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

Aqeedat al-Tahawi is one of the earliest and most widely studied 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. 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 senior 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 authoritative explanation.

About the Author

The original creed was written by Imam Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi (239–321 AH). This commentary is by Shaykh Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan, a member of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fatwa and one of the senior scholars of Saudi Arabia, known for his clarity, reliability, and strict adherence to the Qur'an and Sunnah upon the methodology of the Salaf. 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 serious library of Islamic creed texts in English.

Continue Reading

The other great 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.