The Creed of Sufyaan ath-Thawree

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The Creed of the Imaam, Sufyaan bin Sa’eed ath-

Thawree (d. 161H)
Trans. Abu Iyaad Amjad Rafiq (from the book, I’tiqaad A’immatil-Hadeeth), taken from Mountains
of Knowledge, (Salafi Publications 1997)

A Word about this Creed

This creed is mentioned by the Imaam, al-Laalikaa’ee in his remarkable book

‘Sharh Usool I’tiqaad Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah (1/151-154) with his chain of
narration leading back to Sufyaan ath-Thawree - may Allaah have mercy upon
him.

And al-Haafidh adh-Dhahabee has also mentioned this belief in his Tadhkirat ul-
Huffaadh and then said (1/206-207): “This is affirmed from Sufyaan and the
Shaikh, al-Mukhallas is trustworthy, may Allaah have mercy upon them”.

The Isnaad of this Creed

1. Muhammad Bin Abdur-Rahmaan bin al-‘Abbaas bin Abdur-Rahmaan: Abu

Taahir al-Baghdaadee al-Mukhallas. He is the Shaikh, the Muhaddith, the senior,
the truthful. Al-Khateeb said: “He is trustworthy”.

He was born in Shawwaal of the year 305H and died in Ramadaan of the year
393H. Refer to Siyar A’laam an-Nubalaa (16/478-480), Taareekh Baghdaad
(2/322-323) and Shadharaat udh-Dhahab (3/144).

2. Shu’ayb bin Muhammad bin Raajiyaan. Adh-Dhahabee declared him

trustworthy in his Tadhkirah (1/207)

3. Alee bin Harb al-Mawsilee, Abul-Hasan: The Imaam, the muhaddith, reliable
and well-versed. He was born in the year 175H. Abu Haatim said: “Truthful”.
Ad-Daaraqutnee said: “Trustworthy”.

He died in the year 265H. Refer to Siyar A’laam an-Nubalaa (12/251-253), al-
Jarh wat-Ta’deel (6/183), Taareekh Baghdaad (11/418-420), Tabaqaat al-
Hanaabilah (1/223) and Shadharaat udh-Dhahab (2/150)

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The Creed of Sufyaan ath-Thawree

4. Shu’ayb bin Harb: the Imaam, the fine-example, the worshipper, the Shaikh of
Islaam, Abu Saalih al-Madaa’inee. An-Nisaa’ee said: “Trustworthy”, and Ibn
Ma’een and Abu Haatim said: “Trustworthy and reliable”.

He died in the year 196H and it is also said in the year 197H, may the mercy of
Allaah be upon him. Refer to as-Siyar (9/188-191), Tabaqaat Ibn Sa’d (7/320),
al-Jarh (4/342) , al-Meezaan (2/275), Tahdheeb ut-Tahdheeb (4/350) and
Shadharaat udh-Dhahab (1/349)

The Text of the Creed

Muhammad bin Abdur-Rahmaan bin al-‘Abbaas informed us, saying: Abul-Fadl

Shu’ayb bin Muhammad bin Raajiyaan narrated us saying: Alee bin Harb al-
Mawsilee narrated to us - in the year 257H - saying: I heard Shu’ayb bin Harb
saying: I said to Abu Abdullaah Sufyaan bin Sa’eed ath-Thawree: Narrate to me a
hadeeth from the Sunnah by which Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - will benefit
me, so that when I stand in front of Allaah - the Blessed and Exalted - and He
asks me concerning it, saying: “From where did you get take this?”, I will say: “O
my Lord, Sufyaan ath-Thawree narrated this hadeeth to me and I took it from
him” - so that I am saved and (then) you are questioned for it.

So Sufyaan said: “O Shu’ayb, this is an assurance and what (other) assurance (can
be better than this)? Write:

In the Name of Allaah, Most-Merciful Ever-Merciful (to His Believing Servants)

The Qur’aan is the Word of Allaah. It is not created1. It originated from Him and
to Him it will return. Whoever says other than this is a disbeliever.

1 The Qur’aan is the speech of Allaah and His Revelation (tanzeel), it is not created in
whichever manner it may be written or when it is recited, in whatever place it may be
recited, whether it is found in the heaven or upon the earth, however it maybe preserved -
whether written in the Lawh il-Mahfoodh (the Preserved Tablet) or in the copies of the
children of the Quranic schools, or incsribed on a stone and written on paper or leaf,
whether memorised in the heart, or spoken by the tongue. Whoever says other than this,
or claims that the Qur’aan in the earth or in the heaven is other than the Qur’aan that which
we recite with our tongues, and which we write in the masaahif (copies of the Qur’aan), or
who believes this in his heart or who conceals such a belief in his heart, or who professes
it with his tongue, then he is a disbeliever whose blood and wealth is lawful and who is
free from Allaah and Allaah is free from him - as has been said by at-Tabaree in his Sareeh
us-Sunnah p.24-25.

Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) said (about the verse): “An Arabic Qur'ân, without any crookedness
(therein)” [Surah Zumar 39:28): “Not created”. Sharh Usool ul-I’tiqaad (2/217)

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The Creed of Sufyaan ath-Thawree

And eemaan consists of speech, action and intention. It increases and decreases2.
It increases with acts of obedience and it decreases with acts of disobedience. No
speech is accepted except with action, and no speech and action are accepted
except with intention, and no speech, action and intention are accepted unless
they agree with the Sunnah.

Shu’ayb said: I said: “O Abu Abdullaah, and what is agreement with the Sunnah?”

He said:

Al-Laalikaa’ee said: Sa’eed bin Naseer said: “I heard Ibn ‘Uyainah saying: What does this
daweeh - meaning Bishr al-Mareesee - say? They said: O Abu Muhammad bin Abu
Imraan, (he says) the Qur’aan is created. So he replied: He has lied. Allaah, the Mighty and
Majestic said:

...Surely, His is the Creation (khalq) and the Command (amr) [A’raaf 7:54]

So the ‘creation’ is the creation of Allaah, and the ‘command’ (amr) is the Qur’aan.

And Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal and Nu’aym bin Hammaad, Muhammad bin Yahyaa ad-
Dihlee, Abdus-Salaam bin Aasim ar-Raazee, Ahmad bin Sinaan al-Waasitee and Abu
Haatim ar-Raazee said likewise. (Sharh Usool I’tiqaad 2/219).

Alee bin al-Hasan al-Haashimee said: “My uncle narrated to me: I heard Wakee’ bin al-
Jarraah said: “Whoever claimed that the Qur’aan is created then he has claimed that
something of Allaah is created.” So I said: O Abu Sufyaan, how do you say this? He said:
“Because Allaah, the Blessed and Exalted says: “…But the Word from Me took effect..”
[Sajdah 32:13] and nothing from Allaah is created. (Sharh Usool I’tiqaad 2/219).

Also refer to as-Sunnah of Imaam Abdullaah (2/18), Sharh Usool il-I’tiqaad (2/216, 3/378-
385), Sareeh us-Sunnah of at-Tabaree (p.24-29), al-Hujjah of al-Asbahaanee (1/334-359,
2/198), ash-Sharee’ah of al-Aajurree (p.75-96), al-Bayhaqee in al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (1/299-
422), and Sharh ut-Tahaawiyyah (with the verification of Ahmad Shaakir - may Allaah have
mercy upon him, p. 107-127)

2 Eemaan consisting of speech and action and its decreasing and increasing is one of the
matters upon which the Ummah has agreed upon. Refer to the evidences for this belief and
refutation of the People of Desires and Innovations in Sareeh us-Sunnah of at-Tabaree
(p.42-45), ash-Sharee’ah of al-Aajurree (p.103-118), as-Sunnah of Ibn Abee Aasim (p.449-
451), Sharh Usool ul-I’tiqaad of al-Laalikaa’ee (4/830, 5/890-964) and al-I’tiqaad of al-
Bayhaqee (p.174-185).

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The Creed of Sufyaan ath-Thawree

Giving precedence to the two Shaikhs: Abu Bakr and Umar - may Allaah be
pleased with them both3. O Shu’ayb what you have written will not benefit you
until you put Uthmaan and Alee ahead of those who come after them.

O Shu’ayb bin Harb, what you have written for yourself will not benefit you
until you do not testify for anyone that he is in Paradise or Hellfire 4 save the ten
concerning whom the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) testified
for - and all of them are from Quraysh5.

3 The word of the Ummah is united in that the most excellent of the Companions of
Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) is Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, then al-Faarooq,
Umar bin al-Khattaab, then Dhun-Noorain (the Possessor of Two Lights), Uthmaan bin
Affaan, then the Chief of the Believers and Imaam of the Muttaqeen, Alee bin Abee Taalib
- may Allaah be pleased with them all. Refer to Sareeh us-Sunnah (p.38-39)

And Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah - may Allaah have mercy upon him - said: “As for
advancing Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then Uthmaan and Alee then this is uninamously agreed
upon amongst the scholars of the Muslims and amongst those well-known with leadership
in knowledge and religion from amongst the Companions, the Successors and then their
successors…” up until he said: “…and Imaam Maalik has quoted the ijmaa’ (concensus) of
the People of Madinah upon this matter saying: ‘I have not met anyone amongst those by
whom others guide themselves by who has doubts about advancing Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.”
See al-Fataawaa (/421-428), Fath ul-Baaree (7/16) and Sharh Usool ul-I’tiqaad (7/1363-
1372)

4 The explainer of Aqeedatut Tahaawiyyah, Ibn Abil-Izz (d. 792H) said: “We do not say
about a specific individual from among the people of the qiblah that he is of the people of
Paradise or of the people of Hellfire, except he about whom the truthful (sallallaahu alaihi
wasallam) has informed about, that he is among the people of Paradise, such as the ten
who were giving tidings of Paradise - may Allaah be pleased with them. And if we say:
That whomsoever Allaah wills to enter the Hellfire from among the people who commit
the major sins will by necessity enter the Hellfire and that he will be brought out of the
Hellfire on account of the intercession of those entitled to intercede, then we would
refrain from [saying such a thing] about a specific individual. So we do not testify for him
that He will enter Paradise, not that he will enter Hellfire except due to knowledge because
the reality is hidden and what a person dies upon cannot be encompassed by us. However
we do have hope for those who do good and we fear for those who do evil. And the Salaf
have three sayings in this issue of testifying for Paradise for someone: The first: That
Paradise is not testified for anyone except the Prophets, and this is quoted from
Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyyah and al-Awzaa’ee. The second: That Paradise is testified for,
for every Believer about whom a text has been mentioned - and this is the saying of many
of the scholars and the people of hadeeth. The third: That Paradise is testified for, for
(both) the above-mentioned and for the one whom the Believers testify for.” (p.378).
5 And they are: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan, Alee, Talhah bin ‘Ubaidullaah, az-Zubair bin
al-‘Awwaam, Sa’d bin Abee Waqqaas, Sa’eed bin Zaid bin Amr bin Nufail, Abdur-
Rahmaan bin Awf, Abu Ubaidah bin al-Jarraah - may Allaah be pleased with them all.

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The Creed of Sufyaan ath-Thawree

O Shu’ayb bin Harb, what you have written for yourself will not benefit you
until you hold that wiping over the khuffain6 is better to you than taking them off
when washing your feet7.

O Shu’ayb what you have written will not benefit you until saying ‘Bismillaahir-
Rahmaanir-Raheem’ silently in the prayer is more excellent to you than that you
should say it out aloud8.

O Shu’ayb bin Harb, that which you have written will not benefit you until you
have faith in the Divine Pre-determination (al-Qadar), its good and its evil, its
sweetness and its bitterness. All of it is from Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic9.
6 Leather socks.
7 The Sunnah of wiping over the khuffain at the time of washing the feet (during wudoo’) has
come from the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) by overwhelming successive
transmission (i.e. mutawaatir). The Raafidah oppose this mutawaatir Sunnah. It is therefore
said to them: “Those who reported the wudoo’ from the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi
wasallam) in speech and action and those who learnt the wudoo’ from him, made wudoo’
during his lifetime and he saw them and affirmed it for them. Then they reported that to
those who came after them - in greater numbers than those who reported this verse,
because all of the Muslims would perform wudoo’ during his lifetime and they did not learn
the wudoo’ except from him - and this action was not binding upon them during the days of
Jaahiliyyah - and they saw him perform wudoo’ a number of times which none but Allaah the
Exalted can enumerate. And they also reported from him the washing of the two feet in
whatever Allaah willed amongst the hadeeth.” Refer to Sharh ut-Tahaawiyyah (p.386-387)
for a further explanation of this matter.

8 The verifier of Sharh Usool ul-I’tiqaad, Ahmad Sa’d Hamdaan said (1/152): “This is one
of the subsidiary matters of action and difference has arisen with respect to it amongst the
scholars of the Ummah. This is due to the conflicting reports that exist concerning it. And
even if the isnaads of saying ‘Bismillaah…’ silently are more authentic, it still remains one
of the matters which are not connected to ‘aqeedah. Refer to Sharh us-Sunnah (3/54) and
Fath ul-Baaree (2/226-229).
9Al-Qadr: It is Allaah’s preceding knowledge of what will occur from among the actions of
the servants, what they will earn, and the emergence of such actions due to His
ordainment, free is He from imperfection, and His creation of them, their good and their
evil. Therefore, qadr is something for which four matters are confirmed:

The first: Allaah’s knowledge - the Sublime and Mighty - of things before they occur.
The second: The writing of (that knowledge)
The third: That no matter occurs or comes into existence except due to His will, so
whatever He wills occurs and whatever He does not will does not occur.
The fourth: Allaah’s creation - free is He from imperfection - of the actions and His
bringing them into existence.

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The Creed of Sufyaan ath-Thawree

O Shu’ayb bin Harb, by Allaah what the Qadariyyah say is not what Allaah says,
or what the Angels say, or what the Prophets say, or what the People of Paradise
say of the People of Hellfire say or what their brother, Iblees - May Allaah curse
him - says.

Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic said:

Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilaah
(god), and Allaah knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his
hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight. Who then will guide
him after Allaah? Will you not then remember? 10

And the Exalted said:

And you will not, unless (it be) that Allaah wills.11

And the Angels said:

“Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us.
Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise.”12

And Moosaa - upon him be peace - said:

It is only Your Trial by which You lead astray whom You will, and keep
guided whom You will.13

And Nooh - upon him be peace - said:

Refer to Sharh Usool ul-I’tiqaad (3/534), al-I’tiqaad of al-Bayhaqee (p.132), ash-Sharee’ah

of al-Aajurree (p. 149-168), Sareeh us-Sunnah (p. 34-36), ar-Radd alal-Jahmiyyah of al-
Bukhaaree (p.39-42), Majmoo ul-Fataawaa (2/152, 8/484-488) and Sharh ut-Tahaawiyyah
(p.383-399).
10 Jaathiyah 45:23

11 Takweer 81:29
12 Baqarah 2:32

13 A’raaf 7:155

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The Creed of Sufyaan ath-Thawree

“And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good
counsel, if Allaah's Will is to keep you astray. He is your Lord! and to
Him you shall return.”14

And Shu’ayb - upon him be peace - said:

And it is not for us to return to it unless Allaah, our Lord, should will. Our
Lord comprehends all things in His Knowledge.15

And the People of Paradise say:

“All the praises and thanks be to Allaah, Who has guided us to this, never
could we have found guidance, were it not that Allaah had guided us!” 16

And the People of Hellfire say:

Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people.17

And their brother, Iblees said:

“O my Lord! Because you misled me.” 18

O Shu’ayb, what you have written will not benefit you until you :

- hold that prayer is to be performed behind every righteous or sinful person19

14 Hud 11:34
15 A’raaf 7:89

16 A’raaf 7:43
17 Mu’minoon 23:106

18 Hijr 15:39
19
Imaam at-Tahaawee said: “And we hold that prayer is to be performed behind every
righteous and sinful person from the people of the qiblah, and also to perform prayer over
those amongst them who die.” Then the explainer of this creed, Ibn Abee al-Izz said:
“Know - may Allaah have mercy upon you - that it is permitted for a man to pray behind
someone from whom no innovation nor rebellion (fisq) is known by unamimous
agreement of the scholars. And it is not one of the conditions of following (the Imaam)
that the follower knows the creed of his Imaam, and nor that he should investigate him so
that he says: ‘What do you believe?’ Rather, he prays behind the one whose condition is
unknown. And this (applies) even if he was to pray behind an innovator who calls and
invites to his innovation or a faasiq who commits his sin openly and who is the fixed Imaam

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The Creed of Sufyaan ath-Thawree

- hold that Jihaad is always operative until the Day of Judgement20

- hold that patience is necessary under the flag (i.e. leadership) of the Ruler
(sultaan) whether he is an oppressor or just21.

Shu’ayb said: “So I said to Sufyaan: O Abu Abdullaah, is that all of the prayers?”

He replied: “No, but the Jumu’ah prayer and the prayer of the two Eids. Pray
these behind whomever you meet. But as for all of the prayers (i.e. the daily
prayers) then you have a choice in that matter. Do not pray except behind one in
whom you can place your trust and whom you know to be from Ahl us-Sunnah
wal-Jamaa’ah.

O Shu’ayb bin Harb, when you stand in front of Allaah - the Mighty and
Majestic - and He asks you about this hadeeth, then say: O my Lord, Sufyaan bin
Sa’eed ath-Thawree narrated this hadeeth to me, then create intimacy between me
and my Lord - the Mighty and Majestic.”

End of the treatise.

- it being not possible to perform prayer except behind him, such as the Imaam of the
Jumu’ah prayer, of the two Eids and of the prayer during Hajj in Arafah and other such
things. The follower performs prayer behind him and this is the view of the generality of
the Salaf and of the Khalaf (later scholars). And whoever abandons performing Jumu’ah and
the regular prayers behind the sinful Imaam is an innovator in the view of the majority of
the scholars. And it is correct that he prays along with the Imaam and that he does not
repeat them, for the Companions - may Allaah be pleased with them - used to pray Jumu’ah
and the regular prayers behind sinful leaders and they did not used to repeat their prayers.”
Refer to this matter in Sharh ut-Tahaawiyyah (p.373-377).
20
He is pointing to a refutation of the Raafidah in that they say: ‘There is no Jihaad in the
path of Allaah until the chosen one from the progeny of Muhammad appears and a caller
from the heaven calls: ‘Follow him’’. And the falsity of this saying is more clear and
apparent than needs to be explained with proof. Refer to Sharh ut-Tahaawiyyah (p.387-
388).
21
Refer to Sharh Usool ul-I’tiqaad (7/1229-1233), al-I’tiqaad of al-Bayhaqee (p.242-246)
and as-Sunnah of Ibn Abee Aasim (p.508-511).

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