Al-Qari, following the Ahl al-Sunnah, writes that both are misguided. The correct path (from page 288 onward) is that Allah is the of all actions, but the human being is the acquirer and is genuinely responsible. The “secret” is how these two truths coexist—and demanding a rational explanation beyond what the Salaf accepted is an innovation ( bid‘ah ).
The keyword refers to a critical nexus in Islamic theology found within the classic commentary ( Sharh ) of Al-Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah . Depending on the specific Arabic print or translated edition, this page highlights a foundational theological debate within Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah : the defining parameters of faith ( Iman ), its relationship with outward actions, and the divine transcendence and highness ( Uluww ) of Allah above His creation .
includes "works" (actions) or if it is solely comprised of internal belief and verbal testimony. The Hanafi Perspective : Ibn Abi al-Izz explains the position of Imam Abu Hanifah
), while others are "minor" and do not take a person out of Islam. The Position on Sinners: sharh tahawiyyah page 288
Another key theme on this page is the balancing of hope and fear for the sinner.
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: For instance, when we say Allah has the attribute of "Hand" (Yad), we affirm it as mentioned in the Quran, but we do not give it a physical interpretation. Instead, we leave its exact nature to Allah, acknowledging it as an attribute of perfection. Al-Qari, following the Ahl al-Sunnah, writes that both
The core rule of Sunni theology highlighted here is Ithbat bila tashbih —affirming what Allah said about Himself in the Quran without comparing Him to His creation, and without denying the literal reality of the text (Ta'til). Why Page 288 Matters to Modern Students of Knowledge
The commentary explains that while some early Hanafi scholars sometimes defined Iman technically only as affirmation (heart and tongue), they agreed that actions are a necessary consequence and that faith does increase and decrease, rejecting the notion that actions are entirely separable from the reality of Iman . Sin and the Definition of Kufr (Disbelief)
| Commentary | Author (and era) | Content on Page 288 (or equivalent) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Naser al-Aql (Contemporary) | Contains a Q&A segment answering two questions: 1. On the concept of a recurring "week" dedicated to Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (the author clarifies it was a one-time event). 2. Explaining the meaning of the divine name al-Qayyum (the Self-Subsisting) and how it proves God's eternality and self-sufficiency. Also includes criticism of Ibn Hazm's approach to God's names, accusing him of a form of denial ( ta'til ). | | شرح العقيدة الطحاوية (Ibn Abi al-'Izz) | Ibn Abi al-'Izz (d. 792 AH) | Discusses the theological debate on whether righteous humans can surpass angels in station . It presents arguments from both sides, including linguistic evidence from the Qur'an regarding the precedence of mentioning angels over Prophet Jesus, used to argue for their superiority. | | شرح العقيدة الطحاوية (al-Babarti) | Akmal al-Din al-Babarti (d. 786 AH) | The page (from the Kuwaiti Ministry of Awqaf edition) likely continues a discussion, but the publicly available PDF scan is currently unreadable. | | شرح العقيدة الطحاوية (al-Barrak) | 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Barrak (Contemporary) | The text on this page includes an argument for God's power of creation , citing the creation of the heavens and earth as proof that their Creator is capable of doing all things, including resurrection. | | شرح العقيدة الطحاوية (Safar al-Hawali) | Safar al-Hawali (Contemporary) | This page is part of the section discussing God's Names and Attributes , likely addressing the theological pitfalls of analogizing God's attributes to His creation [16†L25-L28]. | | Mukhtasar al-'Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah (al-Jassas) | Ahmad ibn 'Ali al-Jassas (d. 370 AH) | This page is in the section on Fiqh rulings , specifically a detailed jurisprudential ( fiqhi ) discussion on the linguistic definitions of "day" ( yawm ), "month," and "menstrual period" ( qur' ), using them to derive legal rulings for women in a state of post-natal bleeding ( nifas ). | The keyword refers to a critical nexus in
Remarkably, page 288 is not purely scriptural. Ibn Abi al-'Izz employs rational arguments to refute the idea that "above" implies physical containment. He argues:
Ibn Abi al-'Izz's commentary systematically explains Imam al-Tahawi's original creedal statements, which are typically presented in a numbered list of 105 points. He elaborates on foundational topics of Islamic theology, including:
It shows how classical scholars did not rely on emotional appeals, but rather built robust, logical frameworks using textual evidence (Nass) from the Quran and Sunnah.
Al-Tahawi’s original text builds steadily. After establishing the attributes of Allah, the nature of the Qur’an as uncreated, and the status of the Companions, he arrives at the doctrine of Qadr . The core statements being commented upon around page 288 are:
The of the historical debates against the Murji'ah or Khawarij mentioned in this section.