Ash'ari

Ash'arism or Ashʿari theology (/æʃəˈriː/;Arabic: الأشعرية‎ al-Asha`riyya or الأشاعرة al-Ashā`irah) is an early theological school of Islam (Sunni in particular) founded by Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (d. 324 AH / 936 AD). The disciples of the school are known as Ash'arites, and the school is also referred to as the Ash'arite school.

Amongst the most famous Ash'arites: Al-Bayhaqi, Al-Nawawi, Al-Ghazali, Izz al-Din ibn 'Abd al-Salam, Al-Suyuti, Ibn 'Asakir, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Al-Qurtubi and Al-Subki.

Origin

Ash'arism is considered to be a key school of Sunni Islam. The scholar Al-Saffarini (d. 1188) gave the following definition of the three Sunni schools in his Lawami al-Anwar:

The school arose mainly as a response to the Mu'tazila school of thought and some of their beliefs, which to some Muslims seemed strange and against previously-held opinions. For example, the Mu'tazila believed the Quran to be created, whereas Ash'arites believe that it is uncreated.

On the other hand, the new movement made a big shift for Islam. This new school became a base in educating Islam as a religion, as it depended on rationalism in understanding Islam from the Quran and the Hadith. Ash'arites state that Islamic faith is based on using the mind. With the prevalence of globalization, it became noticed that Ash'arism is rejected and attacked by Salafis, who reject the concept of depending on the mind as a basic way for understanding the Quran.