that they [i.e. the Ahl ul-Hadeeth] spoke with, we speak with and go towards it."

He also said in al-Maqaalaat: "The summarisation of that which the People of Hadeeth and Sunnah are upon..." and then he lists that which they were upon including therein:

"And that Allaah the Sublime and Exalted is upon His Throne just as He has said:

Ar-Rahmaan has ascended (istawaa) the Throne" [Soorah Taa Haa 20:5]

"And that He has two Hands, without asking how, just as He has said:

I created you with My (Two) Hands [Soorah Taa Haa 20:75]

and as He has said:

But [both] His Hands are outstretched" [Soorah Maa'idah 5:64]

"And they affirm both Hearing and Seeing for Him and they do not negate that from Allaah as the Mu'tazilah have negated it."

"And they affirm the ahaadeeth which have come from the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam): "Verily, Allaah descends to the lowest heaven and says: Is there anyone who seeks forgiveness" in the manner in which it has come from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam)"

"And they see the necessity of following the Salaf from the Scholars of the Religion who do not innovate into their religion that for which Allaah has given no permission."

"And they say the Qur'aan is the Speech of Allaah, it is not created."

And he affirmed all of that which the Salaf us-Saalih affirmed regarding the Attributes of Allaah and other matters of aqeedah and finished by saying: "This is a summarisation of what they [the People of the Hadeeth and the Sunnah] order with, employ and deem necessary [to believe in]. And everything that has been mentioned from their speech, we speak likewise and tend towards it."

And whoever desires more can refer to his aforementioned books al-Ibaanah and al-Maqaalaat.

As for those who have ascribed the book al-Ibaanah to Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy and have testified that it was his last book concerning aqeedah then they are numerous and amongst them:

• al-Haafidh Ibn Asaakir in Tabyeenul Kadhabul-Muftaree (p.152) which is a refutation of al-Ahwaazee,
• al-Bayhaqee in al-I'tiqaad (p.31),
• Imaam adh-Dhahabee in al-Uluww (no.276) and
• Ibn ul-'Imaad in Shadhraat udh-Dhahab (p.303).

Furthermore, Abu Qaasim Abdul Malik bin Eesaa bin Darbaas [2] (d. 659H) in his book, adh-Dhabb an Abee Hasan al-Ash'ariyy, mentions the People of Knowledge who have ascribed this book to Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy and have testified to it being his aqeedah which he embraced at the end of his life and amongst them he names:

• Al-Imaam al-Haafidh Abul-Abbaas Ahmad bin Thaabit at-Turqee,
• Abu Uthmaan Ismaa'eel as-Saaboonee,
• Imaam ul-Qurraa Abu Alee Hasan bin Alee bin Ibraaheem al-Faarisee,
• al-Imaam al-Faqeeh Abul-Fath Nasr al-Maqdisee,
• al-Imaam al-Haafidh Abul-Qaasim Alee bin Hasan bin Hibatullaah ash-Shaafi'ee,
• al-Faqeeh Abul-Ma'aalee Majallee,
• and al-Haafidh Abu Muhammad bin Alee al-Baghdaadee.

And were it not for the fact that this is but a brief refutation, then we would have quoted the words of every single one of them, testifying to the details of the aqeedah of Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy, as contained and expounded in his al-Ibaanah and its agreement with that of the Salaf us-Saalih

Notes
1. From the books I'tiqaad Ahl us-Sunnah Ashaabul-Hadeeth Sharh Jumlatu Maa Hakaahu Anhum Abu Hasan al-A'shariyy wa Qarrarahu fee Maqaalaatihi by Muhammad Abdur-Rahmaan al-Khamees and adh-Dhabb an Abee Hasan al-Ash'ariyy of Abul-Qaasim Abdul-Malik bin Eesaa bin Darbaas.

2. Ibn Darbaas al-Qaadee Kamaal ud-Deen Abu Haamid Muhammad bin Qaadee al-Qudaat Sadr ud-Deen Abdul-Malik bin Eesaa al-Maaraanee al-Misree ash-Shaafi'ee ad-Dareer, born in the year 576H.

He said, commencing his book, adh-Dhabb an Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy:

"To proceed: Know O community of Brothers - may Allaah grant success to us and to you in the straight and upright Deen and guide us all to the Straight Path - that the book al-Ibaanah an Usool id-Diyaanah, which the Imaam Abu Hasan Alee bin Ismaa'eel al-Ash'ariyy authored is the one in which his affair [his aqeedah and his position] was settled with respect to that which he held as his aqeedah and worshipped Allaah - the Sublime and Exalted - with, after his return from I'tizaal [the madhhab of the Mu'tazilah] by the Grace of Allaah and His Benevolence. And every saying [or treatise] which are ascribed to him now and which oppose that which is in al-Ibaanah, then he turned back from that and declared himself to be innocent of it in front of Allaah - the Sublime. How can it be otherwise, when he is stated in it the religion with which he worships Allaah - the Sublime - which he reports and establishes himself upon the way of the Sahaabah, the Taabi'een and the Scholars of Hadeeth, those who have passed, and the saying of Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal - may Allaah be pleased with them all. And that it [i.e. his religion] is that which the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger points to. Is it then permissible for it to be said that he turned back from that to other than it? To what exaclty, did he turn back to, and which you can see [evidently]? Did he turn back from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Prophet of Allaah, to the opposite of that which the Sahaabah, the Taabi'een and the Scholars of Hadeeth, who have passed away, were upon? And with his knowledge that that was their madhhab? He narrated this [i.e. his aqeedah in al-Ibaanah] from them and by my life, how can that which does not befit the common Muslims be ascribed to the Scholars of the Religion? Or can it be said that he was ignorant of what he was relating from the Salaf who have passed... ... this is something which a just person can never imagine and suspect, and none but an arrogant person and a profligate can hold this..." And then he continues to mention those who have affirmed the ascription of the book al-Ibaanah to Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy as listed above. Refer to the book adh-Dhabb an Abee Hasan al-Ash'ariyy, checked and verified by Alee bin Muhammad bin Naasir al-Faqeehee (p.97-108)