Is the Ashʿari-Maturidi Creed Rooted in the Prophetic Tradition?
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question
Some who call themselves Salafis say that the Ash‘ari and Maturidi creed is an innovation (bid‘a), and that positions such as Allah being “in the heaven” are affirmed by hadith, while the method of the Ash‘aris and Maturidis is in error.
What is the proof that the Ash‘ari-Maturidi creed is what the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and the early Muslims (the Salaf) believed, rather than an innovation?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
The clearest answer lies not in a single proof-text but in seeing plainly what the Ash‘aris and Maturidis actually did: they did not author a new creed.
They articulated and defended the transmitted belief of the Quran and the Sunna against those who likened Allah to creation and against those who let bare reason override revelation.
They are, as the scholars put it, those who came to the aid of the people of hadith with decisive proofs—not departing from the inherited creed, but guarding it. The four Sunni schools settled upon this, and for over a thousand years it has stood as the standard of Sunni belief.
To call the defense of the inherited creed an innovation is to mistake the guardian for the intruder.
The Verse That Governs the Whole Matter
The live question is how to read the ambiguous texts (mutashabihat) — a “hand,” a “rising over,” being “in the heaven.” The governing principle is Allah’s own word: “Nothing is like anything resembling Him, and He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing.” [Quran 42:11; Keller, The Quran Beheld]
The mufassirs treat this verse as the foundation of the matter.
Ibn Ashur (Allah have mercy on him) writes that it negates any created thing’s resemblance to Allah in His essence, and that whatever belongs to the tangible nature of created things is therefore denied of Him — making the verse “a foundational principle in declaring Allah transcendent above limbs, senses, and parts.” [Ibn Ashur, al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir]
Imam Qurtubi (Allah have mercy on him) draws the same conclusion: Allah, in His majesty and the perfection of His names and attributes, resembles nothing of His creation and is resembled by nothing — “and sufficient in this is His true word: there is nothing like Him.” [Qurtubi, al-Jami li-Ahkam al-Quran]
What This Establishes: Affirmation Without Likeness
On this footing, the mainstream tradition affirms several settled points together. Allah is transcendent above all limits, bodies, and directions (tanzih);
His names and attributes are affirmed exactly as He affirmed them (ithbat); no likeness to creation is admitted (nafy al-tashbih); and He is wholly distinct from every originated thing (mukhalafa li’l-hawadith).
This transcendence does not empty the texts of meaning — it is the very glorification (tasbih) the Quran commands.
Imam al-Tahawi (Allah have mercy on him) states it in the creed transmitted across the schools: Allah is “exalted above limits and ends, parts, limbs, and instruments; the six directions do not contain Him, as they contain all created things” [Tahawi, al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya].
Two Sound Methods, One Creed
So the Salaf entrusted the precise meaning of the ambiguous texts to Allah while affirming His transcendence — this is consignment (tafwid), as in the famous report from Imam Malik (Allah have mercy on him) that the “rising over” is known, its modality is unknown, belief in it is obligatory, and asking about its how is an innovation.
Later scholars, facing confusion and the spread of likening, interpreted such texts in keeping with His transcendence (ta’wil). Both approaches are valid; both reject the literal reading that would liken Allah to creation.
As the scholars say, the Salaf interpreted in general terms and the later scholars in detail — the aim in each case is to ward off the suggestion that the Creator could be a body in a place.
On “In the Heaven”
Direction itself (jiha) is created, arising only within the created order and ceasing when it ceases; the One who made it is not contained by it. So “in the heaven” is not read as a literal location.
When the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) affirmed the faith of the slave-girl who pointed upward, the scholars explain that such outward expressions are not decisive proofs of place; their true import is loftiness of rank and majesty of station, not bodily location, which the conclusive proofs of reason and revelation rule out for Allah.
To raise the hands or the gaze toward heaven in supplication is to face the direction of mercy and descending blessing, not to assign Allah a place.
This is the creed the Ash‘aris and Maturidis defended — the creed of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and of the Salaf — and Allah knows best.
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani
Related SeekersGuidance Answers
The Ash`aris & Maturidis: Standards of Mainstream Sunni Beliefs — Imams Ash`ari and Maturidi were of the Salaf, upholding the transmitted creed of the Quran and Sunna.
Where Is Allah — Allah is pure of space and direction; He is not on the throne, earth, or sky, nor everywhere.
What Is Our Stance Regarding the Statement of Some That Allah “Sits” on the Throne? — Affirming Allah literally sits on the throne is anthropomorphism; He is beyond limits, contact, and direction.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.
Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.
In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.
Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.
Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School.” This book, published by White Thread Press in 2004, is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.
His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.
