أبو منصور الماتريدي
al-Maturidi (RH)
Abu Mansur al-Maturidi
Also known as: Imam al-Maturidi
c. 238–333 AH · c. 853–944 CE
Sufism & Theology Hanafi Theology Fiqh
Founder of the Maturidi school of theology, one of the two main Sunni schools of 'aqidah.
Al-Maturidi lived in Samarkand, a great centre of Hanafi learning in Transoxiana. Working in the tradition of Abu Hanifa's theological teaching, he defended Sunni belief against the Mu'tazila and other groups, giving a central place to reason in knowing Allah and in moral responsibility.
His Kitab al-Tawhid and his Quran commentary, Ta'wilat Ahl al-Sunnah, became the foundations of the Maturidi school. Together with the Ash'ari school, it forms the mainstream of Sunni theology, and it was followed especially by Hanafis in Central Asia, the Ottoman lands and South Asia.
Life journey
- c. 853 CE Samarkand سمرقندDied 944 CE · 333 AHFrom Maturid, a quarter of Samarkand.
Key works
- Kitab al-Tawhid كتاب التوحيدThe Book of Divine OnenessThe founding text of Maturidi theology.
Places in their life
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sources
- Ulrich Rudolph, Al-Maturidi and the Development of Sunni Theology in Samarqand (2015)
- al-Zabidi, Ithaf al-Sadah al-Muttaqin (Introduction)