Kitab at-Tawheed; Manual of Sunni Theology

The Book of Monotheism : New,
Kitab at-Tawheed (Tawhid) :
God & the Universe, A Manual of Sunni Theology,
*[A5+] Large Hardback - 385 pages,
by Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi [d.333h],
Transl. & Edited by Sulayman Ahmed,
Published by the Maturidi Institute.

 
Out of Stock

 
Description :
 
'Kitaab at-Tawheed' (‘The Book of Monotheism’) is the famous Sunni theologian Abu Mansoor al-Maturidi’s magnum opus (d. 333AH/944CE) and both the work and its author are a foundation of Sunni thought to the present day. Its early provenance and originality, as well as wide and enduring influence, make this book essential for students of theology, philosophy and the history of ideas. Yet despite the wide purported influence of and devotion to his ideas, Imam al-Maturidi’s work has been strangely neglected and untranslated by Muslim and non-Muslim scholars alike.

 
This is the first ever English translation
— with commentary —
of the first half of ‘Kitaab at-Tawheed'.


This work is unique, providing a detailed and holistic approach to Islamic theology, whilst also being its earliest extant comprehensive source. Imam al-Maturidi presents the epistemological foundations of his teaching and provides detailed arguments in defence of Monotheism, including his cosmological doctrines — such as proofs for the creation and ontology of the Universe. He also focuses on God, His Existence and Attributes, analysing issues related to anthropomorphism and rationalism amongst many others.


Regardless of theological affiliation, this is an indispensable work for academics and laymen alike.
 
 
 
 
 
Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, may Allah be pleased with him, (d. 333/944) can be regarded as the founder or systematiser of orthodox Sunni Islamic theology and dogma, with a majority of Muslims through history claiming to follow his school of thought. Born in Maturid, a locality in Samarkand, he authored many books in a wide variety of fields, but only two have survived until our time – ‘Kitaab at-Tawheed’ and his voluminous commentary on The Quran, ‘Ta’wilat Ahl al-Sunna’.


Scholars have posited that he inherited his doctrinal positions from the earliest Sunni Imam, Abu Hanifa, may Allah be pleased with him, and then systemised and interpreted them. Others argue that he himself formulated the school.


Kitab at-Tawhid’ is the oldest extant detailed text in Islamic doctrine and has been relied upon by practically all orthodox Muslim theologians succeeding Al-Maturidi. To the present day, a vast number of Muslims either follow his school or specific doctrines from within it.
 
 
 

 
 
Table of Contents :
 
 
---Arabic Transliteration Key,
---Introduction,

---A Short Biography of Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi,
---Chain of Teachers from Imam Abu Hanifa to Imam al-Maturidi,

---Kitab at-Tawhid,
---Notes on Translation,

 
---[1]. Religion must not be Based on Belief in Authority (taqlid) but must be Based on Evidence,
---[2]. Knowledge of the Religion is Acquired Through Transmission (sam') & the Intellect ('aql),
---[3]. Humans have Essentially Three Means of Acquiring Knowledge ;
---------a). The Senses,
---------b). Transmission,
---------c). Intellect,
---[4]. Proof for the Created Nature of the Universe ;
---------The Ontological Structure of the Universe,
---[5]. Proof that the Universe has a Creator,
---[6]. The Issue of the Creator of the Universe Being One,
---[7]. The Issue of the Creator of the Universe Being One Based on Reason,
---[8]. Refutation of Those who Dispute our Teachings on Epistemology,
---[9]. Deducing that Which is Present from that Which is Absent,
---[10]. The Refutation of those Who Profess the Eternity of the Universe,
---[11]. God's Names and Attributes: God may not be Described as Body (jism),
---[12]. God may be Described as a 'Thing' (shay'),
---[13]. Shaykh Abu Mansur was asked About the Meaning of 'The One,'
---[14]. God's Essential Attributes : Free Will ('ikhtiyar),
---[15]. Power (qudra) and Will (irada),
---[16]. Knowledge ('ilm),
---[17]. God's Attribute of Action : Creating (taqwin),
---[18]. Proof of the Existence of the Attributes: Against Equating the Creation with the Created,
---[19]. Creating is just as Eternal as Knowledge and Power,
---[20]. Presentation and Refutation of al-Ka'bi's Doctrine on the Attributes,
---[21]. Speech (kalam),
---[22]. The Correct Understanding of God's Free Will ('ikhtiyar) in Repudiation of Ka'bi,
---[23]. Against those Who Profess an Autonomous Process of Nature,
---[24]. Against those Who Profess an Eternal Material Substance (tina),
---[25]. Against The Karamites,
---[26]. The Correct Understanding of God's Names (asma'),
---[27]. All Names Apply to God Eternally (with a Critique of Jahn bin Safwan),
---[28]. Anthropomorphic Descriptions of God in the Qur'an ;
-----------God Sitting on the Throne (Al-'Istawa 'Ala al-'Arsh),
---[29]. The Differing Views of the Throne as well as the Possibility of a Localisation of God,
---[30]. Summary of Al-Maturidi's Teachings,
---[31]. Disputation with Ka'abi and Against the Idea that God is in the Sky Above Us,
---[32]. The Meaning of the Terms 'Near' 'Coming' 'Going' and 'Sitting' in Regard to God,
---[33]. The Vision of God (ru'yat Allah) in Paradise,
---[34]. Dispute with Muslim Opponents Against the Mutazalites ;
-----------Proof that their Main Teachings are Close to the Ideas of Foreign Religions,
---[35]. Against the Thesis; That which is Non-Existent (ma'dum) Has Always Existed,
---[36]. Against the Thesis; God has not Eternally been the Creator,
---[37]. Against the Thesis; God's Art of Creation is not Different from that Which is Created,
-----------God's Will is not other than that Which is Willed,
---[38]. Against the Thesis; Accidents Function  in the Material Universe According to their Own Sets of Laws,
---[39]. Against the Thesis; Humans, Based on their Freedom can Act in a Way that God did not know Previously,
---[40]. Description of God and Attributing Names to Him does not Entail Anthropomorphism,
---[41]. Why did God Create the Universe?
---[42]. Dispute with Al-Najjar on God's Wisdom and Providence,
---[43]. The Question of Why God Created the World (against Al-Najjar, the Mutazalites and Ismailis),
---[44]. The Definition of Wisdom,
---[45]. God's Command and Prohibition (in Agreement with Al-Najjar),
---[46]. God's Promise and Threat (in Agreement with Al-Najjar),
---[47]. On the Correct Understanding of the Maxim 'Whoever Knows Himself, Knows His Lord,'
---[48]. Again; On the Use of the Terms : 'Thing' (shay'), Body (jism) and Being (huwiyyah) with God,
---[49]. Again; Is God in a Place (due to His Sitting on The Throne)?
---[50]. On the Application of the Categories ; What (ma), How (kayfiya), When (ayna), and Action (fil) in the Teaching on God's Attributes,
---[51]. Theodicy; God's Wisdom and Providence in the Creation of Harmful Beings and Substances,
---[51]. The Disagreement of Sects on the Nature of the Universe,
---[52]. Refutation of Dualism,
---[53]. Refutation of Naturalism,
---[54]. Approaches to Monotheism,
---[55]. The Views of Muhammad ibn Shabib on the Existence and Attributes of the Creator,
---[56]. Defence of the Necessity of Speculative Reasoning (nazar) in Theology,
---[57]. Muhammad ibn Shabib's Argument for the Created Nature of Bodies,
---[58]. Refutation of the Teachings of the Dahriya (materialists),
---[59]. The Categories of Aristotle,
---[60]. Refutation of the Sumaniya's Thesis that the World is with no Beginning and Incessantly Sinks Downward ; Al-Nazzam's Argument with a Commentary by Imam al-Maturidi,
---[61]. Against the Sophists ; Muhammad ibn Shabib's Argument with a Commentary by Imam al-Maturidi,
---[62]. On the Teachings of the Manicheans; An Exposition of their Incorrectness,
---[63]. On the Teachings of the Daysaniyyah; An Exposition of their Incorrectness,
---[64]. On the Teachings of the Marcionites; An Exposition of their Incorrectness,
---[65]. On the Teachings of the Magians; An Exposition of their Incorrectness.
 
 
---Acknowledgements,
---Glossary.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other related books,
More Islamic Theology | Kalam.
 

*Dimensions : 24 x 16.5cm.
 
 
 
 
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  • Written by: Imam al-Maturidi

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