Imam al-Mizzi, his brief incarceration and the Khalq af’al al-Ibad of Imam al-Bukhari

In this updated article the following issues have been addressed in confutation of the claims circulated by certain individuals who are noted to be self-declared contemporary “Salafis” in creed (Aqida):

i) That al-Hafiz Jamalud-Din al-Mizzi (d. 742 AH) was incarcerated for apparently levelling takfir (excommunication of a Muslim) at some of his fellow Shafi’i jurisprudents (fuqaha), and not because he specifically read from the book known as Khalq af’al al-Ibad by Imam al-Bukhari

ii) The Khalq af’al al-Ibad was also transmitted via chains of transmission by Sunni scholars of the Ash’arite school of Aqida like al-Hafiz Abu Dharr al-Harawi, al-Hafiz al-Bayhaqi and Shah Waliullah al-Dehlawi

iii) That al-Mizzi attested to being an Ash’ari when taking up the Professorship of Darul Hadith al-Ashrafiyya in Damascus from 718 AH till his death in 742 AH

iv) Imam ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH) also attested to being an Ash’ari

v) Famous Ash’arites of that era like Imam Taqiud-Din al-Subki (d. 756 AH) and his son Shaykh Tajud-Din al-Subki (d. 771 AH) also had cordial relationships with al-Hafiz al-Mizzi and al-Hafiz Shamsud-Din al-Dhahabi (d. 748 AH)

vi) A full reply to two claimants of the self-styled “Salafi” creed who attempted to portray their claims in order to fit their own narrative with regard to some of the above points especially connected to al-Mizzi. The first being a person known for his rabid anti-Ash’ari tirades, vilifications and unacademic rants, using the pseudonym – “Harris Hammam” and actually known as Ismail Ibrahim Patel (from Dewsbury, England). The second being a person known as Muhammad Moin who also attempted to portray Imam al-Mizzi as being a non-Ash’arite

vii) The admission by three contemporary “Salafi” schoars that al-Mizzi was an Ash’ari. They being Dr. Abdul Aziz ibn Abdul Fattah al-Qari’, Dr. Muhammad ibn Nasir al-Suhaibani and Dr. Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Ghunayman

The full response in over 60 pages may be downloaded from – HERE