This article is an explanation of al-ʿAqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah, a concise yet profound creed authored by Imām Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭaḥāwī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 321 AH), which encapsulates the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah as understood by the early Imams of the Ummah. The significance of learning and studying īmān is evident from the statement of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (radiyallahu ʿanhuma, d. 73 AH). When he was asked, “What is dīn (religion)?”, he replied: ‘عليك بالايمان فتعلمه (Adhere firmly to īmān, and learn it).’

Also, Imam Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 150 AH) regarded this as the most virtuous form of knowledge when he stated: “Understanding (fiqh) in matters of religion—namely, sound comprehension of beliefs (ʿaqīdah and what pertains to them)—is superior to understanding legal rulings. For a person to gain insight into how to worship his Lord (with sound belief and sincerity) is better for him than accumulating a vast amount of knowledge.” (See: Al-Fiqh al-Absat, Afḍal al-Fiqh wa Taʿrīf al-ʾĪmān wa Arkānihi, p. 82, Maktabah al-Furqān)

 

Contents

 

Introduction

 

– The Linguistic and Technical Meaning of ʿAqīdah

– Meaning of al-Sunnah and al-Jamāʿah

– The Origin of the Term Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah

– The Saved Group (al-Firqah al-Nājiyah) in the Aḥādīth: Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah

– Understanding a Madhhab: A Brief Biography of the Three Imams of the Ḥanafī School 

 

Creed One: The Oneness of Allah, The Most Exalted

 

– The requirements of faith (īmān)

(Additional chapters will be added monthly, inshāʾAllāh)

 

 

 

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the all merciful, the most merciful

Imām Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭaḥāwī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 321 AH) states:

 

 

هَذَا ذِكْرُ بَيَانِ عَقِيدَةِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ عَلَى مَذْهَبِ فُقَهَاءِ الْمِلَّةِ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ الْكُوفِيِّ وَأَبِي يُوسُفَ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ وَأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ وَمَا يَعْتَقِدُونَ مِنْ أُصُولِ الدِّينِ وَيَدِينُونَ بِهِ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِين This (treatise) is a declaration of the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama’ah, according to the view of the jurists of the religion, Imam Abu Hanifah al-Nu’man ibn Thabit al-Kufi (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 150 AH), Imam Abu Yusuf Ya’qub ibn Ibrahim al-Ansari (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 182 AH) and Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 189 AH), may Allah be pleased with them all, and what they believe regarding the principles of religion and their faith in the Lord of the worlds.

 

The Linguistic and Technical Meaning of ʿAqīdah

 

The term ‘Aqīdah refers to that which the heart firmly affirms with conviction and intent. It is, therefore, a term that relates to one’s inner beliefs.

 

[End of quotation — Imam al-Bāʿbirti (d. 786 AH), with the footnotes of Imam ʿAbdus-Salām ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī Shanʿār, p. 16]

 

 

Meaning of al-Sunnah and al-Jama’ah

 

Legally, the term Sunnah refers to a path followed in matters of religion [i.e., a practiced way in dīn], and it may also be understood as referring to the statement of a Companion [i.e., as a source of legal guidance], according to us (the Ḥanafīs).

 

Imām al-Shāshī (raḥimahu Allāh) likewise defines the Sunnah as follows: ‘A term used for an established path followed in religion, whether it originates from the Prophet ﷺ or from the Companions.’

 

As the Prophet ﷺ said — in a narration reported by ʿIrbāḍ ibn Sāriyah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) — part of the ḥadīth states:

 

عَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ، تَمَسَّكُوا بِهَا، وَعَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ

 

“Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs after me.
Cling to it firmly, and bite onto it with your molar teeth…”

 

[سنن أبي داود, كتاب السنة, باب فِي لُزُومِ السُّنَّةِ, حديث رقم: ٤٦٠٧]

 

[End of quotation — Imām Maḥmūd ibn Muḥammad al-Rūmī al-Ḥanafī (d. 916 AH), with the footnotes of Dhākir awdah hamādi al-hanafī, p. 27]

 

Furthermore, the Prophet ﷺ received a divine command to invite people to this path, as stated by Almighty Allah:

 

قُلْ هَـٰذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِي ۖ وَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

 

Translation: Say, “This is my way: I invite to Allah with insight — I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah, and I am not of the polytheists.”

 

[al-Qur’an, Surah Yūsuf (12), Ayah (108)]

 

[End of quotation — Imam al-Bāʿbirti (d. 786 AH), with the footnotes of Imam ʿAbdus-Salām ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī Shanʿār, p. 17]

 

[Translator’s note: Imām al-Baghawī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 516 AH) explains the phrase “my way” in the above verse as:

 

سُنَّتِي وَمِنْهَاجِي

 

‘My way of practice (Sunnah) and my methodology.’

 

Thereafter he (raḥimahu Allāh) explains the phrase from the same verse ‘I and those who follow me’ by citing  a statement of the ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā (d. 68 AH) which states: 

 

قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: يَعْنِي أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ كَانُوا عَلَى أَحْسَنِ طَرِيقَةٍ وَأَقْصَدِ هِدَايَةٍ، مَعْدِنَ الْعِلْمِ، وَكَنْزَ الْإِيمَانِ وَجُنْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ 

 

Ibn ʿAbbās (radiyallahu ‘anhu) exlains: ‘Allah is referring in this verse to the Companions of Muḥammad ﷺ, for they were on the best path [i.e., the most correct and sound way in religion] and the most balanced guidance [i.e., the middle, just, and upright approach], the repository of knowledge, the treasure of faith, and the soldiers of the Most Merciful [i.e., those who actively uphold and defend Allah’s cause].’

 

Also the statement of Abdullah ibn Masood raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā (d. 32 AH) stating similar:

 

قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ: مَنْ كَانَ مُسْتَنًّا فَلْيَسْتَنَّ بِمَنْ قَدْ مَاتَ [فَإِنَّ الْحَيَّ لَا تُؤْمَنُ عَلَيْهِ الْفِتْنَةُ] أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ كَانُوا خَيْرَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ، وَأَبَرَّهَا قُلُوبًا، وَأَعْمَقَهَا عِلْمًا، وَأَقَلَّهَا تَكَلُّفًا، قَوْمٌ اخْتَارَهُمُ اللَّهُ لِصُحْبَةِ نَبِيِّهِ ﷺ وَإِقَامَةِ دِينِهِ، [فَاعْرِفُوا لَهُمْ فَضْلَهُمْ، وَاتَّبِعُوهُمْ فِي آثَارِهِمْ وَتَمَسَّكُوا بِمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ أَخْلَاقِهِمْ وَسِيَرِهِمْ] ، فَإِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى الْهُدَى الْمُسْتَقِيمِ

 

“ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (radiyallahu anhu) said: ‘Whoever seeks to follow an example, let him follow those who have already passed away [i.e., the deceased whose path is known and secure], for the living are not safe from tribulation [i.e., they may still be tested and deviate]. Those were the Companions of Muḥammad ﷺ; they were the best of this Ummah, the most righteous in heart [i.e., purest in intention], the deepest in knowledge [i.e., most firmly grounded in understanding], and the least affected by affectation [i.e., least pretentious or artificial]. They were a people whom Allah chose for the companionship of His Prophet ﷺ and for the establishment of His religion. So recognize their virtue [i.e., acknowledge their rank and merit], follow them in their footsteps [i.e., their guidance and practice], and adhere, as much as you are able, to their character and conduct [i.e., their manners and way of life], for indeed they were upon the straight guidance.”

 

[تفسير البغوي — البغوي (٥١٦ هـ)]

 

We clearly see here that the path of the Noble Prophet ﷺ and the righteous Companions [i.e., their creed, practice, and methodology] is the rightly guided path, which is termed Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah.

 

 

[End of the Translator’s Note]

 

However, Imam Shafi rahimallahu (d. 204 AH) stated: ‘In its absolute sense, it (i.e Sunnah) refers to the way of the Prophet ﷺ (only)’. 

 

Its ruling: A believer strives to establish it, though it is neither obligatory (farḍ) nor mandatory (wājib), as it constitutes a path that we have been commanded to revive. However, a person is blameworthy for neglecting it. (Constant neglect can lead to a person being sinful, we seek the protection of Allah). 

 

 

Sunnah is of two types:

 

1. Sunnah al-Hudā: These are the emphasized Sunnah practices, such as the adhān and congregational prayer. Persistently abandoning them constitutes wrongdoing and may lead to sin.
2. Sunnah al-Zawāʾid: These are Sunnah practices related to the personal habits of the Prophet ﷺ, such as his manner of dress, walking, and sitting. Leaving these does not entail sin nor constitute wrongdoing.”

 

As for al-Jamāʿah, the term is applied to those who adhere to the religion of the Prophet ﷺ, follow him upon it, and invite the entire Ummah to it.

 

It has been narrated from Abū ʿIṣmah Nūḥ ibn Abī Maryam (d. 173 AH) that he said: ‘I asked Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh): Who are the people of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah?’

 

He (rahimallahu) replied: 

 

مَنْ فَضَّلَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، وَعُمَرَ، وَأَحَبَّ عَلِيًّا، وَعُثْمَانَ وَآمَنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَمَسَحَ عَلَى الْخُفَّيْنِ وَلَمْ يُكَفِّرْ مُؤْمِنًا بِذَنْبٍ وَلَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ فِي اللَّهِ بِشَيْءٍ

 

“Whoever gives precedence to Abū Bakr and ʿUmar, and loves ʿAlī and ʿUthmān; believes in divine decree—both its good and its evil—from Allah; performs wiping over the leather socks [i.e., accepts the established Sunnah ruling of wiping over the khuffayn]; does not declare a believer an unbeliever due to a sin; and does not speak about Allah without knowledge [i.e., does not engage in speculative theology].”

 

 

[ الاعتقاد والهداية إلى سبيل الرشاد على مذهب السلف وأصحاب الحديث]

 

[The quote has been extracted from the book by Imam Baihaqi (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 458 AH), the author also adds ولم يحرم نبيذ التمر] 

 

What Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh) intends by this statement is that one who ascribes to Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah does not speak about Allah—His Essence, Names, or Attributes—based on personal opinion. Rather, the foundational principle is to adhere firmly to the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and to refrain from following whims, desires, and religious innovations.

 

Likewise, it entails holding firmly to the path of the Sunnah and the Jamāʿah—namely, that which the Companions and the Tābiʿūn were upon. The pious predecessors before us passed away without delving into speculative opinion, as stated by Imām Abū Yūsuf (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 182 AH):

 

مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفِ الْحَقَّ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَالسُّنَّةِ، فَهُوَ بِالْخُصُومَةِ بِالرَّأْيِ عَنْ مَعْرِفَتِهِ أَبْعَدُ

 

‘Whoever fails to identify the truth by way of the Qur’an and the Sunnah will be absorbed in speculative opinion, distant from true understanding.’

 

[END QUOTE – Imam Mahmud Ibn Muhammad al-Rumi al-Hanafi (d. 916 AH), pp: 27-30]

 

“This path is termed Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah because it stands in opposition to the path of the people of desires and innovation [i.e., the opposite of Sunnah is following desires, and the opposite of Jamāʿah is innovation and division]. For this reason, the designation Ahl al-Sunnah was chosen rather than Ahl al-Kitāb—even though attribution to the Kitāb is praiseworthy, as it includes the Qur’an—because the term Ahl al-Kitāb is conventionally used to refer to the Jews and Christians.”

 

[End of quotation — Imam al-Bāʿbirti (d. 786 AH), with the footnotes of Imām ʿAbdus-Salām ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī Shanʿār, p. 17]

 

 

The Origin of the Term Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah

 

 

The designation Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah came into natural usage toward the end of the first century Hijri (around 100 AH) or in the second century AH (after 100 AH). This emerged out of the need to distinguish the people of truth (Ahl al-Ḥaqq) from the people of falsehood (Ahl al-Bāṭil). Thereafter, the term al-Jamāʿah was appended to emphasize unity upon the truth and adherence to the collective way of the Companions.

 

Imam Ibn Sireen (rahimallahu, d. 110 HJ) stated:

 

عَنِ ابْنِ سِيرِينَ، قَالَ لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَسْأَلُونَ عَنِ الإِسْنَادِ، فَلَمَّا وَقَعَتِ الْفِتْنَةُ قَالُوا سَمُّوا لَنَا رِجَالَكُمْ فَيُنْظَرُ إِلَى أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ فَيُؤْخَذُ حَدِيثُهُمْ وَيُنْظَرُ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْبِدَعِ فَلاَ يُؤْخَذُ حَدِيثُهُمْ

 

“They would not ask about the chains of narration, and when the Fitnah occurred, they said: ‘Name for us your men’. So Ahl us-Sunnah would be regarded, and their Ḥadīth were then taken, and Ahl ul-Bi’dah would be regarded, and their Ḥadīth were not taken”.

 

[المقدمة صحيح مسلم،, باب في أن الإسناد من الدين وأن الرواية لا تكون إلا عن الثقات وأن جرح الرواة بما هو فيهم جائز بل واجب وأنه ليس من الغيبة المحرمة بل من الذب عن الشريعة المكرمة، حديث رقم ٢٧

 

Another usage of the term Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama’ah, is related from Imam Sufyan al-Thawri (rahimallahu, d. 161 AH):

 

إِذَا بَلَغَكَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ بِالْمَشْرِقِ صَاحِبِ سُنَّةٍ وَآخَرَ بِالْمَغْرِبِ، فَابْعَثْ إِلَيْهِمَا بِالسَّلَامِ وَادْعُ لَهُمَا، مَا أَقَلَّ أَهْلَ السُّنَّةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ

 

“If you hear about a man from the East who is a follower of the Sunnah, and another from the West, then send them your greetings of peace and pray for them. How few are the people of the Sunnah and the Jamāʿah [i.e., the rightly guided, united group adhering to the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions]!”

 

[شرح أصول اعتقاد أهل السنة والجماعة، رقم ٥٠]

 

The claim that ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā) was the first to use the term Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah is incorrect, due to the weakness of the isnāds (chains of transmission).

 

 

 

The Saved Group (al-Firqah al-Nājiyah) in the Aḥādīth: Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah

 

 

 

According to the Prophetic aḥādīth, Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah constitutes the Saved Group.

 

These narrations have been related from multiple Companions, among whom are:

 

• Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu)
• Sayyiduna ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā)
• Sayyiduna Muʿāwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā)
• Sayyiduna Anas ibn Mālik (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu)
• Sayyiduna ʿAwf ibn Mālik (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu)

 

 

Narration of Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu’ anhu)

 

The narration narrated by Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu’ anhu) is found in Sunan al-Tirmidhi (hadith number: 2640), Sunan Ibn Majah (hadith number: 3991) and Sunan Abu Dawud (hadith number: 4596), all with slightly different wording. The narration is as follows:

 

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “افْتَرَقَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى إِحْدَى أَوْ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً وَتَفَرَّقَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَى إِحْدَى أَوْ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً وَتَفْتَرِقُ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً ‏”‏.‏

 

Narrated Abū Hurayrah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu):

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

 

“The Jews split into seventy-one or seventy-two sects, and the Christians split into seventy-one or seventy-two sects; and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects.”

 

[سنن أبي داود، كتاب السنة، باب شرح السنة، حديث رقم ٤٥٩٦]

 

Narration of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā)

 

As for the narration transmitted by ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā), it is recorded in Sunan al-Tirmidhī (ḥadīth no. 2641). A portion of the narration reads as follows:

 

عن عبد الله بن عمرو رضي الله عنهما: قال رسول الله ﷺ: وَإِنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ تَفَرَّقَتْ عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً وَتَفْتَرِقُ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً كُلُّهُمْ فِي النَّارِ إِلاَّ مِلَّةً وَاحِدَةً قَالُوا وَمَنْ هِيَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي

 

Narrated ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā):

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Indeed, the Children of Israel split into seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in the Fire except one.”

It was said: “Which one is it, O Messenger of Allah?”

He ﷺ replied: “That which I am upon, and my Companions.”

 

[جامع الترمذي، كتاب الإيمان عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، باب ما جاء في افتراق هذه الأمة، حديث رقم ٢٦٤١]

 

Regarding this ḥadīth, Imām al-Tirmidhī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 279 AH) remarks:

 

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ مُفَسَّرٌ غَرِيبٌ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ مِثْلَ هَذَا إِلَّا مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ

 

Narration of Muʿāwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu)

 

As for the narration transmitted by Muʿāwiyah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu), it is recorded in Sunan Abī Dāwūd (ḥadīth no. 4597). The narration reads as follows:

 

عَنْ أَبِي عَامِرٍ الْهَوْزَنِيِّ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، أَنَّهُ قَامَ فِينَا فَقَالَ أَلاَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ فِينَا فَقَالَ ‏”‏ أَلاَ إِنَّ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ افْتَرَقُوا عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمِلَّةَ سَتَفْتَرِقُ عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ ثِنْتَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ وَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَهِيَ الْجَمَاعَةُ

 

 

Abu `Amir al-Hawdhani (raḥimahu Allāh) said:

 

Muʿāwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā) stood among us and said: 

 

‘Beware! The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) stood among us and said: Beware! The people of the Book before were split up into seventy two sects, and this community will be split into seventy three: seventy two of them will go to Hell and one of them will go to Paradise, and it is the majority group.’

 

[سنن أبي داود، كتاب السنة، باب شرح السنة، حديث رقم ٤٥٩٧]

 

Narrations of Anas Ibn Mālik (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu)

 

The narrations of Anas Ibn Malik (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) is as follows:

 

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم:‏ ‏إِنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ افْتَرَقَتْ عَلَى إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي سَتَفْتَرِقُ عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً كُلُّهَا فِي النَّارِ إِلاَّ وَاحِدَةً وَهِيَ الْجَمَاعَةُ

 

Narrated Anas bin Malik (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) 

 The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

‘The Children of Israel split into seventy-one sects, and my nation will split into seventy-two, all of which will be in Hell apart from one, which is the main body.”

 

[سنن ابن ماجه، كتاب الفتن، باب افتراق الأمم، حديث رقم ٣٩٩٤]

 

Also another narration mentioned by Imam al-Lālikāʾī  (d. 418 AH) in ‘Uṣūl Iʿtiqād Ahl al-Sunnah’: 

 

قال أنس: قال النبي ﷺ: إن بني إسرائيل افترقت على إحدى وسبعين فرقة، كلها في النار إلا واحدة

فقيل: يا رسول الله وما هذه الواحدة؟ -ما هذه الفرقة؟ – فقبض يده وقال: الجماعة

فاعتصموا بحبل الله جميعًا ولا تفرقوا

 

Anas (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) said: The Prophet ﷺ said:

 

“Indeed, the Children of Israel split into seventy-one sects; all of them will be in the Fire except one.”
It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, which one is that [i.e. which group is it]?”
So he clenched his hand and said: ‘al-Jamāʿah’.
Then [The verse of the Qur’an was cited]: ‘So hold fast, all of you, to the Rope of Allah and do not divide [al Qur’an, Surah Āl ʿImrān (3), Ayah (103)].’

 

[شرح أصول اعتقاد أهل السنة للالكائي، باب سياق ما روي عن النبي ﷺ في الحث على اتباع الجماعة والسواد الأعظم، وذم تكلف الرأي والرغبة عن السنة، والوعيد في مفارقة الجماعة، رقم ١٤٨]

 

[Translator’s note: The author has mentioned this hadith as narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhuma), and is found in Ibn Majah, this seems to be an error, as it has been narrated by Anas (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) and is not mentioned in Sunan Ibn Majah. However it is possible the blessed hand that is referred to in this hadith is a reference to Abdullah Ibn Abbas (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu). Allah knows best].

 

Narration of Awf Ibn Mālik (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu)

 

The narration of Awf Ibn Mālik (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) is as follows:

 

عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏”‏ افْتَرَقَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً فَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ وَافْتَرَقَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً فَإِحْدَى وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ وَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَتَفْتَرِقَنَّ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً فَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَثِنْتَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ هُمْ قَالَ ‏”‏ الْجَمَاعَةُ ‏”‏ 

 

Narrated ʿAwf ibn Mālik (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu): 

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

 

“The Jews split into seventy-one sects: one of them will be in Paradise and seventy in the Fire. The Christians split into seventy-two sects: seventy-one will be in the Fire and one in Paradise. By Him in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad ﷺ, my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects: one will be in Paradise and seventy-two in the Fire.”

It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, who are they?”
He ﷺ replied: “The Jamāʿah [the united group].”

 

[سنن ابن ماجه، كتاب الفتن، باب افتراق الأمم، حديث رقم ٣٩٩٢]

 

Understanding a Madhhab: A Brief Biography of the Three Imams of the Ḥanafī School

 

 

 

As for the statement ‘عَلَى مَذْهَبِ فُقَهَاءِ الْمِلَّةِ’ (according to the view of the jurists of the religion): 

 

Literally, a madhhab denotes a place to which one goes, and by extension, a path that is followed. Technically, it refers to the juristic methodology and legal opinions of a mujtahid Imām.

 

The madhhab of a mujtahid Imām is founded upon four sources:

 

1. The Qur’an
2. The Sunnah
3. Ijmaʿ (the consensus of the Ummah)
4. Qiyās (analogical legal reasoning derived from and grounded in the preceding three sources).

 

The term fuqahāʾ refers to the scholars of the divine scriptures, while ‘millah’ denotes the path that Allah commanded the Prophet ﷺ to follow and uphold.

 

[End of quotation — Imam Maḥmūd ibn Muḥammad al-Rūmī al-Ḥanafī (d. 916 AH), with the footnotes of Dhākir awdah hamādi al-hanafī, pp. 29-30]

 

 

Imām al-Ṭaḥāwī (d. 321 AH) attributes this treatise to three scholars, namely Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 150 AH), Imām Abū Yūsuf (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 182 AH), and Imām Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 189 AH). These three scholars are the founding Imāms of the Ḥanafī madhhab, upon whose opinions and methodology the madhhab is established.

 

The founder of the Madhab, Imam Abu Hanifah (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 150 AH), al-Numan ibn Thabit, al-Imam al-Adham, al-Faqih al-Mujtahid, one of the four Imams from Ahlul Sunnah, he rahimallahu was strong in proofs, very well articulated, very generous and beautiful in appearance. He rahimallahu passed away in the year 150 AH in prison (due to rejecting the post of chief judge). He authored the masterpiece ‘Fiqh al-Akbar’ in aqidah. 

 

His student, Imām Abū Yūsuf ibn Ibrāhīm al-Anṣārī al-Kūfī al-Baghdādī (raḥimahu Allāh), was both a companion and pupil of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh). He was the first to widely disseminate the Ḥanafī madhhab and served as a judge under three caliphs: al-Mahdī, al-Hādī, and Hārūn al-Rashīd. Imam Abu Yusuf (rahimallahu) was the first to bear the title Qāḍī al-Quḍāt (Chief Judge) and passed away in 182 AH (raḥimahu Allāh). Among his notable works is al-Kharāj, one of his most famous books.

 

One of the youngest students of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh), Imām Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Shaybānī (raḥimahu Allāh), was a leading authority in fiqh and uṣūl al-fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence). He played a major role in disseminating the knowledge of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh). Caliph Hārūn al-Rashīd (raḥimahu Allāh) appointed him as a judge in al-Riqa. He passed away in 189 AH (raḥimahu Allāh) and authored al-Mabsūṭ fī Furūʿ al-Ḥanafiyyah, one of his most famous works.

 

[End of quotation — Imam al-Bāʿbirti (d. 786 AH), with the footnotes of Imām ʿAbdus-Salām ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī Shanʿār, p. 16]

 

 

[Translator’s Note: A madhhab provides the methodological framework through which a mujtahid Imām derives and organizes rulings. It is within this structured path that fiqh—the understanding of the legal rulings of Sharīʿah—is developed. In other words, a madhhab represents the systematic approach, while fiqh is the body of knowledge and rulings that emerge from following that approach. Together, they guide Muslims in applying the principles of the Qur’an and Sunnah to practical matters of worship, transactions, and social conduct]. [End of the Translator’s Note]

 

Linguistically, fiqh refers to a deep, precise type of understanding–one that is attained through careful consideration of contextual clues and indicators. 

 

Technically, fiqh refers to knowledge of the rulings of Islamic law along with their evidences. Imām al-Bazdawī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 482 AH) further added that it includes acting upon this knowledge, emphasizing that the purpose of acquiring knowledge is incomplete without implementation.

 

Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 150 AH) stated:

 

الفقه معرفة النفس ما لها وما عليه

 

 ‘Fiqh is the recognition of the soul—what is beneficial for it and what is harmful.’ 

 

This means understanding that which will benefit a person and earn reward through righteous actions, as well as that which will harm a person and incur punishment through committing prohibited acts.

 

The definition of fiqh mentioned above encompasses both deep understanding and the implementation of its teachings, both of which are exemplified in Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 150 AH).

 

As for his knowledge, its impact can be seen across the East and the West. Imām al-Wākī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 197 AH) stated: ‘In fiqh and al‑kalām, what was opened up for Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh) was not opened up for anyone else.’

 

Imām al-Ḥusayn al-Marwazī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 244 AH) stated: I heard Imām al-Nadhr ibn Shumayl (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 203 AH) say: “The people were asleep regarding fiqh until Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh) awakened them through his deep understanding, his use of evidence, and his ability to substantiate his views.”

 

“It has been authentically reported from Imām al-Shāfiʿī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 204 AH) that he stated: ‘Everyone is indebted to Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh) in fiqh.’ It is also reported that he asked his teacher, Imām Mālik (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 179 AH), ‘Have you seen Abū Ḥanīfah?’ He replied: ‘I have seen a man who, if he were to argue that this pillar is made of gold, would be able to prove it.’”

 

As for his actions (ʿamal), ʿAlī ibn Zayd (raḥimahu Allāh) stated: ‘I saw Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh) complete the recitation of the Qur’an sixty times during the month of Ramaḍān—once during the day and once in the evening.

 

Imām Ḥafṣ ibn Ghiyāth (raḥimahu Allāh) stated: ‘Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh) offered the Fajr prayer in the same wudūʾ that he performed for ʿIshā’ for forty years.’ His virtues (manāqib) in knowledge and action (ʿamal) are well known and cannot be fully enumerated.

 

[End of quotation — Imam al-Bāʿbirti (d. 786 AH), with the footnotes of Imām ʿAbdus-Salām ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī Shanʿār, pp. 17-19]

 

 

[Translator’s note: ʿAllāmah al-Zarnūjī (raḥimahu Allāh), in his treatise offering counsel to students of knowledge entitled Taʿlīm al-Mutaʿallim Ṭarīq al-Taʿallum, cites Imam Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh) regarding the definition of ʿamal, wherein he states:

 

ما العلم إلا العمل به والعمل به ترك العاجل للآجل  

 

Knowledge is nothing but acting upon it, and acting upon it is to forsake the immediate (worldly gain) for the sake of the deferred (Hereafter).

 

[Imam al-Zarnūjī (raḥimahu Allāh), Taʿlīm al-Mutaʿallim Ṭarīq al-Taʿallum, p. 11]

 

[End of Translator’s note]

 

One of the reasons Imam al-Ṭaḥāwī (raḥimahullāh) referred to them as “fuqahāʾ al-millah” (jurists of the religion) is that Imam Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahullāh) was born during the era of the Ṣaḥābah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhum), narrated from some of them, and acquired his fiqh during the era of the Tābiʿīn (the successors of the Companions). This generation was explicitly praised by the Prophet ﷺ, as mentioned in the following ḥadīth:

 

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ‏ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ 

 

Narrated `Abdullah (radiyallahu ‘anhu):

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The best people are those of my generation, and then those who will come after them (the next generation), and then those who will come after them (i.e. the next generation), and then after them. 

 

[صحيح البخاري، كتاب الرقاق، باب ما يحذر من زهرة الدنيا والتنافس فيها، ٦٤٢٩]

 

[End of quotation — Imam al-Bāʿbirti (d. 786 AH), with the footnotes of Imām ʿAbdus-Salām ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī Shanʿār, pp. 17-19]

 

 

[Translator’s note: To summarise fiqh comprises of three components:

 

• Istinbaat (Extracting rulings from the Qur’an and Sunnah)
• Ilal (Understanding the reasonings and wisdoms of the rulings)
• Amal (Acting upon the knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah in one’s daily life).

 

 

Furthermore, according to the uṣūliyyīn, the definition of fiqh underwent three distinct stages of development:

 

1. The First Stage: During this stage, the term fiqh was used in a comprehensive sense to encompass all that came from Almighty Allah. This included matters related to ʿaqīdah (beliefs), akhlāq (upright character), ʿibādāt (acts of worship), and muʿāmalāt (social dealings, such as trade). For this reason, Imam Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 150 AH) entitled his treatise on creed Fiqh al-Akbar.
2. The Second Stage: In this stage, the scope of fiqh became more defined and specialised. Matters of belief (ʿilm al-ʿaqāʾid) were separated and developed into an independent discipline, known as ʿilm al-tawḥīd or ʿilm al-kalām. Consequently, fiqh came to denote knowledge related specifically to ʿilm al-aḥkām al-farʿiyyah —the legal rulings of the religion, such as those concerning ṣalāh and zakāh—together with their detailed evidences.

   One reason for this development is that al-ʿulūm al-aṣliyyah (the foundational sciences upon which all else is built) refer to matters of creed, whereas al-ʿulūm al-farʿiyyah refer to subsidiary matters. These include ʿilm al-aḥkām as well as aʿmāl al-qalbiyyah (states and actions of the heart, such as the prohibition of pride and envy).

3. The Third Stage: In this stage—which has remained the prevailing understanding to the present day—fiqh came to be defined as ʿilm al-aḥkām: knowledge of legal rulings together with their detailed evidences and supporting proofs. Matters relating to aʿmāl al-qulūb (actions and states of the heart) were further distinguished and developed into an independent discipline, known as taṣawwuf or akhlāq (and even adab).

 

 

Imam Abū Ḥanīfah (raḥimallāhu) defined the term dīn as encompassing all matters related to Īmān, Islām, and the religion in its entirety.

 

[End of quotation — Maḥmūd ibn Muḥammad al-Rūmī al-Ḥanafī (d. 916 AH), with the footnotes of Dhākir awdah hamādi al-hanafī, p. 36]

 

 

Furthermore, dīn refers specifically to Islām, as Almighty Allah states:

 

إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمُ

 

Translation: Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.

 

[Surah Āl ʿImrān, Ayah 19 (3:19)]

 

Also in another verse, Almighty Allah states:

 

وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينًۭا

 

Translation: And have approved for you Islam as a religion.

 

[al-Qur’an, Surah al-Mā’idah (5), Ayah (3)]

 

[End of quotation — Imam al-Bāʿbirti (d. 786 AH), with the footnotes of Imām ʿAbdus-Salām ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī Shanʿār, p. 20]

 

توحيد الله تعالى

 

Creed One: The Oneness of Allah, the Exalted

 

نَقُولُ فِي تَوْحِيدِ اللَّهِ مُعْتَقِدِينَ بِتَوْفِيقِ اللَّهِ    With the divine assistance of Allah, we say regarding our belief in Tawḥīd (oneness of Allah):

This section contains three discussions (matters or issues).

 

Discussion 1: The two requirements of faith (īmān)

 

Al-Imām al-Ṭaḥāwī rahimallahu (d. 321 AH) gathered in this statement two requirements for faith (īmān), which both are necessary and failure to have one of these components, means one does not have faith:

 

• Verbal acknowledgment (iqrār bil-lisān),
• Inner belief (iʿtiqād bil-janān).

 

A mere verbal acknowledgment without belief in the heart does not suffice for faith (īmān). Rather, that is hypocrisy (nifāq). 

 

Regarding the requirement of Verbal acknowledgment (iqrār bil-lisān) and Inner belief (iʿtiqād bil-janān), Almighty Allah states:

 

قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قُلُوبُهُمْ 

 

Translation: They say (Munāfiqūn):  ‘We believe,’ with their lips while their hearts believe not; 

 

[al-Qur’an, Chapter: al-Ma’idah (5), Verse (41)]

 

[Translator’s note: Another verse in this regard, Almighty Allah states: 

 

 

إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ (63)

 

Translation: “When the hypocrites come to you, they say, ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of God.’ God knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and God bears witness that the hypocrites are liars.” (al-Munāfiqūn 63:1)

 

[al-Quran, Chapter: al-Munāfiqūn (63), Verse (1)]

 

Here, in the above verse we see that the requirement of inner belief (iʿtiqād bil-janān) is necessary and without sincerity and true belief, faith (iman) is not found. 

 

Other verses in this regard (see: Sūrat al-Ḥujurāt (49:14), Sūrat al-Nisāʾ (4:136)). [End of translator’s note].

 

Discussion 2: Definition and meaning of Tawfīq

 

It is only through tawfīq (divine guidance) from Allah that we are able to perform righteous actions, and Allah grants tawfīq (divine guidance) to whomever he wills. Almighty Allah states in Āyat al-Nūr (The Verse of Light): 

 

يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ

 

“Allah guides to His light whom He wills.” 

 

[Reference: al-Qur’ān, Sūrat al-Nūr (24), Āyah 35]

 

 

Definition of Tawfīq: Tawfīq is that Allah aligns a believer’s statements and actions with His commands and prohibitions. It is commonly defined as Allah facilitating and creating the means that lead a person toward goodness.

 

[Translator’s note: Imām al-Baghawī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 516 AH) states similar:

 

تَسْهِيلُ سَبِيلِ الْخَيْرِ وَالطَّاعَةِ

“Facilitating the path to goodness and obedience.”

 

[End of Translator’s note]

 

Imam al-Ṭaḥāwī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 321 AH) begins his exposition with the Oneness of Allah, the Exalted, because the first duty prescribed for humankind is iqrār (testification with the tongue) and yaqīn (firm conviction in the heart). This is rooted in the reality that Allah is One and free from all partners, which is why every prophet (alayhi as-salām) commenced their mission by calling their people to the Oneness of Allah. As Allah, the Exalted, states:

 

 

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ

 

Translation: We did not send before you any messenger but We revealed to him that there is no deity but I, so worship Me. 

[Reference: al-Qur’ān, Surah Al-Anbiyāʾ (21), Ayah 25]

 

 

[Translator’s note: The cited verse clearly demonstrates that all of the messengers of Allah called their people to the Oneness of Allah and to worship Him alone. This is the very purpose of creation, as Allah, the Most Exalted, states:

 

 

اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا

 

Translation: “Allah is the One Who created seven heavens and of the earth the like of them. His command descends among them so that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah encompasses all things in knowledge.“

 

[Reference: al-Qur’ān, Surah al-Ṭalāq (65), Ayah (12)]

 

Also, the statement of Allah, Most Exalted:

 

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

 

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.“

 

[Reference: al-Qur’ān, Surah adh-Dhāriyāt (51), Ayah (56)]

 

 

 

The two verses cited above succinctly encapsulate the purpose of our creation, namely:

 

• Recognising Allah
• Worshipping Allah alone.

 

[End of Translator’s note]

 

Furthermore, Imam al-Ṭaḥāwī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 321 AH) states, “with the tawfīq of Allah,” because it is only through Allah’s tawfīq that righteous actions are completed and brought to perfection. In this regard, Almighty Allah relates the statement of Shuʿayb (ʿalayhi al-salām):

 

وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

“And my success is only by Allah. Upon Him I rely, and to Him I turn in repentance.”

 

[al-Qurān, Surah Hūd (11), Ayah (88)]

 

[End of quotation — Mufti Raḍā al-Ḥaqq, al-ʿAsīdah al-Samāwiyyah, Vol. 1,  pp. 149]

[Translator’s note: Regarding the phrase of Imam al-Ṭaḥāwī (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 321 AH) ‘With the help of Allah, we say…’ ‘We’ indicates Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama’ah, which he (raḥimahu Allāh) refers to earlier in this treatise ‘This is a declaration of the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l Jama’ah’.  

 

Furthermore, the phrase “with the help of Allah…” conveys humility, submission, and reliance upon Allah, while simultaneously negating any claim to one’s own independent ability or strength. From this, we learn that a believer should not attribute righteous deeds to himself, but rather ascribe them to Allah alone. 

 

It is narrated that The Noble Prophet ﷺ stated:

 

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Shall I not tell you of a phrase that is one of the treasures of Paradise? It is: Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh.” 

 

[صحيح البخاري, كتاب الدعوات, باب الدعاء إذا علا عقبة, رقم ٦٣٨٤]

 

 

Therefore, one should frequently recite this dhikr, while reflecting deeply upon its meanings.

 

لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّه 

“There is no power (to do good) nor strength (to abstain from evil) except by Allah.”

 

 

[Translator’s note: Another point of discussion is the subtle distinction between Tawfiq and Hidayah. As we have discussed, Tawfiq refers to the divine assistance or ability granted by Allah to perform righteous actions. On the other hand, Hidayah, as explained in Maqāyīs al-Lughah by Ibn Fāris (رحمه الله, d. 395 AH), is defined as التَّقَدُّمُ لِلْإِرْشَادِ, meaning ‘the initiative for guidance’.

 

It is only through Allah that we are guided to righteous actions and we should constantly seek the guidance of Allah, one of which we recite numerous times daily: 

 

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Translation: Guide us to the Straight Path.

 

[Reference: al-Qur’ān, Sūrat Sūrat al-Fātiḥah (1), Āyah (5)]

 

 

Such great is this blessing (ni’mah) of faith (iman) that it will truly become evident on the day of judgment. Allah describes this incident when the people of paradise (jannah) express their gratitude to Allah for guiding them to paradise:

 

 

وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلَا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ

 

Translation: And they will say, “Praise be to Allah, who has guided us to this; and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us.

 

[Reference: al-Qur’ān, Sūrah Sūrat Al-A‘raf (7), Āyah (43)]

 

 

 

Imam al-Suyuti rahimallahu (d. 911 AH) in ‘durr al-manthoor’ makes mention of a hadith regarding guidance:

 

كُلُّ أهْلِ النّارِ يَرى مَنزِلَهُ مِنَ الجَنَّةِ يَقُولُ: لَوْ أنَّ اللَّهَ هَدانا فَيَكُونُ حَسْرَةً عَلَيْهِمْ، وكُلُّ أهْلِ الجَنَّةِ يَرى مَنزِلَهُ مِنَ النّارِ فَيَقُولُ: لَوْلا أنْ هُدانا اللَّهُ، فَهَذا شُكْرُهم

 

“Every inhabitant of the Fire will see his place in Paradise and will say: ‘If only Allah had guided us!’ — and that will be a cause of regret for them.
And every inhabitant of Paradise will see his place in the Fire and will say: ‘Had Allah not guided us [we would not have been saved],’ — and that is their expression of gratitude.”

 

[أخرجه أحمد ١٦/ ٣٨١ – ٣٨٢ (١٠٦٥٢)، والحاكم ٢/ ٤٧٣ (٣٦٢٩)]

 

Imam al-Suyuti (rahimahullah) likewise cites an incident connected to this very verse:

 

وأخْرَجَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنصُورٍ، وأبُو عُبَيْدٍ، وابْنُ المُنْذِرِ، وابْنُ أبِي حاتِمٍ، والبَيْهَقِيُّ في ”الشُّعَبِ“، عَنْ أبِي هاشِمٍ قالَ: كَتَبَ عَدِيُّ بْنُ أرْطاةَ إلى عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ العَزِيزِ: إنَّ مَن قِبَلَنا مِن أهْلِ البَصْرَةِ قَدْ أصابَهم مِنَ الخَيْرِ خَيْرٌ حَتّى خِفْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَكَتَبَ إلَيْهِ عُمَرُ: قَدْ فَهِمْتُ كِتابَكَ، وإنَّ اللَّهَ لَمّا أدْخَلَ أهْلَ الجَنَّةِ الجَنَّةَ رَضِيَ مِنهم بِأنْ قالُوا: ﴿الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدانا لِهَذا﴾ فَمُرْ مَن قِبَلَكَ أنْ يَحْمَدُوا اللَّهَ.

 

Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr (raḥimahu Allāh), Abū ʿUbayd (raḥimahu Allāh), Ibn al-Mundhir (raḥimahu Allāh), Ibn Abī Ḥātim (raḥimahu Allāh), and al-Bayhaqī (raḥimahu Allāh) in Shuʿab al-Īmān all narrated from Abū Hāshim (raḥimahu Allāh) who said:

ʿAdī ibn Arṭāh (raḥimahu Allāh) wrote to ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz (raḥimahu Allāh, d. 101 AH)  saying:
“Those under my authority from among the people of Basra have been blessed with much goodness — so much that I fear it might harm them.”

ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz (raḥimahu Allāh) wrote back to him:
“I have understood your letter. When Allah admitted the people of Paradise into Paradise, He was pleased with them simply for saying:
‘Praise be to Allah, who has guided us to this’ (Qur’an 7:43).

So instruct those under your care to praise Allah.”

 

[الدر المنثور — جلال الدين السيوطي (٩١١ هـ)]

 

[End of translator’s note]

 

 

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Last Updated: January 2026