 Imam Al Ashari (324)- Mutazili for 40 years, wrote Al Ibana (printed in

Hyderabad Deccan 1321) refuting Mutazila, went to the pulpit to reject

Mutazili beliefs in divine justice and createdness of the Quran. Basra. Al
Tahawi (331) and Maturidi (333) were also doing this theological
discourse at around the same time. Born in 260 in Basra, passed in
Baghdad. Some say dates are slightly different and he passed between
kark and Bab Al Basrah. Also wrote Al Risalah fi Istihsan al Khaud fi al
kalam (Hyderabdad 1344) (Written in defence of the use of Kalam) . AL
Maqalat Al Islamiyin (Istanbul 1348) (many things on the basics of Islam
mentioned in this book that many later writers copy, Ibn Taymiyyah and
Ibn Al Qayyim mention it highly. Kitab al Sharh wal-Tafsil. Al Luma, Mujaz,
Iadah Al Burhan, Ta’bin.

 Abu Abd Allah al Shafi- Abu `Abd Allah al-Shafi`i, Muhammad ibn al-
Qasim, Abu `Abd Allah al-Asbahani, known as al-Shafi`i (d. 381). He
authored many works in the foundations of religion, jurisprudence, and legal
rulings.
 Abu al-Hasan al-Bahili al-Basri (d. ~370), the companion of al-Ash`ari and
teacher of Ibn Furak, al-Baqillani, and Abu Ishaq al-Isfarayini. Always
engaged in Remembrance of Allah, he taught and communicated only from
behind a curtain, even with his servant. Al-Isfarayini said: "Next to my teacher
al-Bahili,I was like a drop in the sea." Al-Bahili himself said: "Next to my
master al-Ash`ari, I was like a drop in the sea."
 Abu al Hassan al Tabari ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Mahdi (380)-
studied under Ashari and Bahili in Basra. He also accompanied Al
Isfrayini, Ibn Furak and Baqialani, his works include- “Al Usul wa tafsir
Asami al-Rabb (Principles of the Religion and the explanation of the
Divine Names.) Ta’wil Al Hadith Al-Mushkilat Al Waridat fi al sifat. ‘The
Interpretation of the Problematic narrations that Pertain to the
Attributes. Istiwa means elevation in relation to Allah and the Throne.
Mentioned in this later book.
 Abu Muhammad Al Tabari- Abu Muhammad al-Tabari, al-Qadi `Abd
Allah ibn `Ali ibn `Abd Allah al- `Iraqi al-Jurjani al-Manjaniqi al-Shafi`i.
Shaykh in hadith of Al Hakim. Hakim accompanied him in 359 from
Naysapur to Bukhara.
 Abu Sahl Al Suluki- (369), the Imam of Khurasan, he accompanied Abu
Ishaq Al Marwazi in Fiqh and Shibli in Tassawuf, took hadith from Ibn
Khuzayma, and Ibn Abi Hatim, Studied with Al Ashari in Baghdad.
 Abu Zayd Al Marwazi- 371- Studied as a young man with Ashari in
Baghdad.
 Al Awdani- 385 lived in Transoxania.
 Ibn Samun Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al Baghdadi (387) The Shaykh of his time
in Baghdad mainly known for his Tassawuf. He wanted to go to Hajj and his
mother said how will you pay for it, they slept his mother saw the messenger
in her dream and He said let him go. He went and became well off. Abu Al
 Fath Al Qawwas fell asleep during his sermon and Ibn Samun fell silent, when
he awoke he asked did you see the Mesenger, he said that is why I fell silent.
 Al Naqqash, Muhammad Ibn Ahmed- 379. He taught Abu Ali Ibn Shadan
Kalam.
 Al Qaffal al Shashi (365) – Former Mutazili, companion of Ashari, Imam of
Transoxania. Wrote some works including Dalail Ul Nabuwa, Mahasin Al
Sharia.
 Al Qurashi Al Zuhri Abd Al Wahid Ibn Ahmed Al Naysaburi. (382) A
descendant of Abd Ar rahman Ibn Auf. He fasted all year and finished the
Quran every other year.
 Al Shuruti Al Qatan (389)
 Al Sarakshi 389- Settled in Naysapur, Imam of Khurasan and studied in
Baghdad.

 Al Hakim Al Naysaburi also known as Ibn Al Bayyi (405) studied hadith

from Daraqutni and many others, took Al Ashari’s teachings from Abu Sahl
Al Sul’uki. Accussed of being a Shii and wrote many works, one was a
mistake filled hadith book, but Dr Nur Ud Din Itr said that he he wrote it at the
end of his life with an intent on revising it.

 Al Darani, Ali Ibn Dawud Al Dimishqi (402)- Was from a place called
Daraya, his father was a Christian convert and the people of Damascus came
to take him to be their Imam. He would not take anything for his Imamship he
ground wheat for a living. He was confronted by some Hashwiyya in
Damascus, so he wrote to Baqialani who sent his student AL Husayn Ibn
Hatim Al Adhri after this the people would only leave his gatherings upon
saying One One.

 Al Baqillani Muhammed ibn al Tayib (403)- His nightly devotion was 40

cycles, after which he would write 35 pages. Adud Ad Dawla the caliph sent
him as an envoy to the Roman emperor, he was asked to enter through a low
door, so he did but backside first, he asked the monk how are your wife and
children, he said don’t you know a monk doesn’t have a wife and child he said
but you ascribe such to the Lord. He arbitrated between the Sufis and Ibn Abi
Zayd Al Maliki. Abu Al Fadl Al Tamimi the head of the Hanbalis of his time,
came barefoot to his funeral. He was buried near the grave of Imam Ahmed.

 Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Al Hasan Ibn Furak (330-406) Studies under
Al Bahili with Al Baqillani and al-Isfrahini.Main works are Mujarrad Maqalat
al-Ashari and Kitab Mushkil al-Hadith we-bayanihi where he refutes the
Mutazila and the Hanabila. His main work in Kalam today is Tabaqat al-
Mutakalimin.

 Al Bastami Muhammed ibn al Husayn (408)- from Naysabur

 Al Bajali Abd Al Wahid Ibn Muhammad ibn Mashada (414)

 Al Sharif Abu Talib Abd Al Wahab Al Damishqi (415)

  Abu Ma’mur Al Ismaili Al Jurjani (417) he studied in Baghdad and Mecca
before returning to Jurjan.

 Al Abdawi Umer ibn Ahmed Al Naysapuri Al A’raj (417)

 Abu Mansur Abd Al Qadir al-Baghdadi (429) Met the companions of the
companions of Al Ashari. He wrote Usul al-Din and al-Farq bayn al-Firaq.

 Abu Ishaq Al Isfrahini taught Juwayni (419-478) the Ashari doctrine.

Shaykh Abu Muhammad Abd Allah was Juwaynis father, he was born in
Juvain (a region in Nishapur) he studied under Abu at Tayyib Sahl as-Subuki.
He wrote Al Shamil on the principles of religion, Al Burhan on the principles
of Fiqh. Al Aqidat al Nizamiyyah and Irshad on Aqeeda. He died in Nishapur.
Took over his father’s position even though he was only 19. He was the first
director and teacher of law at the Nizamiya, when the Manni’I mosque was
founded 6 years on the position of Khatib was awarded to him, when Abu Sahl
Muhammad al-Bastami passed the position of chief of the Shafii maddhab also
fell to Juwayni. Died in the village of Bushtaniqan. Buried in his home, later
moved to cemetery of al-Hussain b Mu’adh. Pulpit he preached from was
broken up upon his passing and hundreds of students did the same to their
pens and inkstands.

 Abu Sahl Muhammad born 423 was a contemporary of Juwayni and was
head of the Shafi school in Nishapur at that time. He was the son of Imam al-
Muwaffaq. Passed age 33, he fought the Hanafis in Nishapur and freed his
fellow Asharis.

 Other contemporaries of Juwayni were: Abu al-Qasim al-Qushairi, Abu al

Fadl, Ahmad al- Furati, Abu al-Ma’ali,

Some of those older Ash'arites were abu Sahl Saluqi, Abu Quffal, Abu Zaid
Maruzi, Zahir bin Ahmad, Hafiz Abu Bakr Jurjani, Shaikh Abu Muhammad
Tabari, and Abu al-Hasan Bahili. Some of the pupils of these older Ash'arites
became still more famous and the best known among them are Qadi Abu
Bakr Baqillani, Abu Bakr bin Furak, Abu al-Qasim al-Qushairi and abu Ishaq
Isfra'ini and his pupil Abu al-Ma'ali al-Juwaini, known as Imam al-Haramain

Students of Imam Baqillani

l-Qadi Abu Muhammad 4Abd al-Wahhab b. 'Ali al-Baghdadi (d. 422)'

(ii) Abu Umran Musa b. *Isa b. Abi Hajjaj al-Ghafjumi (d. 430)
(iii) Abu Dharr al-Harawi (d. 435)

(iv) Abu'l-Hasan al-Sukkari (the poet) (d. 413)

(v) Abu'l-Hasan al-Harbi 'Ali b. Muhammad (d. 437)

(vi) Al-Qadi Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Simnani (d. 444)

(vii) Abu'l-Hasan al-Baghdadi Rafi1 b. Nasr (d. 422)
(viii) Abu Tahir Muhammad b. 'AH, known as Ibn al-Anbari (d. 448)
(ix) Abu 'Abd Allah al-Husayn b. Hatim al-Azdi (d. 430)

(x) Abu *Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami Muhammad b. al-Husayn al-Sufi (d. 412)

(xi) Abu Hatim Mahmud b. al-Hasan al-Tabari, known as al-Qazwini (d.

(xii) Al-Qadi Abu Muhammad *Abd Allah b. Muhammad al-Asbahani, known as Ibn
al-Labban (d, 430)

(xiii) Abu Bakr Muhammad b. al-Husain al-Iskafi (d. ?)98

(xiv) Abu All al-Hasan b. Shadhan (d. 426)99

(xv) Abu'l-Qasim 'Ubayd Allah b. Ahmad al-Sayrafi (d. 435)100

(xvi) Abul-Fadl ^bayd Allah b. Ahmad al-Maqri (d. 431)101