Isfahani

Explanation of the Creed of Shams al-Din Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Mahmud ibn Abbad al-Isfahani al-Ash'ari

The name of the author of Al-Aqida Al-Isfahani: Shams Al-Din Mahmoud bin Abdul Rahman Al-Isfahani

Explanation of the text of the Isfahani Creed: Ahmad ibn Abd al-Halim ibn Taymiyyah

investigation
Abdullah bin Ali Al-Sulaiman Al-Ghaib

Printed in full for the first time
Explanation of the Isfahani Creed - or Al-Isfahaniyyah - is a book written by Ibn Taymiyyah after he was asked to explain the Isfahani Creed, which was written by Shams al-Din Mahmud ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Isfahani. He agreed to do so, and Ibn Taymiyyah explained the creed of the Sunnis with evidence from the Qur’an, the Prophetic Hadith, and rational proofs. He disagreed with the author on some matters and responded to him, saying: “The truth is more deserving of being followed.”
The aim of the book
This book aims to explain the Isfahani creed. It begins by presenting biographies of Isfahani and Ibn Taymiyyah, and presenting an introduction to the Isfahani schools of thought and their explanation. It also explains the reason for writing the book, its location, and its date. It then explains that the issues mentioned by Isfahani are generally true. It mentions the doctrine of the early Muslims regarding the attributes of God Almighty and the method of deducing evidence for them. It outlines the issues mentioned by the Sunnis in their brief creeds, and explains Isfahani's proof for the existence of the Creator and his proof for the Oneness of the Creator. Then comes a chapter on the types of Tawhid and Tawhid al-Sifaat, a chapter on Tawhid al-Rububiyyah, a chapter on the issue of the creation of the world and Isfahani's neglect of this issue. It explains the denial of the Imams of Islam of the Jahmites' method and those who agree with them in affirming the Creator and the creation of the world. It clarifies the statements and narrations of the early Muslims and those close to them in explaining their doctrine regarding the actions of God. It also mentions the evidence of the Qur'an for the actions of God and the evidence of the hadiths for the actions of God. Then came a chapter on the methods of theologians in proving the existence of a Creator, the methods of theologians in proving the existence of bodies, and people's statements about the permanence of events. Then came a chapter on the evidence of the Ash'arites and those who agreed with them, a chapter explaining al-Asbahani's evidence for the prophethood of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and a chapter explaining al-Asbahani's statements about the Last Day.
Isfahani Creed
Al-Isfahani stated in his creed the existence and oneness of the Creator of the universe, and His names that indicate His seven attributes, which the Ash'arites affirm, are attributes additional to the essence that exists in them. He said: “The universe has a Creator who is necessarily existent in and of Himself, One, All-Knowing, All-Powerful, Alive, Willing, Speaking, All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” He then provided rational evidence for these issues, with the exception of “speech,” which he affirmed as God the Almighty being the One who commands and forbids, and hearing and sight. He said: “The evidence for Him is what is heard.” He then mentioned that the evidence for the prophethood of the prophets is miracles, and the evidence for the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad is the Quran, which is miraculous in both its wording and meaning.
Al-Isfahani concluded his creed by saying: “Then we say: Everything that Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, informed us about regarding the torment of the grave, Munkar and Nakir, and other conditions of the Resurrection, the Bridge, the Scales, intercession, Paradise and Hell is true because it is possible, and the Truthful One informed us about it, so let us adhere to his truthfulness.”
Main chapters of the book
After the introduction, translation of the author, and the introduction, these were the main chapters of the book: - The doctrine of the Salaf concerning the Names and Attributes. - Chapter [Refutation of those who deny some of Allah's attributes]. - Chapter [The distinction of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah from the infidels and innovators]. - Chapter [Refutation of those who deny the attributes]. - Chapter [Evidence of Allah's knowledge]. - Chapter [Evidence of Allah's power]. - Chapter [Evidence that He, glory be to Him, is alive]. Chapter [Proof of the attributes of loftiness and speech and a response to the deniers]. - Chapter [The method of the Salaf and Imams proving the speech of Allah, glory be to Him, and a response to the anthropomorphists]. - Chapter [Other methods of proving that He, glory be to Him, is a speaker]. - Chapter [Proof that Allah is All-Hearing and All-Seeing]. - Chapter [Evidence of the prophethood of the prophets]. - Chapter [Methods of evidence of miracles of truthfulness]. - Chapter [The issue of rational approval and disapproval]. - Chapter [Evidence of the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad]. Chapter [Belief in what the Prophet Muhammad informed of of unseen matters].

About the author
He is Taqi al-Din Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Abd al-Halim ibn Abd al-Salam ibn Abd Allah ibn Abi al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Taymiyyah al-Harrani al-Hanbali al-Dimashqi. (661-728 AH = 1263-1328 AD). • He was nicknamed the Imam, the Sheikh of Islam. He was born in Harran and his father moved with him to Damascus, where he excelled and became famous. • He was requested to go to Egypt because of a fatwa he had issued, so he went there, but a group of people there became hostile towards him, so he was imprisoned for a period and transferred to Alexandria. Then he was released and traveled to Damascus in 712 AH and was arrested there in 720 AH. He was released, then brought back, and died in detention in the Damascus Citadel, so all of Damascus came out for his funeral. • He researched a lot in the arts of wisdom, and called for reform in religion. He was a miracle in interpretation and principles, eloquent, his pen and tongue were close together. • In Al-Durar al-Kamina, it is mentioned that he debated scholars, provided evidence, excelled in knowledge and interpretation, issued fatwas and taught before he was twenty. As for his writings, it is mentioned in Ad-Durar that they may exceed four thousand notebooks, and in Fawat Al-Wafayat that they reach three hundred volumes. Ibn Qudamah has a book on his biography called (Al-Uqud Al-Durriya fi Manaqib Shaykh Al-Islam Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah - printed), and Sheikh Mar’i Al-Karmi Al-Hanbali has a book (Al-Kawakib Al-Durriya - printed) on his virtues, and the same is by Siraj Al-Din Omar Ibn Ali Ibn Musa Al-Bazzar, and by Al-Shihab Ahmad Ibn Yahya Ibn Fadl Allah Al-Omari.