The Asha'irah and Maturidiyyah — Study and Critique
🏛️ The Asha'irah and Maturidiyyah — Between Kalam and Sunnah
"Affirm for Allah what He affirmed for Himself, and deny what He denied of Himself, without distortion, denial, asking 'how', or resemblance."
— The Rule of the Salaf in the Attributes
📖 Introduction
The Asha'irah and the Maturidiyyah are today the two largest theological schools in the Muslim world. Millions of Muslims follow their creed, often without knowing it.
Historically, these schools emerged to defend Islam against the Mu'tazilah, but they ended up adopting part of their methodology. They represent a middle path between the Salaf and the Mu'tazilah — closer to the Sunnah than the latter, but not on the complete path of the Salaf.
📜 Part 1: The Asha'irah — History and Evolution
The Founder: Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari
| Period | Dates | Creed |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 260-300 H | Mu'tazilite (40 years) |
| Phase 2 | 300-320 H | School of Ibn Kullab (transitional) |
| Phase 3 | 320-324 H | Return to the path of the Salaf |
The Repentance of Al-Ash'ari
📜 SCENE: The Conversion — Basra, ~300 H
Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, a Mu'tazilite for 40 years, secludes himself at home during Ramadan. Then he goes out to the main mosque.
He ascends the pulpit on Friday...
Al-Ash'ari: "O people! I was absent from you for this period because I examined the evidences, and they became equal to me—nothing prevailing over another. So I sought guidance from Allah and He guided me."
He removes a garment he was wearing and throws it.
Al-Ash'ari: "I strip myself of everything I used to believe, as I strip myself of this garment! I have recorded my new creed in these books."
He distributes his new works, including "Al-Ibanah 'an Usul ad-Diyanah" (The Clarification of the Foundations of Religion).
The Books of Al-Ash'ari
| Phase | Book | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Transitional | Al-Luma' | Still contains Kalam |
| Final | Al-Ibanah | Return to the way of Ahmad ibn Hanbal |
| Final | Maqalat al-Islamiyyin | Presentation of the sects |
Al-Ash'ari in Al-Ibanah:
"Our creed and our religion: to hold fast to the Book of our Lord عز وجل, the Sunnah of our Prophet ﷺ, and what was reported from the Companions, the Tabi'in, and the Imams of Hadith. We hold onto it, and we say what Abu 'Abdullah Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal said."
The Evolution of the School After Him
The problem: the disciples did not follow al-Ash'ari's final phase, but developed the school based on his transitional phase.
| Period | Scholar | Evolution |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Ash'ari (d. 324 H) | Return to the path of the Salaf (Al-Ibanah) |
| 2 | Al-Baqillani (d. 403 H) | Expansion of speculative theology |
| 3 | Al-Juwayni (d. 478 H) | Imam al-Haramayn — more philosophy |
| 4 | Al-Ghazali (d. 505 H) | Massive introduction of Sufism |
| 5 | Ar-Razi (d. 606 H) | Domination of Greek philosophy |
⚡ Part 2: The Ash'arite Beliefs
1. Only Seven Attributes
The Asha'irah only affirm 7 attributes which they call "attributes of meaning":
| The 7 Affirmed | Denied or Interpreted Attributes |
|---|---|
| 1. Life (الحياة) | The Hand (اليد) → "power" |
| 2. Knowledge (العلم) | The Face (الوجه) → "essence" |
| 3. Power (القدرة) | The Eye (العين) → "vision" |
| 4. Will (الإرادة) | Establishment (الاستواء) → "domination" |
| 5. Hearing (السمع) | Descent (النزول) → "command descends" |
| 6. Sight (البصر) | Laughter, Joy → "metaphors" |
| 7. Speech (الكلام) | Anger → "will to punish" |
The Logical Inconsistency
📜 SCENE: The Debate on Attributes
Sunni: "Why do you affirm that Allah hears but deny that He has a Hand?"
Ash'ari: "Because the Hand implies corporeality and resemblance!"
Sunni: "And hearing doesn't imply resemblance? Humans also hear!"
Ash'ari: "No, because Allah hears in a manner befitting His majesty."
Sunni: "Exactly! And that's what we say for ALL the attributes: Allah has a Hand befitting His majesty, without resemblance to creation. Why does this rule apply to some attributes and not others?"
Ash'ari (silent): "..."
2. The Quran: Inner Speech
| Their Position | Response of Ahl as-Sunnah |
|---|---|
| "The recited Quran is created" | The Quran is Allah's Speech, letters and meanings |
| "Only the inner meaning is eternal" | Allah truly speaks with letters and words |
| "The letters/sounds are created" | This is close to the Mu'tazilite position |
3. Faith = Heart's Belief Only
| Ash'arism | Ahl as-Sunnah |
|---|---|
| Faith = tasdiq (belief) | Faith = belief + speech + actions |
| Actions are not part of faith | Actions are branches of faith |
| ⚠️ This is Murji'ism | ✅ Faith increases and decreases |
🌙 Part 3: The Maturidiyyah
The Founder: Abu Mansur al-Maturidi
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Abu Mansur Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Maturidi |
| Death | 333 H |
| Location | Maturid, a village near Samarkand |
| Spread | Central Asia, India, Turkey (Hanafites) |
Differences with the Asha'irah
| Issue | Asha'irah | Maturidiyyah |
|---|---|---|
| Number of attributes | 7 | 8 (add at-Takwin/creation) |
| Allah's actions | Without rational cause | Motivated by wisdom |
| Good and evil | Known by Revelation only | Knowable by reason |
| Faith | Belief only | Belief + declaration (but not actions) |
| First duty | Reflection (nazr) | Knowledge (ma'rifa) |
Their Common Errors with the Asha'irah
Both schools share:
- ❌ Allegorical interpretation (ta'wil) of the Attributes
- ❌ Exclusion of actions from the definition of faith
- ❌ Use of Kalam as the main methodology
- ❌ Belief that the recited Quran is "created"
📖 Part 4: Great Scholars of These Schools
Famous Ash'arite Scholars
| Scholar | Death | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Baqillani | 403 H | Theologian, author of at-Tamhid |
| Al-Juwayni | 478 H | Imam al-Haramayn, teacher of al-Ghazali |
| Al-Ghazali | 505 H | Ihya' 'Ulum ad-Din, critique of philosophers |
| Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi | 606 H | Great exegete, theologian-philosopher |
| Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani | 852 H | Fath al-Bari (commentary on Bukhari) |
| An-Nawawi | 676 H | Sharh Sahih Muslim, Riyad as-Salihin |
| As-Suyuti | 911 H | Encyclopedist, hundreds of works |
The Regret of the Great Ones
📜 SCENE: The Regret of Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi — 606 H
Ar-Razi, on his deathbed, dictates his final words.
Ar-Razi (dying): "I have traversed the methods of the philosophers and the mutakallimin, and I have not seen them heal the sick or quench the thirsty. And I found that the closest path is the path of the Quran..."
He also said:
"نهاية إقدام العقول عقال"
"The utmost achievement of rational minds is bondage."
📜 SCENE: The Regret of al-Juwayni — 478 H
Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni, shortly before his death.
Al-Juwayni: "I plunged into the ocean of Kalam, abandoning what the people of the Sunnah forbade me from. Now, if my Lord does not cover me with His mercy, woe to al-Juwayni! Here I am dying upon the creed of my mother!"
Or according to another narration:
"Upon the creed of the old women of Nishapur!"
(That is: simple, pure faith, without philosophy)
⚖️ Part 5: The Balanced Position
What We Recognize for Them
| Merit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Refutation of the Mu'tazilah | They fought the worst heresies |
| Defense of Islam | Against philosophers and atheists |
| Immense contributions | In Hadith, Fiqh, Tafsir, Usul |
| Sincerity (for many) | They were seeking the truth |
What We Criticize Them For
| Error | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ta'wil of the Attributes | Contradicts the methodology of the Salaf |
| Inconsistency | Affirm some attributes, deny others |
| Murji'ism | Faith = belief only |
| Kalam | Methodology foreign to Islam |
The Golden Rule
Ibn Taymiyyah said:
"The Asha'irah are among the best of the people of Kalam and the closest to Ahl as-Sunnah. They refuted the Mu'tazilah and the Jahmiyyah in many matters, but they retained remnants of their methodology."
Nuanced Judgment
| School | Position | Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| ❌ Jahmiyyah | Total denial of Attributes | very far |
| ❌ Mu'tazilah | Denial + reason > text | far |
| ⚠️ Asha'irah / Maturidiyyah | Partial affirmation + ta'wil | close but in error |
| ✅ Ahl as-Sunnah (Salaf) | Complete affirmation without ta'wil | the truth |
🎯 Part 6: Contemporary Practical Cases
Case 1: "The Asha'irah are kuffar!"
Situation: Someone says: "The Asha'irah are disbelievers because they interpret the attributes!"
| Response |
|---|
| ❌ False. The Asha'irah are innovators (mubtadi'a), not disbelievers |
| ✅ Many of their scholars served Islam immensely |
| ✅ Ibn Hajar, an-Nawawi, al-Ghazali have indispensable works |
| ⚠️ We take their truth and reject their error |
Case 2: Books of Hadith
Situation: "Should I read Fath al-Bari by Ibn Hajar knowing he is Ash'ari?"
Answer:
✅ Yes, absolutely. Fath al-Bari is the best commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari.
Be careful with passages on the Attributes, but benefit from the immense science of hadith.
The rule: "خذ ما صفا ودع ما كدر" — Take what is pure and leave what is murky.
Case 3: The Istawa on the Throne
Situation: An imam says: "Istawa means 'istawla' (dominated). Real establishment implies anthropomorphism!"
| Their Argument | Response |
|---|---|
| "Istawa = istawla" | No Salaf ever said this |
| "Real establishment = anthropomorphism" | Imam Malik: "The Istawa is known, the how is unknown" |
| "We must interpret" | Interpretation is an innovation |
Case 4: Al-'Aqidah at-Tahawiyyah
Situation: "Is al-'Aqidah at-Tahawiyyah Ash'ari or Salafi?"
| Response |
|---|
| ✅ It is upon the path of Ahl as-Sunnah |
| ⚠️ Imam at-Tahawi was Hanafi, but his 'aqidah is that of the Salaf |
| ✅ It affirms the Attributes without ta'wil |
| ✅ It is recommended as a foundational text |
Case 5: Fairness with Scholars
Situation: A student says: "I won't read any book by an Ash'ari!"
📜 SCENE: The Sheikh's Advice
Sheikh: "Do you reject Fath al-Bari?"
Student: "Ibn Hajar is Ash'ari."
Sheikh: "And Sharh Sahih Muslim?"
Student: "An-Nawawi is also Ash'ari."
Sheikh: "Will you reject the best commentaries on Bukhari and Muslim because of some passages on the Attributes? Be fair! Take their science of hadith and be vigilant on 'aqidah. This is the way of the scholars."
💡 Pause and Reflect
The True Methodology of the Salaf
| Rule | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1️⃣ Affirm | What Allah affirmed for Himself |
| 2️⃣ Deny | What Allah denied of Himself |
| 3️⃣ Without tahrif | Do not change the meaning |
| 4️⃣ Without ta'til | Do not empty of meaning |
| 5️⃣ Without takyif | The "how" is unknown |
| 6️⃣ Without tamthil | ﴿لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ﴾ "There is nothing like unto Him" |
Personal Questions
- Do you know the difference between the path of the Salaf and that of the Asha'irah?
- Are you fair with scholars who erred on certain points?
- Can you distinguish between the error and the person who errs?
📊 Lesson Summary
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
| Asha'irah | School of Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (but not his final phase) |
| Maturidiyyah | School of Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (Hanafites) |
| Their main error | Ta'wil of the Attributes + Murji'ism |
| Their merit | Refutation of the Mu'tazilah and philosophers |
| Just position | Close to the Sunnah but not on the complete path |
🎯 Conclusion
Imam al-Ash'ari in Al-Ibanah:
"We say what Abu 'Abdullah Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal said — may Allah brighten his face, elevate his rank, and increase his reward."
This is al-Ash'ari's own final position!
Eternal Lessons
- ✅ The Asha'irah/Maturidiyyah are not kuffar — they are Muslim innovators
- ✅ Their knowledge is beneficial — in hadith, fiqh, tafsir
- ✅ Their error is in the Attributes — and ta'wil is an innovation
- ✅ Al-Ash'ari himself returned to the path of the Salaf
- ✅ Fairness is obligatory toward all
Next lesson: Shi'ism — Origins, Branches, and Beliefs.
And Allah is the Guarantor of success and the Guide to the right path.
My Lord, increase me in knowledge