"And they affirm the ahaadeeth which have come from the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam): "Verily, Allaah descends to the lowest heaven and says: Is there anyone who seeks forgiveness" in the manner in which it has come from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam)"
"And they see the necessity of following the Salaf from the Scholars of the Religion who do not innovate into their religion that for which Allaah has given no permission."
"And they say the Qur'aan is the Speech of Allaah, it is not created."
And he affirmed all of that which the Salaf us-Saalih affirmed regarding the Attributes of Allaah and other matters of aqeedah and finished by saying: "This is a summarisation of what they [the People of the Hadeeth and the Sunnah] order with, employ and deem necessary [to believe in]. And everything that has been mentioned from their speech, we speak likewise and tend towards it."
And whoever desires more can refer to his aforementioned books al-Ibaanah and al-Maqaalaat.
As for those who have ascribed the book al-Ibaanah to Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy and have testified that it was his last book concerning aqeedah then they are numerous and amongst them:
- al-Haafidh Ibn Asaakir in Tabyeenul Kadhabul-Muftaree (p.152) which is a refutation of al-Ahwaazee,
- al-Bayhaqee in al-I'tiqaad (p.31),
- Imaam adh-Dhahabee in al-Uluww (no.276) and
- Ibn ul-'Imaad in Shadhraat udh-Dhahab (p.303).
Furthermore, Abu Qaasim Abdul Malik bin Eesaa bin Darbaas [2] (d. 659H) in his book, adh-Dhabb an Abee Hasan al-Ash'ariyy, mentions the People of Knowledge who have ascribed this book to Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy and have testified to it being his aqeedah which he embraced at the end of his life and amongst them he names:
- Al-Imaam al-Haafidh Abul-Abbaas Ahmad bin Thaabit at-Turqee,
- Abu Uthmaan Ismaa'eel as-Saaboonee,
- Imaam ul-Qurraa Abu Alee Hasan bin Alee bin Ibraaheem al-Faarisee,
- al-Imaam al-Faqeeh Abul-Fath Nasr al-Maqdisee,
- al-Imaam al-Haafidh Abul-Qaasim Alee bin Hasan bin Hibatullaah
ash-Shaafi'ee,
- al-Faqeeh Abul-Ma'aalee Majallee,
- and al-Haafidh Abu Muhammad bin Alee al-Baghdaadee.
And were it not for the fact that this is but a brief refutation, then we would have quoted the words of every single one of them, testifying to the details of the aqeedah of Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy, as contained and expounded in his al-Ibaanah and its agreement with that of the Salaf us-Saalih
Notes
1. From the books I'tiqaad Ahl us-Sunnah Ashaabul-Hadeeth Sharh Jumlatu Maa Hakaahu Anhum Abu Hasan al-A'shariyy wa Qarrarahu fee Maqaalaatihi by Muhammad Abdur-Rahmaan al-Khamees and adh-Dhabb an Abee Hasan al-Ash'ariyy of Abul-Qaasim Abdul-Malik bin Eesaa bin Darbaas.
2. Ibn Darbaas al-Qaadee Kamaal ud-Deen Abu Haamid Muhammad bin Qaadee al-Qudaat Sadr ud-Deen Abdul-Malik bin Eesaa al-Maaraanee al-Misree ash-Shaafi'ee ad-Dareer, born in the year 576H.
He said, commencing his book, adh-Dhabb an Abu Hasan al-Ash'ariyy: