ةلوقم تابثإ" ام هتبثأ هللا "هشل ةسارد ةيئارقتسا ةيدقن يف ةيخيرات لكشتلا ين نورقلا ةثلاثلا ىلولأا

"Affirming What God has Affirmed of Himself": A Critical Examination of the Formation of This Saying in the First Three Hijri Centuries Hassan al-Khattaf.

Muslim scholars such as Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH/1328 CE) and his followers based their understanding of the divine attributes on the saying, "Affirming what God has affirmed of Himself," which took on the status of an authoritative text. Indeed, it became a criterion for distinguishing between the orthodox and the innovator. Based on the foregoing, the study examines how this saying was established and how it developed. The study examines the details of the aforementioned statement within the context of four sections, each of which is divided into two subsections. The importance of the study lies in its search for the roots and evolution of this saying, and how it was transformed into a law on the basis of which people are classified into different categories. Through an examination of the first three centuries of the history of this saying, the study explores the extent to which it deserves the status it has come to enjoy. The most prominent finding of the study is that this saying was not known in the era of the Companions; its origin is traceable to Wahb ibn Munabbih (d. 111 AH/730 CE), and its development to al-Dārimī (d. 280 AH/894 CE). Its emergence coincided with a growing tendency to engage in anthropomorphism, as it was a response to the exaggerated emphasis on divine transcendence among the Qadarites (Qadariyyah) and Muʿtazilites (Muʿtazilah). The study recommends further research into this statement as it was understood and applied by Ibn Taymiyyah. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of avoiding anything that divides Muslims, as unity is one of the sublime aims of Islamic law, especially in our day and age, in which unity has become a religious, moral, and social necessity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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