Al-Ash'ari facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī
A depiction of Baghdad from 1808, taken from the print collection in Travels in Asia and Africa, etc. (ed. J. P. Berjew, British Library); al-Ashʿarī spent his entire life in this city in the tenth-century
Scholastic theologian; Champion of Islam Imām of the Scholastic Theologians Imām of the Sunnis
Venerated in	Sunni Islam
Major shrine	Tomb of al-Ashʿarī, Baghdad, Iraq

Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī
Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī in Arabic calligraphy
Religion	Islam
Denomination	Sunni
School	Shafi
Personal
Born	AH 260 (873/874) Basra, Abbasid Caliphate
Died	AH 324 (935/936) (aged 64) Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate
Senior posting
Title	Imām al-mutakallimūn, Imām ahl as-sunnah wa l-jamāʿah
Religious career
Works	Maqalat al-Islamiyyin wa Ikhtilaf al-Musallin (The Treatises of the Islamic Schools), al-Luma' fi al-Rad 'ala Ahl al-Ziyagh wa al-Bida' (Refutation to Heresy), Al-Ibanah 'an Usul al-Diyanah, Risalah ila Ahl al-Thaghr
Influenced	the entire Ash'ari school

Al-Ashʿarī (الأشعري) was a very important Arab Sunni Muslim scholar. His full name was Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn Ismāʿīl ibn Isḥāq al-Ashʿarī. He lived from about 874 to 936 CE. People often called him Imām al-Ashʿarī, which means "Leader Ashʿarī".

He was a theologian, someone who studies religious beliefs using logic and reason. He started a major school of thought in Sunni Islam called Ashʿarism. This school became one of the most important ways of understanding Islamic beliefs.

Who Was Al-Ashʿarī?

Al-Ashʿarī was born in Basra, a city in what is now Iraq. He later moved to Baghdad, where he spent most of his life. He lived during a time known as the Islamic golden age, when there was a lot of learning and new ideas.

He was known for his deep thinking about God and the world. His ideas helped shape how many Muslims understand their faith today.

His Early Life and Teachers

Al-Ashʿarī first studied with a teacher named al-Jubba'i. This teacher belonged to a group called the Muʿtazilites. The Muʿtazilites believed that human reason was very important in understanding religious ideas. They thought that the Quran (the holy book of Islam) was created by God at a certain time.

However, Al-Ashʿarī later disagreed with some of their ideas. He decided to follow a different path in his thinking.

What Made His Ideas Special?

Al-Ashʿarī became famous for finding a middle ground between two very different ways of thinking about Islam.

Balancing Reason and Tradition

One group, the Muʿtazilites, used a lot of logic and reason to explain everything. They even thought the Quran was created. Al-Ashʿarī argued against this. He said that if the Quran was created, it would mean God didn't always know it, which goes against God being all-knowing.

On the other side were groups like the Zahirites and Muhaddithin. They believed that people should not use philosophy or deep logical debate (called kalam) at all. They thought it was better to stick only to the literal words of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.

Al-Ashʿarī found a way to use reason and logic, but still respect traditional Islamic teachings. He believed that reason could help understand faith, but it should not go against what is clearly stated in the Quran and Sunnah (the Prophet's way of life).

Key Ideas of Ashʿarism

Al-Ashʿarī's school of thought, Ashʿarism, became very popular in Sunni Islam. It helped explain difficult questions about God's power, human free will, and the nature of the Quran.

• God's Power: Ashʿarism teaches that God is all-powerful and creates everything, including our actions. However, humans still have a choice in how they act.
• The Quran: Ashʿarism teaches that the Quran is the uncreated word of God. This means it has always existed with God, not that it was made at a certain time.
• Understanding God: Ashʿarism says that while we can't fully understand God with our limited human minds, we can believe in His qualities as described in the Quran.

His Legacy

Al-Ashʿarī's teachings became very important for Sunni Islam. Many scholars and thinkers followed his ideas, and the Ashʿari school became widespread. It helped to create a balanced way of understanding Islamic theology that is still studied today.

However, not everyone accepted his views. For example, Shi'a Muslims did not agree with his ideas, as Al-Ashʿarī had written works that disagreed with their beliefs.

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See also

In Spanish: Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari para niños