By Dr. Atif Suhail Siddiqui
Excerpted from the unpublished PhD thesis of Dr. Atif Suhail Siddiqui[1]. A study of the two schools of Islamic theology viz. the Ash’ariyyah and the Maturidiyyah.
Founder of Asha’irah
The Ash’ariyyah, sometimes also called Asha’irah or Ash’aris, were a theological school, the followers of Abu ‘l-Hasan al-Ash’ari (d. 324 H). Al-Ash’ari was born in the city of Basra, at that time one of the centres of intellectual ferment in Iraq, which, in turn, was the centre of the Muslim world. It is generally agreed that he belonged to the family of the celebrated companion of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace), Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (Allah be pleased with him), though some theologians opposed to his ideas contested the claim. Since this would have made him by birth a member of the Arab-Muslim aristocracy of the period, he would have received a careful education. Abu ‘l-Hasan al-Ash’ari belonged to a wealthy family, which enabled him to devote himself entirely to research and study.
Narrated by Muhammad bin Abu Bakr al-Thaqafi; While we were going from Mina to ‘Arafat, I asked Anas bin Malik (Allah be pleased with him), about talbiyah, “How did you use to say talbiyah in the company of the Prophet of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace)?” Anas said: “People used to say talbiyah and their saying was not objected to and they used to say takbir and that was not objected to either.” (al-Tajrid al-Sarih, hadith 535)
What opinion do the scholars and the jurists of Islam hold regarding taqlid shakhsi? Is it wajib (incumbent) or is it as the ghayr muqallidin (rejecters of taqlid) say, that it is polytheism and an innovation?
Regarding Imam Abu Hanifah’s allegedly having studied under Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq, please be informed as follows:
