Understanding AL-ASHʿARĪYAH (الاشعرية)
Definition
AL-ASHʿARĪYAH (الاشعرية) is an intellectual school of theology in Islam, established by Abū ʾl-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn Ismāʿīl al-Ashʿarī, founded around the late 9th and early 10th centuries. This theological framework emphasizes the scriptural doctrine, contending that divine attributes are distinct from God’s essence while maintaining God’s unity and supremacy.
Etymology and Background
The term AL-ASHʿARĪYAH (الاشعرية) originates from the name of its founder, Abū ʾl-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī. Al-Ashʿarī was initially a follower of the Mu’tazilite school, which advocated rational theology. Around 912 CE, he renounced Mu’tazilism and formulated his doctrines, aligning more closely with traditionalist Hadith-based frameworks while incorporating a blend of rationalism and scriptural fidelity.
Cultural Context and Differences
The Ash’arite theological principles resonate broadly within Sunni Islam, particularly impacting schools like the Shafi’i and Hanafi legal traditions. They argue fervently against the Mu’tazilite stance that the human intellect alone suffices to grasp Divine will, thereby emphasizing submission to divine revelation.
Similarities with other Islamic terms and philosophies:
- Like Maturidism, Ash’arism strives to find a balance between divine omnipotence and human free will.
- Similar to Sufism, it advocates for a deep spiritual, submission-focused approach to understanding God’s nature.
Cultural Differences:
- Contrasts starkly with Mu’tazilism, which places higher significance on the rational analysis of ethical matters and the nature of divine justice.
Core Doctrinal Tenets
- Divine Attributes: Posits that God’s attributes (e.g., knowledge, power, life) are eternal yet distinct from His essence. They avoid drawing any anthropomorphic comparisons.
- Human Freedom and Predestination: Upholds that all events are predestined by God, including human actions (termed kasb—acquisition). Nevertheless, humans possess the power to “acquire” acts through their will.
- Kasb (Acquisition): Suggests that human effort aligns with God’s creative act wherein an individual’s intent results in God’s creation of the corresponding action.
- Qurʾān: Maintains the pre-eternality of God’s speech as part of His essence while recognizing the temporal, created nature of the Qurʾānic text as uttered words.
Synonyms and Related Terms
- Ahl al-Sunnah (People of the Tradition): Broader community associating with Sunni orthodoxy.
- Predestination (Qadar): Belief in preordained events by divine will.
- Mutazilites: Rationalist theologians often positioned in opposition.
- Maturidism: Another traditional Sunni theological school focused on similar issues with slight variations in emphasis.
Exciting Facts & Quotations
- Fact: Abū ʾl-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī’s transformation from Mu’tazilite to champion of Sunni orthodoxy is considered one of the pivotal moments in Islamic theological history.
- Quotation: “When mankind cannot reconcile the creation’s liberty with God’s omnipotence, the Ash’arites find serenity in the truth that all is within His divine heritage yet our actions are distinctly our own for judgment.” - (Attributed to Al-Juwayni, a distinguished Ash’ari scholar).
Suggested Literature & Further Studies
Exploring Ash‘arism can start with the following resources:
- “Islamic Theology: Traditionalism and Rationalism” by Harry A. Wolfson.
- “Theology and Creed in Sunni Islam: The Muslim Brotherhood, Ash’arism, and Political Sunnism” by Jeffry R. Halverson.
- Ibn Khaldun’s “Muqaddimah” for understanding the historical context and development.
Inspiration and learning abound from diving into these rich theological debates, forming a cradle for modern Islamic thought’s intellectual spirituality.
Farewell thought: The depths of AL-ASHʿARĪYAH theology invite us to ponder the divine mystery and sovereignty, urging a humbling recognition of both our limitations and the boundless providence in everything.
Ibrahim Al-Hakim, Oct 6, 2023
