"The Greatest Understanding"

Praise and thanks are only for Allah, the Infinitely and Especially Merciful. O Allah, pray for your Messenger and grant him absolute peace.

By Allah's Grace and His Mercy, a new study group at our university has just embarked on a study of Aqeedat-ul-Waasitiyya. In this context, I was preparing for the first lesson when I was reminded of the wise words that one scholar mentioned at the beginning of his explanation of the more earlier and classical treatise on the same subject, Aqeedat-ut-Tahawiyyah. I thought it would be beneficial to share them with you, and with Allah is the success.

The following is my own translation of the foreword given by Sh. ibn Abi al 'Izz al-Hanafi (721-792 AH) in his explanation of Aqeedat-ut-Tahawiyyah. He was Chief Justice of the Damascus province, serving for a time in between for the Egyptian provinces in the same position. Amongst his famous teachers was the commentator of the Qur'an, ibn Kathir. There exists an English Translation of the work as published by Al-Attique Publishers, but this is an abridged one and so I have chosen to provide my own in an attempt to deliver more fully the feeling with which the author has written. The following excerpt is taken right after the author praises Allah and makes the two testifications.

As to what follows: then surely it is that the knowledge of the fundamentals of the religion is the most honourable type of knowledge. This is because the honour of any type of knowledge is due to the honour of what becomes known by it. And it is the the greatest fiqh...

[Tr: literally fiqh means "understanding" or "insight" but it has also gained a technical meaning of "jursitic rulings" because rulings are the result of understanding the sources of Islamic law. So later the author is comparing it with these "branch" rulings, e.g. what constitutes a valid contract, which derive from the "trunk" or the fundamentals of the religion.]

...when compared with the fiqh of the "branches". And that is why Imam Abu Hanifah, may Allah's Mercy be upon him, named what he had said and compiled in as pages on the subject of the fundamentals of the religion: "The Greatest Fiqh". So the dependence of the slaves [of Allah] upon it supercedes any other dependence, and their need for it supercedes any other need. That is because, of a surety, the hearts do not possess any life, nor any enjoyment, nor any calm except by becoming well-acquainted with their Lord, their God, their Creator; through His Names, His Qualities and His Acts. By all of this, He becomes most beloved to them over all that is other than Him; and it becomes their endeavour to gain nearness to Him as opposed to all that is other than Him, from amongst the rest of the creation.

And it is from the impossibilities that the intellects should independently acquire this acquaintance and comprehend it in detail. Hence, the Mercy of the Al-Mighty and the Most Merciful demanded that the Messengers be commissioned with it; as teachers and callers to it; as bearers of glad tidings for those who responded to their call; as warners for those who opposed them.

He made the key to their call and the essence of their message acquaintance with the One to be worshipped, Glorified be He; through His Names, His Qualities and His Acts. That is because it is upon this acquaintance that the demands of the Message, all of it, are built upon - from its beginning to its end.

[End of Excerpt]