Tamyī‘ Unveiled:

Exposing Abu Taymiyyah’s Distortions and Omissions

of Ibn Taymiyyah’s Teachings

Recently, individuals such as Abu Taymiyyah Muhammad Aljilani - May Allah guide and
forgive him - have been seen aligning with and defending known innovators, thereby
distorting the legacy of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and misrepresenting the way of
the Salaf. One recent particular instance that garnered attention was when Abu
Taymiyyah was seen in a photo with Muhammad Yassir al-Hanafi, a notorious deviant
Ash'ari-Mu'tazili innovator who is known for his enmity towards Ahl al-Sunnah, Ibn
Taymiyyah, and the Salafi creed. Abu Taymiyyah was smiling in the picture, conveying a
sense of approval and friendliness, and subsequently justified this interaction by twisting
and distorting the teachings of Ibn Taymiyyah in a series of excuses.
He wrote a tweet as follows:

"May Allah give us all the softness and wisdom of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah,
despite his theological differences with others, he would really go out of his
way to open discourse to clarify what is most pleasing to Allah."

He ibn Taymiyyah ‫ رحمه هللا‬said as in "Majmu' al-Fatawa" (3/227):

"People know that there was a rift and discord between the Hanbalis and the
Ash'arites, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲
𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 that
which 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 with regarding holding fast to the rope of
Allah. 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 and
clarified to them that Imam Abul Hassan Al Ashari was among the most
eminent of the theologians who were affiliated with Imam Ahmad and those
like him, who supported his (imam Ahmed’s) methodology, as Abul hassan
Al-Ashari himself mentions in his books."
End quote.
In this tweet, Abu Taymiyyah referenced Majmu' al-Fatawa (3/227) , a reference that
has often been used lately from promoters of Tamy’ee among those who affiliate
themselves with Salafiyyah, along with the Ikhwan, and some Ash'aris, to justify and
argue that Ibn Taymiyyah worked towards unity with the Ash'aris and Ahlul Bid’aa, thus
implying that he, too, was merely following this methodology.

However, this is a gross distortion from Abu Taymiyyah of both Ibn Taymiyyah’s actual
position and the entire Salafi manhaj, and it is either a deliberate or indeliberate attempt
of cutting off the rest of Ibn Taymiyya’s context in that quote and Allah knows best!

The aforementioned quote used to claim that Ibn Taymiyyah followed their path of
diluting matters of aqidah, by promoting the notion that Muslims should be content with
the statements of the people of innovation, associate with them, take pictures with them,
be happy when meeting them, and smile in their faces in front of the public, while
promoting friendliness and association with them without exposing their innovations,
their deviations, and the flaws in their methodology! They believe that both contradicting
positions can be valid under the guise of gathering the Muslims and uniting their word.

Whoever follows such a path, may Allah not bless their dawah and expose their
deviance and misguidance to the layman. Whoever follows such path is a deceiver to
the Muslims and the Ummah, a traitor to the Book of Allah, His Messenger, and the path
of the Companions, the Followers, their followers, and the Imams of the Salaf, all of
them.

However, to exonerate the Muslim layman from what is being plotted against him, and
to expose those who cut and distort the words of Shaykh al-Islam and interpret them in
ways to promote innovation, Here, I will present Ibn Taymiyyah’s full statement,
without omitting or cutting anything as Abu Taymiyyah Muhammad Aljilani did, so
that you may understand the true intention of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and the
reality behind his words.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said in Majmu' al-Fatawa (Vol. 3, p. 227):

"People know that there was alienation and discord between the Hanbalis
and the Ash'aris. And I was one of the people most committed to uniting the
hearts of the Muslims, seeking to unify their word, and following what we
have been commanded in terms of holding fast to the rope of Allah. I
removed much of the alienation that was in their hearts and explained to
them that al-Ash'ari was one of the most prominent theologians affiliated with
Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, and others who supported his
methodology, as al-Ash'ari himself mentions in his books.

As Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi said: 'The Ash'aris gained acceptance among the
people by affiliating themselves with the Hanbalis.' The early Hanbali
scholars, such as Abu Bakr Abdul Aziz and Abu al-Hasan al-Tamimi,
mentioned his words in their books. In the view of the early Hanbalis,
al-Ash'ari was like Ibn Aqil to the later Hanbalis; however, Ibn Aqil was
distinguished by his knowledge of fiqh and its principles.

As for al-Ash'ari, he was closer to the principles of Ahmad than Ibn Aqil. The
closer someone is to the Salaf, the more knowledgeable they are in
both reason and revelation. I explained this to the Hanbalis and
clarified that although al-Ash'ari had been a student of the Mu'tazilah and
then repented, he was originally a student of al-Jubba'i, leaned towards the
way of Ibn Kullab, and studied the principles of hadith under Zakariya al-Saji
in Basra. When he arrived in Baghdad, he learned some things from the
Hanbalis there, which was his final position, as he and his followers
mentioned in their books. Similarly, Ibn Aqil was a student of Ibn
al-Walid and Ibn al-Taban, both Mu'tazilis, but later repented from that,
and his repentance is well-known and was witnessed by the noble
Sharif Abu Ja'far. Just as there were followers of Ahmad who disliked Ibn
Aqil and criticized him, there are people from all sects who dislike and
criticize al-Ash'ari.
 When I presented the words of al-Ash'ari to the Hanbalis, they said:
'This is better than what Shaykh al-Muwaffaq (Ibn Qudamah) said,' and
the Muslims rejoiced at the agreement of the word. I also clarified what
Ibn Asakir mentioned in his Munaqib (Virtues of al-Ash'ari): that the
Hanbalis and Ash'aris were always in agreement until the time of
al-Qushayri, after which a fitnah occurred in Baghdad, causing
division. It is well-known that in every group, there are both upright
and deviant individuals.

As for me, throughout my life until now, I have never called anyone to follow
the Hanbali creed in the fundamentals of the religion or any other, nor have I
defended it, nor have I mentioned it in my words. I only speak about what
the Salaf of this Ummah and its Imams agreed upon. I have said to them on
multiple occasions: 'I will give those who oppose me three years to bring
even one word from one of the Imams of the first three centuries that
contradicts what I have said. If they do, I will concede to them.' As for what I
mention, I convey it from the Imams of the first three centuries using their
own words, and the words of those who transmitted their consensus from all
the different sects."

End quote.

Now that you have read the full text of Ibn Taymiyyah, you can see his true intention. I
say: There is nothing in his statement that suggests he sought to unite the Hanbalis and
the Ash'aris while allowing the latter to persist in their Ash’ari Mu'tazili and Jahmi
innovations as he clearly explained.

This can also be analyzed further in several ways:

1. His statement, 'Seeking to unify their word, and following what we have
been commanded in terms of holding fast to the rope of Allah.'

Ibn Taymiyyah aimed to bring the Hanbalis and Ash'aris together on the rope of
 Allah, which he clarified in Majmu' al-Fatawa (Vol. 40, p. 7):

"It is said that the rope of Allah is the religion of Islam, the Qur’an, His covenant,
His obedience and command, and the consensus of the Muslims; all of these are
correct."

Therefore, the unity Ibn Taymiyyah sought between the Hanbalis and the Ash'aris
was only possible through adherence to the religion of Allah, which requires
abandoning innovations and desires that oppose the Qur’an, Sunnah, and
consensus. Any effort to unite them while persisting in their innovations is not
holding fast to the rope of Allah.

2. His statement, 'I was among the people most committed to uniting the
hearts of Muslims, seeking to unify their word.' It is known that unity cannot
occur with differences in creed. Allah says:

"Their enmity towards one another is severe; you think they are united, but their
hearts are divided." (Surah al-Hashr 59:14)

Innovations are inherently linked to division, as Shaykh al-Islam said in

Al-Istiqamah (Vol. 1, p. 42):

"Innovation is inherently linked to division, just as the Sunnah is inherently linked

to unity. Hence, the term 'Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama'ah' (People of the Sunnah
and the Group) is used, as opposed to 'Ahl al-Bid'ah wa’l-Firqah' (People of
Innovation and Division)."

3. His statement, 'I clarified to them that al-Ash'ari was one of the most
prominent theologians affiliated with Imam Ahmad.'

This shows that Ibn Taymiyyah was trying to bring the Hanbalis and Ash'aris who
followed al-Ash'ari’s final position closer to the way of Imam Ahmad. He wanted
to return the Ash'aris to the way of their own Imam, which al-Ash'ari himself
affirmed in his final book, Al-Ibanah.

Ibn Taymiyyah explicitly distinguishes between those Ash'aris who followed

al-Ash'ari’s final position, as outlined in Al-Ibanah, and those who persisted in
innovation, he even used to describe those Ash'aris as effeminate females!
In Majmu' al-Fatawa Vol. 8, p. 227 he says:

"Similarly, the Ash'aris, as Abu Ismail al-Ansari said: 'The Ash'aris are the
females (effeminate) of the Mu'tazilah.' And some say: 'The Mu'tazilah are the
females (effeminate) of the philosophers, because it was not known that Jahm
preceded them in this foundation.'"

And In Majmu' al-Fatawa, Vol. 6, p. 359 he states:

"Indeed, innovations are derived from disbelief and lead to it. They say: 'The
Mu'tazilah are the females (effeminate) of the philosophers, and the Ash'aris are
the females (effeminate) of the Mu'tazilah.” "Yahya ibn Ammar used to say: 'The
Mu'tazilah Jahmiyyah are the males, and the Ash'ari Jahmiyyah are the females.'
By this, he meant the Ash'aris who deny Allah's attributes. However, those
who followed al-Ash'ari’s book Al-Ibanah, which he wrote towards the end
of his life and did not express any view that contradicted this, are
considered from Ahl al-Sunnah. But merely affiliating oneself with
al-Ash'ari is itself a bid'ah, especially since it falsely gives the impression
that everyone who affiliates themselves with al-Ash'ari is upon the truth.
This opens the door to much evil."

This shows that Ibn Taymiyyah made a clear distinction between those who
followed the Ash'ari creed in its later, corrupt form, and those who repented and
followed al-Ash'ari’s final views as expressed in Al-Ibanah.
 4. His statement, 'When I presented the words of al-Ash'ari to the Hanbalis,
they said: 'This is better than what Shaykh al-Muwaffaq (Ibn Qudamah)
said,' and the Muslims rejoiced at the agreement of the word.'

This indicates that Ibn Taymiyyah united the Hanbalis and Ash'aris based on
al-Ash'ari’s final creed, bringing the Ash'aris back to the way of their own Imam,
who had aligned with the principles of Ahl al-Sunnah by the end of his life.
He did not leave the Ash'aris to persist in their Mu'tazili and Jahmi innovations. If
anyone claims that Ibn Taymiyyah would have tolerated the Ash'aris while they
continued to follow their heretical innovations, that is a lie, deceit and deception
unbefitting of Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s methodology.

The Fifth and Most Important Point:

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah wrote an entire book entitled Bayān Talbīs
al-Jahmiyyah, refuting their innovations, printed in eight volumes! specifically
addressing the Ash’aris. One entire volume is dedicated to indexes alone!

Now, has Abu Taymiyyah Muhammad Aljilani written a single volume refuting the
Ash'aris as Ibn Taymiyyah did?

Additionally, Ibn Taymiyyah authored al-Tis’iniyyah in three volumes! refuting the

Ash'aris in their belief of "kalam nafsi" (internal speech of Allah). He penned this book
during his first trial in Egypt in 706 AH, where he debated Ash'ari scholars on issues
such as the divine attributes and speech of Allah.

In the introduction to al-Tis’iniyyah, he wrote:

"I have written here some details regarding this trial which they asked me
about today. I have clarified some of the matters concerning how they have
altered the religion and deviated from the way of the believers, and I hope
this will benefit the Muslims."

This work contains significant points that may not be found in his other books.
Now, has Abu Taymiyyah Muhammad Aljilani written a single volume refuting the
Ash'aris?

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah also authored Dar’ Ta’arud al-‘Aql wa’l-Naql, a
monumental work in 11 volumes! considered one of his greatest books, specifically
refuting the Ash'aris who claim that reason should be prioritized over revelation when
the two appear to contradict. Ibn Taymiyyah refutes this claim throughout these
volumes, and he especially refutes Ash'aris like al-Razi, al-Ghazali, al-Juwayni, and
others who argued that intellect should dominate over revelation.

He wrote this book after Naqd al-Tasis, and it was composed between 712-718 AH
when he returned to Syria from Egypt. In it, he mentions:

"This approach (combining intellect and revelation) is established in both

textual and rational evidences, as I have shown in refuting the foundations of
the Jahmiyyah, particularly in my commentary on Tasis al-Taqdis and other
works."

Therefore, Dar’ Ta’arud al-‘Aql wa’l-Naql was written after Naqd al-Tasis, and in it, we
see a progressive response to the Ash'aris. Initially, Ibn Taymiyyah responded directly to
their arguments, refuting their reasoning. Then, upon realizing that many of their
arguments were based on the works of their leader al-Razi, he wrote Naqd al-Tasis,
refuting the very foundations of the Ash'ari school.

Thus, anyone who promotes the selective text of Ibn Taymiyyah without
addressing his refutations of their deviations, and without exposing and refuting
the Ash’aris and Ahlul bid’aa as Ibn Taymiyyah did, is inconsistent and
misguided, quoting selective distorted text of Ibn Taymiyyah and ignoring his
entire methodology and the 20 plus volumes where he refutes then is a grave
violation to Ibn Taymiyyah, Ahlul- Sunnah, and the Salafy Athari Creed.

Once again we ask. Has Abu Taymiyyah Muhammad Aljilani authored even a
single volume refuting the Ash'aris?
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s Other Works:

● The Tadmuriyyah: In this work, he lays down the great foundational principles of
proving the attributes of Allah, the Shari’ah, and Qadr, while refuting distortions
made by the Ash'aris and other theological sects.

● The Manazir around al-Wasitiyyah: This work documents the debates Ibn
Taymiyyah had with the Ash’aris around his al-Wasitiyyah. Ibn Taymiyyah
personally recorded these debates, detailing the discussions and refutations on
key issues such as the distortion of texts, the attributes of Allah (speech, the
Throne, etc.), and the doctrine of the Ash'aris regarding Allah's attributes.

● Al-Risalah al-Madaniyyah: This letter discusses the nature of Allah’s attributes,

using reason and scripture to refute the Ash'aris' denial of Allah’s attributes. It
tackles issues like Allah’s elevation above His Throne, His speech, and other
essential attributes.

These are just some of the many works in which Ibn Taymiyyah refuted the Ash'aris. His
books and letters that address the various aspects of Ash'ari beliefs are numerous and
include:

Minhaj al-Sunnah (A critical work, Ibn Taymiyyah systematically refutes the innovations
of the Shi'a but also tackles the false beliefs of the Ash'aris.), Al-Istiqamah,
Al-Safadiyyah (Another important work, wherein Ibn Taymiyyah directly addresses the
false beliefs of the Ash'aris, refuting their theological positions regarding Allah's names
and attributes.), Al-Jawab al-Sahih, Sharh Hadith al-Nuzul, Al-Sub'iniyyah, Al-Radd ‘ala
al-Bakri, Qa’idah Jalilah fi’l-Tawassul wa’l-Wasilah, Al-Hasanah wa’l-Sayyi’ah,
Al-Risalah al-‘Arshiyyah, Al-Mas'alah al-Misriyyah fi'l-Qur’an, Al-Ihtijaj bi'l-Qadr,
Al-Risalah fi'l-Zahir wa’l-Batin, Al-Ikleel fi'l-Mutashabih wal-Ta'wil, Tafsir Surat al-Ikhlas,
and others.
Has Abu Taymiyyah Muhammad Aljilani authored even one book refuting the
Ash'aris or pointing out their deviations in every aspect of their false beliefs as
Ibn Taymiyyah did?

Even the debates and councils that Ibn Taymiyyah held with the Ash'aris in his lifetime
always made clear these crucial points. Ibn Rajab mentions in Dhayl Tabaqat
al-Hanabilah (Vol. 2, p. 23) in the biography of Abdul Ghani al-Maqdisi, noting his
debate with opponents:

"There was once a council for Shaykh al-Islam Abu al-Abbas Ibn Taymiyyah,
and some prominent opponents spoke. One of them was the khatib of the
mosque. Shaykh Sharf al-Din Abdullah, Ibn Taymiyyah’s brother, said to him:
'Our discussion is with Ahl al-Sunnah, and as for you, I could write down for
you a few hadiths from the Sahihayn, some fabricated hadiths, and some
stories about 'Antarah (the pre-Islamic poet and hero), and you wouldn’t be
able to tell the difference.' The man fell silent."

Ibn Taymiyyah also mentions in Dar’ Ta’arud al-‘Aql wa’l-Naql (Vol. 8, p. 89):

"Even some of their judges and prominent figures cannot distinguish

between the statements of the four Imams on major theological matters. If
they are asked: 'Did the Shafi'i, or Malik, or others say this?' they respond,
'No, but this is the statement of reasonable people, and the Shafi’i would not
oppose reasonable people.' Or they say something like this."

Where is Abu Taymiyyah compared to Ibn Taymiyyah?

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah stated:

"It is obligatory to punish anyone who affiliates with them (the people
of innovation), defends them, praises them, honors their books, or is
known to help them, assist them, or hate speaking against them. Such
excuses can only be offered by someone who is ignorant or a
hypocrite. It is obligatory to punish anyone who knows their situation
 and does not support the effort against them because defending the
religion against their corruption is one of the greatest duties."
(Majmu' al-Fatawa, Vol. 2, p. 132)

This was Ibn Taymiyyah’s response to the Itihaadiyah of those who mixed the truth with
falsehood. Anyone who praises or defends an innovator while neglecting to expose their
deviations is assisting in corrupting the minds of the Ummah.

Late Ash'aris like al-Razi, whom Abu Taymiyyah’s friend looks up to him as a scholar
and follows, were known to deny Allah’s attributes in a way worse than the doctrine of
hulul and ittihad. Al-Razi, a prominent Ash'ari followed by people like Muhammad Yassir
al-Hanafi, authored several well-known books promoting Jahmi beliefs, including
Al-Arba'in and Asas al-Taqdis. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah responded to him in
Bayān Talbīs al-Jahmiyyah (eight volumes) because al-Razi denied both extremes—that
Allah is within or outside of the universe.

If Ibn Taymiyyah were alive today and saw how you twist and misrepresent his positions
to defend and mix with the people of innovation, what would his response be?

Shaykh al-Islam said in Minhaj al-Sunnah (Vol. 5, p. 146):

"If the one being spoken about is a caller to innovation, it is obligatory

to make his situation known to the people because stopping his harm
is more important than stopping the harm of a highway robber."

He also said in Majmu' al-Fatawa (Vol. 28, p. 231):

"Those who promote innovation, either through teachings or practices

that oppose the Sunnah, should have their state exposed and the
Ummah warned against them by agreement of the Muslims."

So, how can you, Abu Taymiyyah, compare yourself to Ibn Taymiyyah when you haven’t
contributed even a fraction of what he did in defending the true beliefs against the
innovators? Ibn Taymiyyah spent his life confronting the Ash'aris and others from all
types and sects of Ahlul- bid’a, exposing their misguidance, debating them, and
authoring many volumes to refute their deviations. He did not take pictures with them,
smile, celebrate their company, and make gross excuses and distortions to defend them
as you do.

Ya Abu Taymiyyah, your defense of innovators like Muhammad Yassir al-Hanafi and
your silence on their misguidance only serves to help their cause, which is a betrayal of
the clear message revealed by Allah to Muhammad (peace be upon him). As Allah is
my witness, I fear that if you continue down this path, Allah may strip you of His light
and cast you into the darkness of misguidance as the Salaf narrated.

Sufyan al-Thawri: "Whoever listens to a person of innovation has left the

protection of Allah and has been left to it (innovation)."

Dawud ibn Abi Hind: "Allah revealed to Musa: Do not sit with the people of
innovation, for if you do, and their speech influences your heart, I will throw you
into the Hellfire."

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad:

● "Whoever sits with a person of innovation is deprived of wisdom."

● "Whoever glorifies a person of innovation has aided in the destruction of Islam.

Whoever smiles at a person of innovation has belittled what Allah, the Exalted,
revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Whoever marries
his daughter to a person of innovation has cut off his family ties. Whoever follows
the funeral procession of a person of innovation remains in the wrath of Allah
until he returns."

● "Do not sit with the people of innovation, for I fear that Allah’s curse will descend
upon you."
 ● "Whoever loves a person of innovation, Allah will invalidate his deeds and
remove the light of Islam from his heart."

● "Whoever eats with a person of innovation will not taste the sweetness of Islam."

● "I would rather eat with a Jew or a Christian than with a person of innovation, and
I prefer to have a barrier of iron between me and the people of innovation."

● "If Allah knows that a man hates the people of innovation, He will forgive him,
even if his deeds are few."

Ya Abu Taymiyyah Muhammad Aljilani have you authored even one book refuting the
Ash'aris or pointing out their deviations in every aspect of their false beliefs as Ibn
Taymiyyah did? Did you even present a lecture exposing the deviance and bid'ah of the
Ash'aris? Have you ever spoken out against them and made tabd’ee on them?

Abu Taymiyyah, you don’t have to go far, and I don’t need to present the works and
talks of other scholars to you. You can simply check out the podcast of your own friend,
Abdurahman Hassan, whom you look up to and regard as one of the most
knowledgeable students in the West, and whom you stated that he was one of those
who opened your eyes to the true side of Ibn Taymiyyah when it comes to these matters
of condemning ahlul bidaa and boycotting them! In his 5-hour-and-a-half episode on the
Hot Seat podcast, he thoroughly and harshly exposed the Ash'aris and their deviant,
innovated creed.

And may Allah's peace and blessings be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad, his
family, and his companions. May Allah guide us all to the truth, purify our hearts from
arrogance, innovation, sectarianism, and misguidance. May He keep us firm upon the
manhaj of the Salaf, protect us from falling into error, and grant us the strength to
uphold the Sunnah with sincerity and steadfastness. Ameen.

- Abu Islam al-Salafy al-Misry

Fb: https://www.facebook.com/islamdesigns X: https://x.com/Salafization1