A biographical and intellectual study of Imam Abu al-Hasan 'Ali ibn Isma'il al-Ash'ari (260–324 AH / 874–935 CE), the founder of the Ash'ari school of Sunni scholastic theology, examining his life, his intellectual development, and his lasting contribution to the Islamic theological tradition. The work traces al-Ash'ari's transition from the Mu'tazili school to his founding of the Ash'ari theological position.

Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari is among the most consequential figures in the history of Islamic theology, and the school he founded has defined the theological mainstream of the Sunni world for more than a millennium. This study by Dr. Hammuda Gharaba provides a scholarly account of al-Ash'ari's life and thought, situating his contribution within the broader development of Sunni kalam.

Who It Is For Students of Islamic theology and intellectual history seeking a scholarly account of the life and thought of the founder of the Ash'ari school.

Its Place in the Tradition A modern biographical and intellectual study of the founder of the Ash'ari school, contributing to the academic literature on one of the most influential figures in the history of Sunni theology.

Discipline Aqidah and Kalam. A biographical and intellectual study of Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, the founder of the Ash'ari school of Sunni scholastic theology.

Level Intermediate

Dr. Hammuda Gharaba

1377 AH / 1957 CE

Dr. Hammuda Gharaba (1377 AH / 1957 CE) was a contemporary Egyptian academic scholar whose research engaged with the history of Islamic theology and the major figures of the Ash'ari tradition. His study of Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari reflects a scholarly commitment to making the intellectual biography of one of the most significant figures in Islamic theological history accessible to students and researchers.

Published by Dar Sa'd Al-Din under their own imprint.

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Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari