[alessios]

As-salamu 'alaykum. Alhamdu lillah I am a relatively new Muslim with some knowledge of Arabic. I have studied some fiqh, hadith, aqidah, Arabic, tajwid, and other sciences with teachers and have a basic understanding of the fundamentals.

New Muslims often are overwhelmed by the vastness of Islamic scholarship and don't know which way to tread. Matters are compounded by various groups calling and claiming to be upon truth. What advice would you give for New Muslims in studying Aqidah without descending into harsh polemics and spiritually bereft argumentation? What curriculum of texts would you suggest? Please include reliable Athari, Asha'ari and Maturidi texts.

How do we interpret Ibn Abi Zayd saying 'bi dhatihi' in his Risalah? Which commentary provides the most satisfactory answer? What is the place of logic in the study of Aqidah? What exactly is wrong with Ibn Taymiyah's texts al-Wasitiyah and al-Hamawiyah? What points are wrong with Ibn Abd al-Wahab's Usul al-Thalathah, Qawa'id al-Arba'ah and Kitab al-Tawhid. Please provide details and not generalisations.

These questions have been asked with the utmost sincerity. I have no motive other than guidance to the truth for myself and my family. Wasalam.

[absalih]

alessios, on 09 September 2010 - 03:52 PM, said:

As-salamu 'alaykum.
What advice would you give for New Muslims in studying Aqidah without descending into harsh polemics and spiritually bereft argumentation? What curriculum of texts would you suggest? Please include reliable Athari, Asha'ari and Maturidi texts.


These questions have been asked with the utmost sincerity. I have no motive other than guidance to the truth for myself and my family. Wasalam.

Wa alaikuma salam.
Here are 2 very useful pdf files to study Aqida.
1] Imam Hujjathul Islam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali (Rah)'s [d.505.AH.Tus.Iran].Foundations of Faith(QAWAIDUL AQID in Arabic).
(Reliable Ash'ari Treatise)
Translated by NABIH AMIN FARIS of American University of Beirut.
Beirut, Lebanon.
http://www.ghazali.org/books/itqad.pdf
2]Shaykh Diya ad-Din Khalid al-Baghdadi an-Naqshbandi(Quddisa sirrahu)'s[d.1242.AH.Damascus] very useful treatise on Faith,explaining the famous Hadith-e Jibril.AS, named as 'I'tiqad Nama'in Persian, translated& annotated by the founder and publisher of WaqfIkhlas,Shaykh Huseyn HilmiIsik.Rah[d.1422.AH.Istanbul.Turkey]
(Reliable Maturidi Text on Faith)
http://www.hizmetboo...ooks/belief.pdf
Insha 'Allah , these 2 texts will help to solve your other doubts too.

[alessios]

Wa 'alaykum us-salam. Jazak Allahu khayran. I am familiar with the al-Ghazali work but the other one is new to me. Barak Allahu feek.

This post has been edited by alessios: 11 September 2010 - 11:39 AM