Lumʿat al-Iʿtiqād al-Hādi ila Sabīl al-Rashād: The Illustrious Creed

Description

A foundational manual of traditional Islamic creed from one of the great scholars of the Ḥanbalī tradition. Lumʿat al-Iʿtiqād, or The Illustrious Creed, is the celebrated creedal text of Imām Muwaffaq al-Dīn Ibn Qudāmah al-Maqdisī. Concise in size yet broad in scope, the work has long been used as a teaching manual, offering beginning students a firm foundation while remaining a valuable reference for more advanced readers. Ibn Qudāmah presents the foundations of belief through the Qurʾān, the Sunnah, and the transmitted teachings of the early generations. Central to the work is the proper approach to the Names and Attributes of Allāh: affirming what has come in revelation, submitting to the transmitted texts, and refraining from speculative interpretation, comparison, or assigning modality. The text preserves statements from authorities such as Imām Aḥmad and Imām al-Shāfiʿī and repeatedly emphasizes adherence to the inherited path of the salaf. Among the subjects covered are the Divine Attributes, al-Istiwāʾ, al-ʿUlū and al-Fawqiyyah, the eternal Kalām of Allāh, the Qurʾān, seeing Allāh in the Hereafter, al-Qaḍāʾ and al-Qadr, īmān as statement and action, the trials of the grave, the Scale, the Ḥawḍ, the Ṣirāṭ, intercession, Jannah and Nār, the finality of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, the virtues and rank of the Companions, Muslim leadership, and the treatment of religious innovation. This English edition was prepared with the student of knowledge in mind. The original Arabic, including diacritic vowel markings, appears alongside the English translation in a clean side-by-side format. Unlike editions built around extensive commentary or notes, this volume intentionally leaves the matn unobstructed, making it useful for guided study, reading with a teacher, memorization, and classroom instruction. Particular care has also been taken in the treatment of the Divine Attributes. Where translating an Arabic term could impose either a literal or metaphorical interpretation, the relevant Arabic expression has instead been retained in transliteration, reflecting the methodological concerns expressed within the text itself. The volume also contains a biographical introduction to Ibn Qudāmah, tracing his upbringing, studies, teachers, scholarly career, writings, and contributions to the Ḥanbalī tradition. Lumʿat al-Iʿtiqād is especially suited for students seeking a concise introduction to traditional Ḥanbalī ʿaqīdah and for teachers looking for a clean bilingual edition of one of the school’s enduring creedal texts. Review: Nice clean translation of the arabic text - Nice translation of Lumatul itiqaad for the student and general, highly recommend to use book alongside his explanation of it on YouTube. Review: Needs more explanation or footnotes - I've looked into ashari aqeedah and also maturidi aqeedah and this one is claimed to be from athri aqeedah but I don't feel like it was clear on all the beliefs and there was also no reference for the "narrations" about Allah affirming it is his kalam. Where did that narration come from? No source? Not very meaningful book but might need to go over with a teacher.