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Development of Muslim Theology: Appendix I: Illustrative Documents: V. Articles Of Belief of Najm ad-Din Abu Hafs An-Nasafi

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Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol III: Tertullian: Part I: Chapter V. Similar meaning (58%) Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. IV: Defence of the Nicene Definition. (De Decretis.): Defence of the Council's Phrases, “from the essence,” And “one in essence.” Objection that the phrases are not scriptural; we ought to look at the sense more than the wording; evasion of the Arians as to the phrase “of God” which is in Scripture; their evasion of all explanations but those which the Council selected, which were intended to negative the Arian formulæ; protest against their conveying any material sense. Similar meaning (58%) Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. IV: On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. (De Synodis.): On the Symbols 'Of the Essence' And 'Coessential.' Similar meaning (57%) Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. X: The Homilies of S... Similar meaning (57%)
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This is a classical Sunni Islamic creed (*aqida*) by the 12th-century Maturidi theologian Najm ad-Din an-Nasafi, written as a school textbook and representing the Maturidi theological tradition (one of the two dominant Sunni scholastic schools, alongside the Ash'ari). It systematically lays out orthodox Muslim doctrine on epistemology, metaphysics, divine attributes, human agency, eschatology, and political theory. The text argues that knowledge derives from three sources—the senses, transmitted reports, and reason—while notably excluding mystical illumination (*ilham*) as a valid epistemic source. On the contested question of free will and predestination, it asserts that God creates all human actions yet humans possess a derivative "choosing" capacity for which they bear moral responsibility, a careful middle position between hard determinism and Mu'tazilite free will. The creed affirms the uncreated nature of God's eternal Word (the Qur'an), the reality of the beatific vision of God in Paradise, the validity of saintly miracles as reflections of prophetic authority, and the necessity of a Qurayshi, non-infallible, visible caliph. Bracketed asterisks throughout mark the specific points where Maturidi doctrine diverges from rival Ash'ari positions, making the text useful as a comparative document for understanding intra-Sunni theological differences.

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