Session: 49:54–75:05; summary 141:06–141:46
Here “المحدثات” should not be translated too quickly as “innovations” in the polemical sense. The immediate contrast is between the old, established, inherited path of knowledge and newly appearing methods or debates that distract from learning and practice. “Stick to the old” means prioritise tested classical texts and inherited scholarly pathways.
The warning against jadal is central. Argumentation can make a person feel sharper, but it may weaken faith, waste life, create alienation, and breed enmity between Muslims. A useful sign: if knowledge opens the door of action and closes the door of disputation, it is a sign of good; if it opens disputation and closes action, it is spiritually dangerous.
In our time, creedal disagreement is often weaponised. Ahl al-Sunnah is not monolithic in every subsidiary theological discussion. The recognised approaches include the early Salaf approach of not delving, the Atharī/Hanbalī affirmation approach, the approach of taʾwīl, and the approach of tafwīḍ. These should not become reasons to exclude one another from Ahl al-Sunnah when the core foundations of īmān are shared.
Practical warning for students: avoid making polemics your personality. If you must debate, do so with adab, necessity, knowledge, and proportion. Do not spend your early years fighting Muslims instead of building your own foundations.
A red flag in a teacher is dogma that trains students to hate other Muslims. Benefit can be taken from different qualified scholars, but first build your basics so that you can benefit without becoming confused.
References and further listening:
وقال محمَّدُ بنُ الحُسَينِ الآجُرِّيُّ: (من صفةِ الجاهِلِ: الجَدَلُ، والمِراءُ، والمُغالَبةُ) ((أخلاق العلماء)) (ص: 63).
وقال الأوزاعيُّ: (إذا أراد اللهُ بقومٍ شَرًّا ألزَمَهم الجَدَلَ، ومنَعَهم العَمَلَ) ((الآداب الشرعية)) لابن مفلح (1/202).
وقال معروفٌ الكَرْخيُّ: (إذا أراد اللهُ بعبدٍ خيرًا فتح عليه بابَ العَمَلِ وأغلق عنه بابَ الجَدَلِ، وإذا أراد بعبدٍ شَرًّا أغلق عليه بابَ العَمَلِ وفَتَح عليه بابَ الجَدَلِ) ((حلية الأولياء)) لأبي نعيم (8/361)، ((شعب الإيمان)) للبيهقي (3/296).
Sheikh ad-Dedew — who are Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYRAR0L8Prw
In this lecture delivered in Konya, Turkey, Sheikh Mohamed El-Hassan Dedew explores the conceptual and historical meaning of “Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah” (the People of the Sunnah and the Community).
Key topics covered:
Defining Sunnah: Sunnah linguistically refers to a path or method; in religious terminology it encompasses the Prophetic tradition — the sayings, actions, and approvals of the Prophet ﷺ which serve as a source of legislation alongside the Qurʾān (0:03:33–0:06:21). The definition shifts depending on the subject matter being explored.
The three elements of religion: religion is composed of three interconnected elements — Īmān (faith, addressing the mind), Islām (submission/practice, addressing the body), and Iḥsān (spiritual excellence, addressing the soul) (0:32:05–0:33:48).
The role of ijtihād: ijtihād is “an invention born of need.” Because human needs and circumstances change over time, qualified scholars must derive rulings from the Qurʾān and Sunnah to address contemporary issues (0:34:57–0:36:09).
Schools of thought and diversity: Ahl al-Sunnah are not monolithic. There is legitimacy in different fiqhī (legal) and ʿaqīdī (theological) schools; disagreements in these areas are often matters of ijtihād that do not invalidate one’s membership in the community (0:47:27–0:49:13).
The concept of jamāʿah: historically the collective majority of Muslims united under a central authority. In the modern context it denotes the main body of the Muslim community following the Prophetic path, distinct from sectarian divisions (1:09:56–1:16:46).
Core message:
The lecture concludes with a call for tolerance and unity among Muslims. Diversity in scholarly interpretation should not lead to animosity. A Muslim’s status is defined by adherence to the core tenets of faith, taqwā, and commitment to peace and brotherhood with fellow believers.
Four approaches within Ahl al-Sunnah on ʿaqīdah:
Just as there are diverse madhāhib within fiqh, there are four distinct approaches within Ahl al-Sunnah on theology and creed (50:26–50:31):
1) The school of the Salaf — the first approach: maintains the original method of the companions and early generations, who accepted creedal texts as they came without delving into explanation or interpretation. When asked about specific attributes of Allah, they would state that the meaning is known but the “how” is unknown, and inquiring into it is considered an innovation (50:31–51:33).
2) The school of the Ḥanābilah and ḥadīth scholars — the second approach: interprets the divine attributes as described in the Qurʾān and Sunnah by affirming them as attributes of Allah without equating them to created beings. Affirming these attributes does not lead to anthropomorphism, as Allah’s essence and attributes differ from those of His creation (52:00–54:50).
3) The school of taʾwīl — the third approach: approaches texts that appear to suggest human attributes by interpreting them figuratively — for example, interpreting “the Hand” as “Power” or “the Eye” as “Sight” — based on the methodology used by early companions to interpret metaphorical language (54:54–57:07).
4) The school of tafwīḍ — the fourth approach: acknowledges that these texts are true and based on the language of the Arabs, but chooses to delegate the true nature and meaning of these attributes back to Allah, stating that “Allah knows best” regarding His intended meaning. This encompasses both the Ashʿarī and Māturīdī schools of thought (57:07–58:22).
All four schools fall under the umbrella of Ahl al-Sunnah, and differences between them are matters of scholarly ijtihād rather than points of division that should exclude one another (58:22–58:52).
