Al-Haydah wa Al-I'tithar fi Al-Radd ala Man Qala bi-Khalq Al-Quran (The Evasion and Apology in Refuting Those Who Claimed the Creation of the Qur'an)

Author: Abdul Aziz Al-Kinani

Verification | Graduation | Commentary | Editing | Study: Abu Abd Al-Rahman Al-Athari Nidhal bin Abdul Karim bin Musa Agha Al-Barazi

Preparation | Supervision | Introduction | Annotation | Review | Collection: Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Aal Al-Sheikh | Khalid bin Abdul Aziz Al-Arfaj | Abdul Qader bin Muhammad Atta Al-Sufi | Abdul Rahman bin Hamid Aal Thabit

Al-Haydah wa Al-I'tithar fi Al-Radd ala Man Qala bi-Khalq Al-Quran is a book that narrates the famous debate that took place between Abdul Aziz bin Yahya bin Muslim Al-Kinani Al-Makki, who passed away in 240 AH, representing the Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama'ah, and Bishr Al-Marrisi, one of the leaders of the Mu'tazilah who claimed the creation of the Qur'an. In this debate, Bishr presented his sect's ideology, and Abdul Aziz Al-Kinani refuted his arguments, dismantled his views, and demonstrated the differences in his methodology and statements, through the Qur'an and Sunnah, through logic, and through Kalam (Islamic scholastic theology).
Scholarly Opinions on the Book
Imam Taj al-Din al-Subki said in his biography of Abdul Aziz Al-Kinani: "And although he was a supporter of the Sunnah in denying the creation of the Qur'an, as evidenced by his debate with Bishr, the book Al-Haydah attributed to him contains reprehensible matters, but as our shaykh Al-Dhahabi said, its chain of narration to him is not sound, nor is it proven that it is from his words, so perhaps it was fabricated against him."
The Story of the Book
The origin of the book, as a historical event transmitted by scholars in their books, refers to a debate by Abdul Aziz Al-Kinani, as well as his debate with Bishr Al-Marrisi in the presence of Al-Ma'mun.
The Two Parties of the Debate
The story of the book is a debate between Islamic scholars. The two parties to the book are:
The First Party
Abdul Aziz bin Yahya bin Abdul Aziz bin Muslim bin Maymun Al-Kinani Al-Makki
His Teachers
Abdullah bin Mu'adh Al-San'ani
Salim bin Maslama Al-Makki
Hisham bin Sulaiman Al-Makhzumi
Marwan bin Mu'awiyah
Sufyan bin Uyaynah
Muhammad bin Idris Al-Shafi'i.
He came to Baghdad during the days of Al-Ma'mun, and a debate took place between him and Bishr Al-Marrisi regarding the Qur'an. He is the author of the book "Al-Haydah". It was said in his description: he was a man of knowledge and virtue, and he had several works. He was among those who studied under Al-Shafi'i and was famous for his companionship; he had a long companionship with him and followed him and went with him to Yemen.
The Second Party
Abu Abd al-Rahman Bishr bin Ghiyath Al-Marrisi, born around 138 AH/755 CE, his father was Jewish and converted to Islam and became a mawla of Aal Zayd bin Al-Khattab. Bishr began his life as a jurist and hadith scholar, taking jurisprudence from Abu Yusuf Al-Qadi, and narrating hadith from Hammad bin Salama and Sufyan bin Uyaynah, but he later was influenced by the Mu'tazilah and became one of them. He died in 218 AH/833 CE at the age of eighty.
Bishr had been advocating for the creation of the Qur'an since the days of Harun al-Rashid, and continued to call for it for about forty years, writing books on the subject... until the days of Al-Ma'mun, when Bishr was close to him and among those who called him to believe in the creation of the Qur'an. The Muhaddithun (hadith scholars) in Baghdad refuted him and denounced him, and among the most prominent who refuted him was Al-Darimi in his book: Al-Radd ala Bishr Al-Marrisi (Refutation of Bishr Al-Marrisi).
Venue of the Debate
The debate took place in Al-Ma'mun's council and in his presence.
Outcome of the Debate
The outcome of that debate was the book "Al-Haydah wa Al-I'tithar," which contained evidence refuting those who claimed the creation of the Qur'an from the Jahmiyyah and Mu'tazilah and those who followed them in their belief, such as the Zaydiyyah.
The Second Part of the Book
In the second part of the book, Abdul Aziz bin Yahya spoke about the difficulties he faced and the incitement of the ruler against him after the debate, and how he overcame this ordeal.