DefinePK

Abstract

Allah Almighty has created countless beings in this world, and among them, He has honored humankind as the best of creation. For the guidance and rectification of humanity, He sent Prophets and Messengers. The final and greatest of these was the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad Mustafa. The fundamental mission of all Prophets—from the earliest to the last—was the same: “Allah is One; worship Him alone.” This message was carried by Ibrahim (Abraham), Nuh (Noah), Musa (Moses), ‘Isa (Jesus), peace be upon them all, and all other Prophets. The Prophet Muhammad   perfected and completed this mission. He dedicated his entire life to the correction of the beliefs (‘Aqidah) of the Ummah. After him, particularly from the era of the Companions to the generations of the Tabi‘in and Taba‘ Tabi‘in (2nd and 3rd Hijri centuries), various theological and ideological challenges (fitan) emerged. To counter these, there arose a pressing need for a doctrinal framework that could effectively refute the deviations of misguided sects. Among the key theological debates of the time were the createdness of the Qur’an, Allah’s Istiwa’ over the Throne, belief in Divine Decree (Qadar), the components of faith (Iman), the status of deeds, and the reality of Paradise, Hell, and the Pond of Kawthar. Sects such as the Mu‘tazilah, Qadariyyah, and Murji’ah propagated various false doctrines, which misled many. There arose a dire need for a comprehensive scholarly response that could refute these heretical ideologies in detail. Allah chose Imam al-Tahawi (may Allah have mercy on him) for this monumental task. In his seminal work, he refuted all deviant views, often prioritizing the statements of the Companions, the leading scholars of the Hanafi school, and the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah. This research article aims to explore the methodology of Imam al-Tahawi in his treatise—especially through examples—and to analyze how he refuted the false doctrines of the Mu‘tazilah, Jabariyyah, Qadariyyah, and other deviant sects.