THEOLOGIANS’ OPINIONS ON THE ROLE OF AL- ASH’ARI’S BOOK “AL-IBANA AN USUL AD-DIYANA” IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC DOCTRINE

Abstract

This paper examines the views of prominent Muslim 
theologians and scholars on the significance of Abu al-Hasan al-
Ash’ari’s work «Al-Ibana ‘an Usul ad-Diyana» («The Clarification 
of the Foundations of Religion») in shaping Islamic creed (aqidah) 
and theological discourse. The study analyzes both classical and 
modern scholarly assessments, highlighting the book’s role in 
affirming Sunni orthodoxy, its polemical stance against Mu’tazilite 
and other heterodox doctrines, and its influence on subsequent 
theological developments within the Ash’arite school and broader 
Sunni tradition.
The analysis concludes that «аl-Ibana ‘an Usul ad-Diyana» 
occupies a central place in the history of Islamic theology, serving 
as a foundational text for understanding the creed of Ahl al-
Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah and the intellectual legacy of al-Ash’ari in 
defending Sunni doctrine against theological innovations.