Ahl al-Hadith

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For the modern South Asian Movement, see Ahl-i Hadith.
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Ahl al-Ḥadīth (

Sunni orthodoxy prior to the emergence of mad'habs (legal schools) during the fourth Islamic century.[5]

In

Ahl ar-Ra'y.[1][6] The traditionalists condemned the practice of taqlid (blind-following scholarly opinions or ra'y without scriptural proofs) and advocated ittiba (adherence to scholarly traditions by asking for proofs from the Quran and Sunnah and taking only their literal meaning). In turn, the Ahl al-Hadith upheld ijtihad (scholarly legal reasoning) by adhering to Scriptures.[7][8][9]

In matters of faith, Ahl al-Hadith were pitted against the

traditionalist theology, has been championed in recent times by the Salafi movement.[14] The term ahl al-hadith is sometimes used in a more general sense to denote a particularly enthusiastic commitment to hadith and to the views and way of life of the Muhammad's contemporaries and the early generations of believers.[15]

Terminology

Ahl al-Ḥadith (or Așḥāb al-Ḥadiṯh (

Mu'tazilites, who asserted the absolute incorporeality of God in Islam
.

History

Athari scholars. Scholarship of jurisprudential history highlighted that Zubair's methodology of proto-textualism had greatly impacted the scholars of Ahl al-Hadith who were characterized by their approach to hold a strictly textualist understanding of Quran and Hadith, while mostly rejecting the Qiyas (analogy) method of Ahl al-Ra'y (scholars of Logic).[citation needed] Zubayr's strict views on exegetical field of Qur'anic interpretation were recorded in his primary biographies preserved by contemporary Muslim scholars, such as the saying of az-Zubayr when he advised one of his children to never argue about the Qur'anic texts with logic. The interpretation of Qur'an, according to az-Zubayr, should be strictly bound with understanding the tradition of Hadith and Sunnah.[citation needed
]

Such anti-rationalist, traditionalist and hadith oriented views were also shared by many influential scholars throughout history, many of whom reached the rank of absolute

Zahiri Maddhabs.[citation needed
]

Another companion of the prophet who was known to hold this textualist stance was

qadar.[18] Ibn 'Umar further condemned those Qadariyah and warned his disciples from their analogical methodology. According to contemporary scholars, the reason of Ibn Umar condemned the Qadariyya was because they were similar to Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism due to their dualism philosophy, which aligned with Hadiths (Prophetic traditions) that stated "Qadariyah were Magi of this Ummah".[19]

The Ahl al-Hadith movement emerged toward the end of the 8th century CE among scholars of hadith who held the Qur'an and authentic hadith to be the only acceptable sources of law and creed.

Malikite jurists of Medina.[6] They also rejected the use of qiyas (analogical deduction) and other methods of jurisprudence such Hiyal (legal deductions) when it gave precedence to Ra'y (individual opinion) over Hadith and was not based on literal reading of scripture.[6][20] Ahl al-Hadith strongly opposed the practice of Taqlid, which depended on the opinions of past Imams. They prescribed Ijtihad, which relied on the usage of hadiths. The scholars of the Ahl al-Hadith did not standardise themselves into an official mad'hab (legal school) and held diverse juristic approaches.[21]

In matters of faith, they were pitted against

Mu'tazilites and other theological currents, condemning many points of their doctrines as well as the rationalistic methods they used in defending them.[6] Ahl al-Hadith were also characterized by their avoidance of all state patronage and by their social activism.[6] They attempted to follow the injunction of "commanding good and forbidding evil" by preaching absolute asceticism and at times even launching vigilante attacks to break wine bottles, musical instruments, and chessboards.[6]

Convergence of legal schools

Further information: Fiqh and Madhhab

The next two centuries witnessed a broad convergence of legal methodologies which gave rise to the classical theories of Sunni jurisprudence (

Shafi'i legal school.[10] In turn, Hanbali jurists, who led the traditionalist movement and initially opposed the use of qiyas, gradually came to accept it as long as its application was strictly founded on scriptural sources.[10]

During the 14th century, the Ahl al-Hadith school underwent a religious renewal and crystallisation through the polemics and scholarly treatises of the medieval Hanbali polymath and

Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah.[22]

Creed

Main article:
Traditionalist theology (Islam)

The self-understanding of traditionalists is, that their basic views and doctrines can be traced back to the teachings of the Islamic prophet before what they saw as the unacceptable blending of Islamic orthodoxy with the opinions of men

better source needed
]

Scholars of the Ahl al-Hadith strongly condemned the doctrines of

bi-la kaifa), and asserted that their realities should be consigned to God alone (tafwid).[27]

They believed that every part of the

iman (faith) increases and decreases in correlation with the performance of prescribed rituals and duties, such as the five daily prayers.[31][32]

Theological controversies

In 833 the caliph

Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (874-936) found a middle ground between Mu'tazilite rationalism and Hanbalite literalism, using the rationalistic methods championed by Mu'tazilites to defend most tenets of the Ahl al-Hadith doctrine.[36]

A rival compromise between rationalism and traditionalism emerged from the work of

Maturidi synthesis were in the minority, their emotive, narrative-based approach to faith remained influential among the urban masses in some areas, particularly in Abbasid Baghdad.[37]

Contemporary Era

While Ash'arism and Maturidism are generally called the Sunni "orthodoxy", the traditionalist school has thrived alongside it, laying rival claims to be the orthodox Sunni creed.

Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyya (d. 1328 C.E/ 728 A.H), played the most influential role in formalising the creedal and doctrinal positions of Ahl al-Hadith through his numerous treatises. Ibn Taymiyya became the most important classical scholar for adherents of the Salafiyya movement and his theological treatises are the primary classical scholarly references taught in Salafi seminaries.[40]

References

Citations

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-19-512558-0
    .
  2. ISBN 978-1-8386-0505-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link
    )
  3. ^ Vlad Ghiță, Adrian (2019). "Revivalismul islamic. Tendinţe înnoitoare" [Islamic Revivalism: Renewing trends]. Theology and Life. 40 (9–12): 143 – via The Central and Eastern European Online Library.
  4. ^ Hodgson (2009, p. 1589 (Kindle location)); Blankinship (2008, p. 51)
  5. JSTOR 40377907
    – via JSTOR.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Lapidus (2014, p. 130)
  7. ISBN 978-0-19-969670-3
    .
  8. ISBN 978-0-19-933343-1
    .
  9. ^ "Do the Ahl al-Hadith say a Form of Taqlid is Wajib". Salafi Research Institute. 4 June 2017. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Lapidus (2014, p. 130-131)
  11. ^ Blankinship 2008, p. 53.
  12. ^ Brown 2009, p. 168 In the wake of the tenth-century Ash'ari synthesis, some Muslim theologians still maintained the strict details of the early Sunni creed. This continuation of the original Sunni theological School is often referred to as the Salafi school of theology [...] or as followers of 'Traditional (Athari)' or ahl al-hadith theology.}}
  13. ISBN 978-0-367-41782-6
    .
  14. ^ Hoover 2014, p. 625.
  15. ISBN 978-0-19-530513-5
    .
  16. ISBN 978-0-19-976183-8
    .
  17. ISBN 978-1-4384-5371-2
    .
  18. ^ Andirja, Firanda (9 April 2021). "Mengingkari Takdir (BAB-59)" [rejection of fate (volume 59)]. Firanda.com (in Indonesian). bekalislam.firanda.com. Retrieved 8 December 2021. HR. Abu Daud no. 4691. Hadits ini dinilai hasan oleh Al-Albani (As-Shahihah no 2748, dan lihat juga penjelasan As-Safaarini di Lawami an-Anwaar 1/304-306).
  19. ^ Ahmad al-Tahawi, Abu Ja'far. "شرح العقيدة الطحاوية" [Explanation of the Tahaawiyyah creed]. Halakat Taimiyah. Halakat Taimiyah Ibn Taimiyah mosque. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  20. JSTOR 40377907
    – via JSTOR.
  21. JSTOR 40377907
    – via JSTOR. ashab al-hadith were unreservedly critical of taqlid and the reliance on the individual opinion of preceding Imams. The ijtihad of ashab al-hadith, however, was based on the authority of the text ... since ashab al-hadith were not organized in a formal school, they showed a considerable degree of variation in their outlook on Fiqh and the use of hadith
  22. ISBN 9780190948955
    .
  23. ^ Al-Khumayyis, Muḥammad ibn ‘Abdir-Raḥmān (1992). I'tiqād al-A'immah al-Arba'ah – Abī Ḥanīfah wa-Mālik wash-Shāfi'ī wa-Aḥmad. Dār al-‘Āṣimah.
  24. ISBN 978-0-7007-1588-6
    .
  25. ISBN 978-1-61069-216-8
    .
  26. ^ Halverson (2010, p. 36)
  27. ^ Halverson (2010, p. 36-37)
  28. ISBN 978-0-231-14488-9
    .
  29. ISBN 8187746009
    .
  30. ^ Christopher Melchert, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Oneworld Publ., 2006, p 154
  31. ^ Halverson (2010, p. 20)
  32. ^ Herbert W. Mason, Humaniora Islamica, Volume 1, p 123.
  33. ^ Blankinship (2008, p. 49); Lapidus (2014, p. 130)
  34. ^ Blankinship (2008, pp. 49, 51); Lapidus (2014, p. 130)
  35. ^ Blankinship (2008, p. 49)
  36. ^ a b Blankinship (2008, p. 53)
  37. ^ Berkey (2003, p. 2081–2091 (Kindle locations)); Halverson (2010, p. 35)
  38. ^ Brown (2009, p. 180): "The Ash‘ari school of theology is often called the Sunni ‘orthodoxy.’ But the original ahl al-hadith, early Sunni creed from which Ash‘arism evolved has continued to thrive alongside it as a rival Sunni ‘orthodoxy’ as well."
  39. ^ Hoover (2014, p. 625)
  40. ISBN 978-1-62616-116-0
    .

Sources

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