QUESTIONS
We ask you to clarify for us the period of descendant and the period of the predecessor?
We ask you to clarify for us the period of descendant and the period of the predecessor (السلف والخلف), and which is the major period in which scholars of Ahlu–Sunnath Val–Jama’th discussed mostly about the verses of متشابه and verses of the الصفات?
Answers
Ibrahim Saleh al-Husseini: First, we do not precede the righteous predecessors, I am sharing detailed picture. The predecessors are the Companions and the followers (الصحابة والتابعون) the companions of the Messenger of God (PBUH) and those who follow them in kindness until the Day of Judgment from the people of good centuries. They are the predecessors whom the Messenger of God (PBUH) said: “The best century is mine, then who follow and the who follow”. The pioneers of the first period are Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman, Ali, Saad, Saeed, Abd al-Rahman bin Awf, and al-Zubayr ibn al-Awam, may God be pleased with them, did you get me? i.e. the pioneers of the first period are the first predecessors of the Muhajireen and Ansar, and those who followed them with kindness, they are the maestroes of the first period we call them the righteous ancestors and they extended to the next century until the scholars to Ibn Abi Al-Zaid, the last of the predecessors and the first of the descendants, but this is an approximation because Ibn Abi Al-Zaid is after third century. Therefore, he is descendant, but from the first of descendant. I think you get me?
There are many scholars in this period who wrote on verses of الصفات including Abu Al-Qasim Al-Kayi, and among them Abu Awana and among them Ibn Manda, and others such as Imam Al-Bayhaqi, Ahmed and Abdullah and others such as Yahya and Ibn Al-Muddin and a group who wrote on these issues.
After them, in descendants there are many scholars, such as Imam al-Bayhaqi, Imam al-Ghazali, al-Juwayni, Imam al-Baji, and many others who wrote on the belief. As for the later ones, they are many, like Imam Al-Senussi and he is enough with it. Imam Al-Senussi wrote on it and all the people of the late Ash'ari wrote like Ibn Arafa al-Desouki and al-Mitani. Al-Mahdi bin Tumair wrote the (العقيدة المرشدة) ‘guiding belief’: This book was written by Al-Mahdi bin Tumayr, but its publication and distribution among the Ash'ari was done by Sultan Salahudin Al-Ayyubi, he strengthened it and spread it, because, it strengthens the doctrine of the Sunnis and the community.