To be a Sunni Muslim, Mr. Sayf ad-Din Ahmed ibn Muhammad of UK, claims that one has to be either Ash'ari or Maturidi. Ahmed ibn Muhammad claims this is the position of Deobandi Ulama-e Haq.
Question
al-Salaamu Alaykum, Dear Respected Mufti Sahib, A person by the name Sayf ad-Din Ahmed ibn Muhammad from London, UK, claims that to be a Muslim one has to be either Ash'ari or Maturidi and he quotes some unknown scholar to support his view. Mufti Sahib, I have never ever heard any scholar saying this or read anywhere that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) said that "to be a Muslim, one has to be either Ashari or Maturidi ." This person Sayf ad-Din Ahmed ibn Muhammad claims that this is the position of Deobandi Ulame-Haq. I never read in any books of Ulame-Haq of Deoband that to be a Sunni Muslim one has to be either Ash'ari or Maturidi. It also doesn't make sense. What about scholars like Dhahabi,Mundhiri, Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, his murid Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi, Ibn Rajab etc who were not Asharis or Maturidis. What about all those numerous Sufis who were not Ash'ari/Maturidi. Respected Mufti Sahib, can you please shed some light on the claims of Ahmed ibn Muhammad ! May Allah reward you for your good work and for giving the right and accurate answers.
Answer
1. We are not aware of this person, Saifuddin Ahmad ibn Muhammad. Which Ulama of Deoband does he claim to have links with? While the Ulama of Haqq have serious differences with ibn Taymiyah (RA) on some issues, we do not regard him as a heretic. He was a great Hanbaliy Aalim.
2. From the time the Ulama delved into the finer details of Kalaam, and split hairs of issues of Aqaaid, many groups arose. From the Ahlus sunnah wal Jama`, two scholars presented the view of Haqq in these issues. There were Imaam Abul Hasan al-Ashaari and Imaam Abu Mansoor Maturidi. In brief, as far as these complext and intricate debates on Kalaam is concerned, the view of the Ahlus Sunnah is confined to the schools of these two scholars. All other schools of thought are on Baatil. It does not mean that all those that preceded these two schools were not Muslim, for in the first place, these intricate issues were never raised in the former times. Furthermore, a person can be a complete and perfect Mu'min without getting involved in these complex matters. Such was the position of the Sahaaba and most of the Taabi'een. However, should one wish to enter the arena of these philosophical issues, then one has to confine oneself to one of these two schools, for all the other schools who have taken up a standpoint as far as these issues are concerned are on Baatil. The Haqq in this arena is confined to the two schools.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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- Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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