How_Imām_al-Ash’arī [RA] _Left_the_Mu’tazilah_to_Join_Ahl_al-Sunnah_By_Imam_Ibn_‘Asākir [ra]

How_Imām_al-Ash’arī [RA] _Left_the_Mu’tazilah_to_Join_Ahl_al-Sunnah_By_Imam_Ibn_‘Asākir [ra]_Translated_by_Sidi_Abu_Hasan_

______________Released_by_www.marifah.net_1428_H__[Ed:Al Malibari]__________________

Imām_al-Ash’arī_says:__During_the_first_ten_days_of_one_Ramzan,_I_saw_RasūlAllāh [SAWS] __._He[S]_said:_“O ‘Alī, aid the madh’habs that are veritably reported    by me, because only that is the Truth.”

I_ woke_ up_ and_ was_ perplexed_ about_ this_ grave_ matter._ I_ was_ immensely_

worried_about_this_because_I_had_numerous_proofs_opposing_the_‘reported’_belief._

Within_ the_ next_ ten_ days,_ I_ saw_ him[s]_ again_ _._ “What_ did_ you_ do_ about_ that_ which_ I _ordered_ you_to_do?” _I_said:_“Yā_RasūlAllāh,_I_tried_to_do_it_but_I_have_many_strong_proofs_[and_arguments]_ against_ those_beliefs_which_are_reported_ from_ you._Therefore,_ I_ follow_that_ which _has_ stronger_proofs_concerning_[the_Attributes]_of_Allāh_ta’ālā”_

He_said:_“Aid_the_madh’habs_that_are_reported_from_me,_because_that_is_the_truth”_

_

I_ woke_ up_ and_ I_ was_ terribly_ saddened._ I_ then_ foresook_Kalām_ [theology]_ and_ began_following_the_;ahadīth_and_reciting_the_Qur’ān.__

In_ Basrah_ we_ have_ a_ custom_ that_ reciters_ (qurrā’a)_ assemble_ together_ on_ the_ twenty_

seventh_night_of_Ramazān_and_ finish_ the_entire_Qur’ān_ in_ that_night._But_ I_was_ feeling_

very_ sleepy_and_ I_ couldn’t_ stay_back_any_ longer._So_ I_went_home_and_ slept,_ feeling_ very_sorry_at_the_great_loss_of_missing_that_night’s_khatm._

I_ saw_RasūlAllāh[s]___“What_did_ you_do_about_ that_which_ I_ told_ you?”_ I_ replied: _“I_have_forsaken_Kalām_and_taken_a_firm_hold_of_the_Book_of_Allāh_and_your_sunnah.”_ He[s] _said:_“I_did_not_ tell_you_ to_ forsake_Kalām._I_ told_you_ to_aid_ the_madh’hab_ that_ is_reported_ from_me,_because_that_is_the_truth.”__

I_said:_“Yā_RasūlAllāh,_how_can_I_shun_those_ideas_which_I_have_helped_in_strengthening_myself_and_aided_its_cause_for_the_past_thirty_years,_on_the_basis_of_a_dream?”_

_

He_said:_“If_I_did_not_know_that_Allāh_will_aid_you_[in_this],_I_would_not_have_come_here_ to_explain_all_this._Do_not_make_light_of_this_dream_in_which_I_have_come._Is_that_in_which_I_saw_Gibrīl,_just_another_dream?_I_will_not_come_again_to_you._Do_well_and_Allāh_will_aid_you.”_

_I_woke_up_and_said_to_myself:_only_falsehood_remains_after_truth_has_been_manifest._So_I_

began_to_advocate_;adīth_about_seeing_Allāh,_intercession_etc._And_I_have_found_proofs_–_

by_Allāh_-which_ I_have_ never_heard_  before,_nor_ read_in_a_book._ This,_ I_have_ realized_ to_be,_the_good_news_of_which_was_given_to_ me_by_RasūlAllāh [s]  __._ Extracted_from_Imam Ibn_‘Asākir’s:Tabyīn_Kadhib_al-Muftarī_fīmā_Nusiba_ila_al-Imām_Abu'l_Hasan_al-Ash’arī _[Exposing_the_maligner’s_ lies,_in_those_ things_ falsely_ attributed_ to_Imām_Abu'l_Dasan_al-Ash’arī],_pgs_51-52.