Thread by @IbneKhan01

.:Ĥakīm al-Samarqandī and Sawād al-Aáżam:.

As mentioned in this thread, there are many points of creed affirmed by Ĥakīm al-Samarqandī in his book Sawād al-Aáżam which contradict the Salafī creed.

This text gives us an insight into the Ĥanafī theology of Transoxiana.

https://twitter.com/KerrDepression/status/1364686908891234304

The reason as to why this text was written was due to the request of the Samanid ruler Ismayīl ibn Aĥmad [234-295 AH / 849-907 AH]. He gathered the scholars of Transoxiana and requested them to compile a creed which contains the orthodox belief, due to the spread of heresies.

It was Ĥakīm Abu’l Qāsim Is’hāq ibn Ibrāhīm al-Samarqandī, a Ĥanafī scholar who was also a Sufi, who was chosen for this task.

The text was well-received and became an official catechism in the lands under Samanid rule, it was also translated into Persian.

This makes it a reflection of the creed held by the Ĥanafī scholars of Transoxiana in the third century AH.

What this text informs us that there was no “Salafī” or “Atharī” Ĥanafīs in this region, the closest were the Karrāmiyyah.

Some of the points in which it differs with such creeds are:

1. Faith is affirmation of the heart and declaration with the tongue, describes those who include bodily actions as innovators.

2. Allāh speaks without letters and a voice.

3. Our recitation of the Qur’ān is created.

4. Allāh is not in a place.

5. Allāh does not come and go, nor is any other Attribute to be understood as they are for creation, rather one is to believe in them without interpretation and without a literal understanding.

6. Faith does not increase nor decrease.

1. Faith is affirmation of the heart and declaration with the tongue.

He writes:

“It is appropriate for the believer to know that faith [īmān] is upon two organs: in the heart and upon the tongue, except for the one who has an excuse [to not declare with the tongue].

There is no benefit without the heart [when declared with the tongue] in any case.

Faith is knowledge of Allāh táālā in the heart in terms of His Oneness, and declaration of the tongue in terms of His Oneness, as He is One, there is nothing like unto Him, and He is all-Hearing,

all-Seeing.

Thus, this is the essence of faith.

The one who declares it by the tongue but does not affirm it in the heart, then he is a hypocrite [munāfiq].

The one who knows Allāh táālā in the heart, and does not declare it by the tongue,

then he is a disbeliever [kāfir] in Allāh.

[And know] that faith is declaration with the tongue, and affirmation of the heart.

And this is sufficient for the intelligent one.

It is appropriate for him to know that the one who knows Allāh táālā in the heart, and does not declare it by the tongue, then he is a disbeliever.

The one who declares it by the tongue but does not know Allāh in the heart, then he is a hypocrite.

The one who says faith is in the heart rather than upon the tongue, then he is a Jahmī.

The one who says faith is upon the tongue rather than in the heart, then he is a Karrāmī.

The one who says faith is an utterance with the tongue, without knowledge of the heart, then he is from the Murji'ah.

The one who says faith is knowledge of the heart, without declaration of the tongue and affirmation of the heart, then he is as the People of the Book;

they know it, but do not declare it nor affirm it.

The one who says faith is declaration with the tongue, knowledge of the heart, and action of the limbs, then he is an innovator.

The one who says faith is knowledge of the heart, without declaration of the tongue and affirmation of the heart, then he is a Jahmī.

All of these are astray.

The correct opinion regarding that is that he knows faith is declaration of the tongue and affirmation of the heart.

This is sufficient for the intelligent one, and Allāh knows best what is correct.”

2. Allāh speaks without letters and voice

He writes:

“[And know] that Allāh spoke this Qur’ān without alphabets and letters, and without inflection after inflection, and without tone after tone, and without voice after voice, without time after time,

thus Allāh táālā spoke this Qur’ān without alphabets, letters, and voice as we stated.”

He further writes:

“If the opponent asks, ‘Did Allāh táālā speak the Speech?’

Say, ‘Yes.’

If he asks, ‘When?’, then say, ‘Without a when.’

If he asks, ‘How?’, then say ‘Without a how.’

If he asks, ‘Where?’, then say ‘Without a where.’

If he asks, ‘What amount?’, then say ‘Without an amount.’

If he asks, ‘Quietly or loudly?’, then say, ‘Neither quietly nor loudly.’

If he asks, ‘With a voice or without a voice?’, then say, ‘Without a voice and without a letter.’”

4&5. Allāh is not in a place, negating apparent of ambiguous texts, leaving their meaning to Allāh

He writes:

“It is appropriate for him that he does not affirm for Allāh táālā a place [makān], nor coming nor going, nor an attribute which is that of the creation.

For the completion of faith is that he knows Allāh táālā and does not busy himself with His modality.”

He writes further:

“The correct in that matter is that He know Allāh táālā is not on a place, nor is He in need of a place, and the Throne is subsisting by His Power,

and he does not attribute to Him coming and going.”

Further:

“As for the ambiguous [mutashābihāt] verses and ambiguous reports, then it is appropriate for him to have faith in them and not explain them, as explaining them enters into the way of denial,

thus he would become a innovator, and when you see an ambiguous verse, then leave that to Allāh táālā and do not explain it as it is not obligatory [fard] upon you that you know its explanation, rather the obligation upon you is to have faith in it.”

6. Faith does not increase nor decrease

He writes:

“It is appropriate he knows that faith [īmān] does not increase or decrease, as the one who considers there to be increase and decrease in faith is an innovator.”

It is important to keep in mind that modern-day Māturīdīs/Hanafīs do not necessarily agree with all that is mentioned above, however it is presented to show that there was certainly pre-Māturīdī Hanafīs who held non-Atharī views, many of which are still held by them today.