Dr. Muhammad al-Khumayyis - The Creed of the Four Imaams: Abu Haneefah - Imam Malik - Imam ash-Shaafiee - Imam Ahmad

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1 st Edition: November 2001 | 2 nd Edition: January 2006

eISBN: 9781927012109 | Printed in Hong Kong

T able of C ontents

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Ever-Merciful: May He raise the rank of His final Messenger Muhammad and grant him peace.

This is a reprint of the translation of the book I'tiqaad al-A'immatil-Arba'ah () by Dr. Muhammad al-Khumayyis, may Allaah reward him well for his work. The book was originally published by TROID Publications; and it was received well by the English speaking Muslims, providing much-needed clarity, by Allaah's Permission, to important issues of creed and the united stance of our early scholars on them.

So the publishers, may Allaah grant them success, have requested that I review the translation and help prepare the book for its second printing, which I was honored to do. The translator himself had also helped prepare the second printing by re-formatting the Arabic verses from the Qur'aan .

The following is a summary of my work on the book, by Allaah's Permission:

The section: Prerequisites to Understanding the Correct Creed was removed from its place within the book and made as a Translator's Foreword . Likewise, Biographies of the Four Imaams , another addition from the translator, was removed from its place and made as an appendix. This keeps the body of the book entirely a translation of Dr. Khumayyis' work. Furthermore, all footnotes within the main body of the book are those of Dr. Khumayyis unless otherwise noted. Those added by the translator, Maaz Qureshi, are preceded by ' Translator: '; and my footnotes begin with ' Editor: '.

Corrections were made to some problematic passages in the book, due to mistakes in translation, overly literal translations, errors in grammar, or misprints in the original Arabic publication. Transliterated Arabic words were replaced by their English meanings as much as possible.

Vowelled Arabic texts for the Prophetic narrations have been added, as well as for some of the statements of the imaams . When I came across a scholar's verdict on the authenticity of one of the reports mentioned, I included it in the footnotes for added benefit.

In general, the translator's commentary in the footnotes of this printing is beneficial and relevant. However, I am unable to vouch for the accuracy of the translations of quoted material or references in them. I only browsed through them without referring back to their Arabic sources, making minor changes when necessary. This goes for the Translator's Foreword and the appendicies as well, with the exception of Appendix Two: The Path is One , being a translation of a section from Sittu Durar of Shaykh 'Abdul-Malik Ramadhaanee. I compared this, in its entirety, to its original Arabic source and edited it as I did with the book of Dr. Khumayyis, by Allaah's Permission.

I also found that the author's Conclusion was not included in the first printing, so I translated it and included it in its place before the appendixes. I also added the missing conclusion to Appendix Two: The Path is One .

It is sincerely hoped that all Muslims who claim adherence to the teachings of these great imaams - may Allaah have Mercy on them - will truly embrace the most important aspect of their teachings: the correct beliefs they understood from the texts of the Book and the Sunnah based on the understanding of the Companions and their followers.

Thanks are due to to everyone who helped with this project: 'Abdul-Kareem (Aboo Mahaasin), Umm Naseebah, Aboo Zakee, Aboo Rabee and Aboo Faarooq. Special thanks are due to Aboo Ahmad an-Nahwee for his invaluable assistance. May Allaah reward them all generously for their contributions, help, and/or advice.

We hope that Allaah blesses this book and causes it to reach the open hearts of some of His submissive servants.

I pray that Allaah grants us all - the author, translator, editor, publisher, and reader - knowledge of sound beliefs and righteous actions, and that He grants us success in this worldly life and in the Hereafter and forgives our sins. Surely He is the One who answers our supplications, Most Generous and Kind.

Moosaa Richardson
1426/8/27
(October 31, 2005)

Imaam Abul-Muthaffar as-Samaanee may Allaah have Mercy on him said:

The people of the Sunnah say, The foundation of the Religion is following ( Ittibaa ), and the intellect is subservient. So if the foundation of the Religion was left to the intellect, the creation would have been in no need of Revelation, nor of Prophets, and the commands and prohibitions would have no meaning, and anyone could have said whatever he wanted.

From Abdullaah Ibn Umar may Allaah be pleased with him who said, My brother and I were sitting in a gathering and then some elders from the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah ( sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) came and they sat by one of his doors. We hated to divide between them so we sat to one side. They mentioned an aayah from the Quraan and began arguing about it until they raised their voices. So the Messenger of Allaah ( sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam ) came out angry. Indeed, his face was red. He flung dust at them and said,

Slow down O my people! Nations before you were destroyed because of this, due to their differing about their Prophets and due to their claims that parts of their books contradicted other parts. Verily the Quraan was not sent down to contradict itself, rather it affirms itself. So whatever you know from it, then act upon it; and whatever you are ignorant of, then refer it to someone who is knowledgeable about it.

Imaam Ahmad may Allaah have Mercy on him said, So we refer the Quraan to One who is knowledgeable about it, to Allaah, the Blessed and Exalted, as He is the most knowledgeable about it.

Imaam as-Samaanee said:

Indeed they make their intellects callers to Allaah, and they take them to the level of Messengers concerning what is between them. So if a person says: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah and my intellect is the Messenger of Allaah, it will not be objectionable for this to be ascribed to the people of rhetoric by way of its meaning.

Abdullaah Ibn Masood may Allaah be pleased with him said, Follow and do not innovate, for indeed you have been sufficed, and every innovation is misguidance.

Imaam al-Baghawee (d.516H) may Allaah have Mercy on him said, So the scholars from the people of the Sunnah are united upon the prohibition of quarrelling and argumentation, and upon discouraging others away from learning or discussing theological rhetoric.

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