The Creed of the Four Imaams: Imaam Aboo Haneefah-Imaam Maalik-Imaam Ash-Shafi’ee-Imaam Ahmad

The Creed of the Four Imaams: Imaam Aboo Haneefah-Imaam Maalik-Imaam Ash-Shafi’ee-Imaam Ahmad

This ground-breaking first publication spans 154 pages and is based upon the original work of Dr. Muhammad Ibn âAbdur-Rahmaan al-Khumayyis. The book proves the important, yet often overlooked point, that despite whatever differences the Imaams had in their fiqh, their creed was one and the same in almost all issues. Many narrations are brought from the past and present day Scholars showing that the path to Allaah is one. Detailed biographies have been provided for each of the four Imaams from ancient authentic sources. Additionally, many doubts cast over the creed and lives of the Imaams have been uncovered, and the Creed of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaaâah has been exonerated.

Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) â rahimahullaah â said, âHowever, from the mercy of Allaah to His servants is that from the imaams who were with them in the Ummah, there were those who had a truthful tongue, like the four imaams and other than them. They rejected the people of kalaam and their statements concerning the Qurâaan, eemaan, and the Attributes of the Lord. And they were in agreement about what the Salaf were upon; that Allaah will be seen in the Hereafter, and that the Qurâaan is the word of Allaah â it is not created, and that faith is undoubtedly an affirmation of the heart and the tongue.â [Kitaabul-Eemaan (p. 350-351) with the commentary of Muhammad al-Harraas]

So this is what al-âAllaamah Siddeeq Hasan Khaan pointed out when he said, âSo our way is the way of the Salaf, which is affirmation (ithbaat) without tashbeeh (resemblance), nor tanzeeh (denial), and without taâteel (negation). It is the way of the imaams of Islaam like Maalik and ash-Shaafiâee, and ath-Thawree, and Ibnul-Mubaarak and Imaam Ahmad and other than them. So verily there is no disagreement between these imaams in the usoolud-deen (foundations of the Religion). Likewise Aboo Haneefah â ? â because the creed that is confirmed from him is in agreement with the creed of these imaams, and it is that which the Book and the Sunnah speak of.â [Qutfuth-Thamar (p. 47-48) of al-âAllaamah Siddeeq Hasan Khaan]

Excerpts from the Book

Said Imaam Aboo Haneefah an-Nuâmaan Ibn Thaabit (d.159H) â rahimahullaah, âAnd He has a Hand and a Face and an Essence (dhaat), as Allaah the Exalted mentions in the Qurâaan. So whatever Allaah the Exalted mentioned in the Qurâaan in regards to the Face and the Hand and the Essence, then these are His Attributes without inquiry into their modality (bilaa kayf). And it is not to be said that His Hand is His Power, or His Bounty (niâmah), because it is nullification of the Attribute, and it is the statement of the people of al-Qadar and al-Iâtizaal.â [al-Fiqhul-Akbar (p. 402)]

It is related by al-Harawee from ash-Shaafiâee, that he said, âMaalik was asked about kalaam and Tawheed, so Maalik said, âIt is foolishness to think about the Prophet (sallallaahu âalayhi wa sallam), that he taught this Ummah about istinjaaâ (cleaning after relieving oneself), but he did not teach them Tawheed. And Tawheed is what the Prophet (sallallaahu âalayhi wa sallam) said, âI was commanded to fight the people until they say: There is no deity worthy of worship besides Allaah.â [Related by al-Bukhaaree (3/262), Muslim (1/51) and an-Nisaaâee (5/14). All of them relate it by way of âUbaydullaah Ibn âUbayd al-Lajan âUtbah Ibn Masâood from Abee Hurayrah. And Aboo Daawood (3/101) related it from Abee Saalih from Abee Hurayrah.] So whatever is protected by it of wealth and blood is the reality of Tawheed.â [Dhammul-Kalaam (qaaf/210)]