𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒎𝒂𝒎 𝑺𝒖𝒇𝒚𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒍-𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒘𝒓𝒊 𝑹𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒉𝒍 𝒂𝒍-𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒂𝒉 𝒘𝒂𝒍-𝑱𝒂𝒎𝒂‘𝒂𝒉
[Page 119]
7 - Creed of Sufyan bin Sa'eed al-Thawri
The Second Creed: Warning Against the Doctrines of the People of Innovation
Summary of the Creed:
This creed consists of the warning issued by Imam Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) against the newly invented sects and misleading desires; such as the Murji'ah, the Mu'tazilah, and the Shia with their numerous factions like the Rafidha, the Mansuriyyah, and others.
He (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that the common denominator among these sects, despite the differences in their doctrines, is that they deem it permissible to draw the sword against this Ummah (the Muslim community).
Then, the treatise concludes with a summary of the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah (the People of Sunnah and the Community), by which they are distinguished from others among the people of desires and innovation.
Source of the Creed:
This creed was mentioned by al-Ajjuri (may Allah have mercy on him) in his book “Al-Shari'ah”.
In producing it, reliance was placed on a manuscript copy of his book “Al-Shari'ah”, the introduction of which has been previously provided.
I have cross-referenced it with the edition published by Dar al-Watan (1418 AH), under report number (2062) (5 / 2551 - 2553).
[Page 121]
7 - Creed of Sufyan bin Sa'eed al-Thawri
Al-Ajjuri (may Allah have mercy on him) said in “Al-Shari'ah”:
Abu Abdillah Muhammad bin Mukhlid al-Attar narrated to us, saying: Abu Musa Harun bin Mas'ud al-Dahhan (1) narrated to us, saying: Abd al-Samad bin Hassan narrated to us, saying:
Sufyan al-Thawri said: “Beware of these misleading desires.”
It was said to him: “Explain them to us, may Allah have mercy on you.”
Sufyan said:
1 - As for the (Murji'ah): They say: Faith (Iman) is speech without action. Whoever says: “I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger,” is a believer with complete faith, equal to the faith of Gabriel and the angels, even if he commits such-and-such crimes, even if he neglects major ritual purification (Ghusl) from sexual impurity, and even if he abandons prayer. They also deem it permissible to draw the sword against the people of the Qiblah (fellow Muslims).
2 - As for the (Shia): They are of many factions; among them are:
(Al-Mansuriyyah): They are those who say: Whoever kills forty people from the people of the Qiblah will enter Paradise.
They also include: (Al-Khannaqun - The Stranglers), who strangle people and deem their wealth lawful.
They also include: (Al-Kharitah), who say: Gabriel made a mistake with the Message.
The best of them are (Al-Zaydiyyah), yet they disassociate from Uthman, Talhah, al-Zubayr, and Aisha, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her).
(1) In the original manuscript relied upon: (Al-Dehqan), but the correct form is what has been verified; see: “Tarikh Baghdad” (16/39).
[Page 122]
The Compendium of the Creeds and Treatises of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Athar
And they deem it permissible to fight alongside anyone from the Prophet's household (Ahl al-Bayt) who rebels, until he either conquers or is conquered.
They also include: (Al-Rafidha): Those who disassociate from all of the Companions and declare the people to be disbelievers except for four: Ali, Ammar, al-Miqdad, and Salman.
3 - As for the (Mu'tazilah): They deny:
The punishment of the grave,
The Hawd (The Prophet's cistern),
And intercession (Shafa'ah).
Furthermore, they do not hold prayer valid behind anyone from the people of the Qiblah unless he aligns with their desires.
4 - All the people of desires deem it permissible to draw the sword against the people of the Qiblah.
5 - As for Ahl al-Sunnah (the People of Sunnah), they do not deem it permissible to draw the sword against anyone.
6 - They hold that prayer and Jihad are valid and continuous alongside established leaders (rulers).
7 - They do not declare anyone to be a disbeliever due to a sin, nor do they bear witness to anyone committing shirk (polytheism).
8 - They say: Faith is speech and action, out of fear of self-purification (i.e., praising oneself). There is no action except with faith, and there is no faith except with action.
Sufyan said: “If it is said to you: ‘Who is your Imam in this?’”
Say: “Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him).”
“ᴍᴀʏ ᴀʟʟᴀʜ ʀᴇᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴄʜᴏʟᴀʀꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴀʜʟᴜꜱ ꜱᴜɴɴᴀʜ ᴡʜᴏ ᴄʟᴀʀɪꜰɪᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇxᴘᴏꜱᴇᴅ ꜰᴀʟꜱᴇʜᴏᴏᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀʏ ʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴜꜱ ᴀᴍᴏɴɢ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴ, ᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜱᴛᴀɴᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴏʟʟᴏᴡ.”