CHAPTER 5: ABU AL-HASAN AL-ASH’ARI

CHAPTER 5: ABU AL-HASAN AL-ASH’ARI

CHAPTER 5: ABU AL-HASAN AL-ASH’ARI

Chapter 5 examines the life of another one of Islam’s saviours – Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari. Despite the ascension of a new Caliph who vehemently opposed the Mu‘tazila, the deviant creed had already taken hold amongst the masses. With the Muslim world unable to produce another scholar of the calibre of Imam Ahmad, coupled with Hadith and other orthodox scholars believing credal matters not to be questioned, the Mu’tazilla continued to grow unchallenged. It seems as if the Mu’tazila would not be stopped. The Muslim world needed another courageous and intelligent man who could fight the Mu’tazilla with their own weapons and “this was exactly the type of man that Islam received in the person of Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari.”  (p94) The summary of this chapter will be divided into four sections:

1.         His birth and upbringing

2.         His efforts against the Mu’tazila

3.         The development of the ‘Ash’ari School

4.         The development of the Maturidi School

Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari was born in 260AH/874CE. He was a descendant of the Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, a prominent companion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Through the tutelage of his stepfather Abu ‘Ali al-Jubba’i (d. 302/915), one of the last ardent promoters of the Mu’tazila creed, Abu al-Hasan became well verses on the Mu’tazila creed. From a young age, Abu al-Hasan was widely recognised for his intelligence and oratory skills. Many anticipated that he would succeed his stepfather. However, he “realized that the false reasoning of the rationalists was nothing more than an empty but well-argued spell of words, ideas, and thoughts that were wholly inconsequential to the search for Truth.” (p95) Upon this realisation, Abu al-Hasan withdrew into isolation for 15 days, after which he openly declared his opposition to the Mu’tazila. His public statement can be found in Tabyin and Wafayat al-A’yan. After his open declaration of opposition, he set about defending orthodox Islam.

He unapologetically attacked the deviant beliefs of the Mu’tazila. Knowing that they would not come to him, he sought them out and debated them – demonstrating intellectual prowess. He “rebutted their objections like a teacher answering the questions of his students” (P96) Many of the scholars remained silent against the Mu’tazila and had thus developed an inferiority complex. However, Abu al-Hasan believed this passivity to be a critical factor which facilitated the growth of the Mu’tazila. He met the Mu’tazila with the very weapon they prided themselves on – reason and intellect. The Mu’tazila were put on the back foot, unable to hold their ground. Their attack on orthodox Islam was halted and they were barely able to even defend themselves.

Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari’s approach to combatting the Mu’tazila differed to Imam Ahmad’s. Whilst the Hanbali scholars avoided the use of reason in credal matters and the Mu’tazila relied excessively on it, Abu al-Hasan opted for a middle ground.. His balanced approach between the two earned him criticism from both sides but he believed it was necessary. Without using any reasoning, the Mu’tazila would only grow in popularity, especially amidst the intellectual youth. Just as how the jurists had to resort to some level of reasoning to deal with new issues of jurisprudence, Abu al-Hasan believed that the theologians had to resort to a similar approach. He remained wary of not employing too much reasoning, however, and as such laid down strict rulings on the use of reasoning. However, due to his constant battle with the Mu’tazila, some of his ideas and the ideas of his successors became too extreme.

The author then draws a parallel with Abu Musa al-Maturidi who had similar views but did not go to the extreme. Abu al-Hasan’s ideas were however more popular as he lived and preached in Baghdad whilst Abu Musa al-Maturidi lived in Samarkand. As such, most followers of the Maliki and Shafi’i schools of thought ascribe to the Ash’ari school whilst the Hanafi scholars ascribe themselves to the Maturidi school. Abu al-Hasan’s ideas were further developed by his followers including Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi who was the rector of the Nizamiyya college in Baghdad and was held in very high esteem by the people. The Ash’ari school was also supported by the Seljuk Empire and its vizier Nizam al-Mulk who ensured it was taught across the Nizamiyya universities.

 

Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari spent much of his life defending orthodox Islam against the Mu’tazila and just as it seemed that there was no one left after Imam Ahmad, Abu al-Hasan rose to the occasion. He saved orthodox Islam from one of its greatest challenges and truly was a saviour of the Islamic spirit. We ask Allah (SWT) to have mercy on Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari. 

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