Masjid Al Ash'ariyya

05/31/2026

The main point to understand from those diagrams is to know that those Madhahib were founded and attributed to a Sahabah. The Imams were just the codifyers of those Sahabah Madhahib not founders as many people mistakenly say or think. When we say codifyers, we mean that they verified, classified, clarified, organized, summarized, expanded it, documented it, and transmitted it with an unbroken chain (isnad) back to those Sahabah. Now, as a result of those Imams great endeavors to preserve those Sahabah Madhahib, the Madhahib later was named after the Imams. This point is always missing.

05/13/2026

05/11/2026

Take notice that none of the Wahhabis aka Pseudo Salafis so-called Ulama are from the generation of the Salaf, nor do Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab and the ones below him have a valid isnad (chain of tranmission) connecting them to the generation of the Salaf. While all of Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jama’ah’s Ulama are from the generation of the Salaf.

05/04/2026

11/04/2025

The first important lesson regarding the understanding of the three concepts related to Attributes (Sifat):

1. Sifat (Attributes) that only Allah ta'ala possess such as: At-Takwin (The Creator, only Allah brings everything from non-existence to existence); Al Qidam (Eternity) only Allah have no beginning; etc.;

NOTE: To give Creation attributes that only Allah ta'ala possess is "shirk fi sifat (associating partners with Allah by given a created thing Attributes that is specific only to Allah)"; Example place (makan), time (zaman), the six direction (jihah), and all things other then Allah are created. To say, indicate, or believe that they have no beginning is "shirk fi sifat”.

The Prophet, sallalahu 'alayhi wa salllam, taught us that Allah existed in eternity and there were nothing else. [Sahih Bukhari].

That means there were no place (makan), no time (zaman), no direction (jihah), no Arsh (Throne), no sky, no earth, no light or darkness, no air, no Angels, no Jinn, no Jahanam, Jannah, etc.,. Only Allah ta'ala existed without a beginning, without a place, no time, or no space. Just that simple.

2. Sifat (Attributes) and ma'na (meanings) that are specific and explicit to Creation and are not befitting to be attributed to Allah because they indicate a created thing such as but not limited to: kayf [pl., kayfiyyah] (how, howness, or modality); jawhar (particle); arad (attribute of a particle); j**m (body); limbs; makan (place); zaman (time); space; jihah (direction); jahl (ignorance); forgetfulness; beginning; end; color; movement; stillness; weight; size; gender; opposite; need; change; emotions; etc.;

NOTE: To give Allah ta'ala any Attributes (Sifat) or meanings (ma'na) that are specific and explicit to Creation is tashbeeh (anthropomorphism, likening Allah to His Creation), which is ilhad (blasphemy, belittling Allah). Know that no Sifat (Attributes) or meanings (ma'na) that are specific to creation befits the majesty of Allah. Therefore that statement that, “in a manner that befits or suit Allah ta'ala majesty...” do not clear a person from committing tashbeeh (anthropomorphism, likening Allah to His creation) and/or tajseem (attributing a body to Allah) which are forms of kufr (disbelief); and,

3. Sifat (Attributes) that Allah ta'ala possess and His creations possess but the only similarity are in names or words and not meanings (ma'na) or functions such as: life; power; seeing; hearing; knowledge; will; speech; mercy; forgiveness; yad; wahj; ayn; saq etc..

In short the Ash'ariyya and Maturidiyya, who are the true inheritors of Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jama'ah, with the only unbroken chains of transmissions (sanad), affirm (ithbaat) all Allah ta'ala Asma' was Sifat (Names and Attributes) yet they do not give them meanings (ma'na) that are specific and explicit to creation. To do so you will be committing acts of ilhad (blasphemy, belittling Allah ta'ala) such as: tashbeeh (anthropomorphism, likening Allah to His creation); tajseem (attributing a body (j**m) to Allah); tahreef (distorting the meanings of Allah's Attributes by given Them meanings specific to creation); and/or takyeef (attributing a how, howness, or modality to Allah and His Attributes), which all contradicts the Qur'an:16:17; 42:11, and 112:4.

So beware of those sects such as: Mushabihah (Those who liking Allah to His creation), Mujassimah (Those who attribute a body and limbs to Allah), Haswiyyah (Those who attribute direction to Allah), and/or Wahhabis aka Pseudo Salafis and other religions that infiltrate and don't properly understanding about those three (3) concepts related to Sifat (Attributes). As a result of them not knowing they all commit those acts of ilhad (blasphemy, belittling Allah) mentioned above.

May Allah ta'ala guide us to the proper understanding of those matters. Ameen.

By way of Ameer Abdur Rahman Raheem
Masjid al Ash'ariyya of South Philadelphia

08/27/2025

Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ASH'ARIYYA AND THE WAHHABIS AKA SALAFI DAW'AH REGARDING ALLAH'S ATTRIBUTES (SIFAT)?

A: To clarify the Ash'ariyya and Maturidiyya, are the true inheritors Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jama'ah with the only unbroken chains of transmission (sanad) back to the Salaf as Saliheen. Now, they (Ash'ariyya and Maturidiyya), affirm (ithbaat) all of Allah ta'ala Names (Asma') and Attributes (Sifat). The difference between the Ash'ariyya and Maturidiyya, unlike the Wahhabis aka Pseudo Salafi Daw'ah, is that they (Ash'ariyya and Maturidiyya) don't give Allah ta'ala Attributes (Sifat) meanings (ma'na) that are specific or explicit to creation, nor do they attribute a kayf (how, howness or modality) to Allah ta'ala or His Attributes (Sifat).

Example, the (Wahhabis aka Pseudo Salafi Daw'ah) methodology and belief is to take Allah ta'ala Attributes, such as: Yad (Hand), Wahj (Face), 'Ayn (Eye), Saq (Shin), etc, by the literal or apparent meaning (dhahir ma'na). Now the literal or apparent meaning of all those Attributes mentioned are: limb, organ, appendage, or body parts. Those meanings are specific and explicit to creation and indicate a created thing, not the Creator. Notice: we said meanings (ma'na) because we affirm (ithaaat) the Attributes (Sifat), we just negate (nafy) those literal apparent unbefitting meanings to those Attributes.

The methodology regarding taking those Attributes by the literal apparent meaning (dhahir ma'na) that is used by the Wahhabis is not new; it's the same methodology used by the Mushabihah (those who liken Allah ta'ala to His creation) and Mujassimah (those who attribute a body (j**m) or body parts to Allah ta'ala) during the time of the Salaf, which was rejected by the Salaf as Saliheen, and they (Salaf as Saliheen) called that belief and methodology kufr (disbelief). Just go check history and methodology regarding those deviated sect.

In regards to "kayf or kayfiyyah" (how, howness, or modality) know without a doubt that Allah ta'ala, His Prophet, sallalahu 'alayhi wa salllam, nor the Ulama al Haq, never ever attributed kayf (how, howness, or modality) to Allah nor to His Attributes (Sifat). Kayf or kayfiyyah only refers to and applies to created things according to the Arabic language and all other languages. Therefore, kayf only applies to created things and not to Allah nor to His Attributes. To say we do not know the how (kayf) when referring to Allah ta'ala or His Sifat is to affirm a how (kayf) which is ilhad (blasphemy). This blasphemous belief is called Takyeef, and the one who believes this is a Mukayyifah.

In short, the Ash'ariyya and Maturidiyya affirms all of Allah ta'ala Attributes (Sifat). They just don't give them (Sifat) meanings (ma'na) that are specific or explicit to creation. To do so is Tashbeeh (Anthropomorphism, likening Allah to His creation), which contradicts the Qur'an: 16:17; 42:11; and 112:4.

May Allah ta'ala guide us to the proper understanding of those matters. Ameen Allahumma Ameen

By way of Ameer Abdur Rahman Raheem
Masjid al Ash'ariyya of South Philadelphia

08/13/2025

Masjid Al Ash'ariyya of South Philadelphia is a diverse Jama'at of unapologetic Sunni Muslims who follow and teach with unbroken chains of transmission (sanad) the authentic traditional Islamic knowledge and practices according to the Qur'an, Sunna, ijma, and the Salaf as-Saliheen (Pious Predecessors) by the routes of Imam Ash'ari or Imam Maturidi in fiqh al-Iman (details of faith); the routes of one of the four Madhaahib - Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali in fiqh al-Islam (details of worship); and the route of Tasawwuf in fiqh al-Ihsan (details of spiritual purification). In short, we follow the sound advice of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, regarding following as-Sawadul Adham (the Majority) of the Muslim nation historically, globally, and methodically, which is known as Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jama'ah.