A Commentary on the Creed of al-Imam al-Tahawi by Salih al-Fawzan

Aqeedat al-Tahawi is one of the earliest statements of Sunni Islamic creed — written by Imam Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi in the third century of the hijra as a concise summary of the creed of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaah, and studied ever since. Despite al-Tahawi's fiqh affiliation, his statement of aqeedah has long been recognized by the scholars of the Salafi tradition as a sound expression of the creed of the Salaf, grounded in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

A Commentary on the Creed of al-Imam al-Tahawi by Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan provides a detailed explanation of al-Tahawi's text — and where the original text is ambiguous, unclear, or potentially susceptible to misinterpretation, Shaykh al-Fawzan corrects and clarifies through his explanation, ensuring the reader understands the creed in accordance with the way of the Salaf. The commentary is what gives this edition its value: a scholar of Ahlus-Sunnah interpreting a classical creed text through the lens of the Qur'an, authentic Sunnah, and the understanding of the first three generations.

What This Book Covers

The Core Beliefs of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaah

Al-Tahawi's creed covers the fundamental articles of Islamic belief — Tawheed in its three dimensions, the names and attributes of Allah, prophethood, the Companions, the events of the Day of Judgment, and divine decree — all of which Shaykh al-Fawzan explains with precision, referencing the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah throughout.

Points of Clarification Through Scholarly Commentary

Shaykh al-Fawzan's approach ensures that any statement in the original text that requires nuance or correction is addressed directly. This is precisely the value of having a reliable commentary from a scholar of Ahlus-Sunnah on a classical creed text — the reader benefits from both the original formulation and its explanation.

About the Authors

The original creed was written by Imam Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi (239–321 AH), a scholar of Egypt. This commentary is by Shaykh Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan, who studied under Shaykh Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz and Shaykh Abd al-Razzaq al-Afifi, taught at the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, and serves on the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fatwa and the Council of Senior Scholars. Published by Dar as-Sunnah Publishers.

Who This Book Is For

Students of aqeedah who want to study this classical creed text with the benefit of reliable Salafi commentary, and anyone building a library of Islamic creed texts in English.

Continue Reading

The other classical creed text we carry with commentary is al-Wasitiyyah — available as Sharh Al-Aqeedat-il-Wasitiyah, as the same Shaykh's Explanation of al-Aqeedat al-Waasitiyyah, and as Ibn Uthaymin's two-volume commentary. For a study order, see our guide to the best aqeedah books for beginners.