الْفَصْلُ الْأَوَّلُ

Chapter One

فِي تَرْجَمَةِ عَقِيدَةِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ فِي كَلِمَتَيِ الشَّهَادَةِ الَّتِي هِيَ أَحَدُ مَبَانِي الْإِسْلَامِ

On the translation of the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah regarding the two testimonies of faith, which are one of the pillars of Islam.

فَنَقُولُ وَباللهِ التَّوْفِيقُ: الْحَمْدُ للهِ الْمُبْدِئِ الْمُعِيدِ الْفَعَّالِ لِمَا يُرِيدُ ذِي الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيدِ وَالْبَطْشِ الشَّدِيدِ

We say, and with Allah is success: Praise be to Allah, the Originator, the Restorer, the Doer of what He wills, Possessor of the Glorious Throne and the severe assault,

الْهَادِي صَفْوَةَ الْعَبِيدِ إِلَى الْمَنْهَجِ الرَّشِيدِ وَالْمَسْلَكِ السَّدِيدِ الْمُنْعِمِ عَلَيْهِمْ بَعْدَ شَهَادَةِ التَّوْحِيدِ بِحِرَاسَةِ

The Guide of the elite of His servants to the straight path and the correct way, the One who bestows upon them after the testimony of monotheism by guarding

عَقَائِدِهِمْ عَنْ ظُلُمَاتِ التَّشْكِيكِ وَالتَّرْدِيدِ السَّالِكِ بِهِمْ إِلَى اتِّبَاعِ رَسُولِهِ الْمُصْطَفَى وَاقْتِفَاءِ آثَارِ

their beliefs from the darkness of skepticism and hesitation, the One who conducts them to follow His chosen Messenger and to follow the traces of

صَحْبِهِ الْأَكْرَمِينَ الْمُكَرَّمِينَ بِالتَّأْيِيدِ وَالتَّسْدِيدِ الْمُتَجَلِّي لَهُمْ فِي ذَاتِهِ وَأَفْعَالِهِ بِمَحَاسِنِ أَوْصَافِهِ

his companions, the most noble, who are honored with support and guidance, the One who manifests Himself to them in His Essence and His actions through the beauties of His attributes

الَّتِي لَا يُدْرِكُهَا إِلَّا مَنْ أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ الْمُعَرِّفِ إِيَّاهُمْ أَنَّهُ فِي ذَاتِهِ وَاحِدٌ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ

which only those who listen attentively while being present can grasp, the One who makes it known to them that He is in His Essence One, with no partner,

فَرْدٌ لَا مَثِيلَ لَهُ صَمَدٌ لَا ضِدَّ لَهُ مُنْفَرِدٌ لَا نِدَّ لَهُ وَأَنَّهُ وَاحِدٌ قَدِيمٌ لَا أَوَّلَ لَهُ أَزَلِيٌّ لَا بِدَايَةَ لَهُ

Unique with no equal, Eternal Refuge with no opponent, Singular with no rival, and that He is One, Ancient with no beginning, Eternal with no commencement,

مُسْتَمِرُّ الْوُجُودِ لَا آخِرَ لَهُ أَبَدِيٌّ لَا نِهَايَةَ لَهُ قَيُّومٌ لَا انْقِطَاعَ لَهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلَا يَزَالُ مَوْصُوفًا بِنُعُوتِ الْجَلَالِ

Continuous in existence with no end, Everlasting with no termination, Self-Sustaining with no interruption, He has always been and will always be described with the attributes of majesty,

لَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْهِ بِالِانْقِضَاءِ وَالِانْفِصَالِ بِتَصَرُّمِ الْآبَادِ وَانْقِرَاضِ الْآجَالِ بَلْ هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ

He is not subject to termination or separation through the passage of ages or the expiration of terms; rather, He is the First and the Last,