The Ashaa'ira (Ash'arees) claim to be followers of Abul-Hasan Al-Ash'aree who himself went through three stages in his belief. He was born in the year 270H and died in the year 330H as Ibn Asaakir concluded. His lineage goes back to the Companion Abu Musa al-Ash'aree.
The First Stage The way of the Mu'tazilah, (Ta'teel) denying the Attributes of Allaah due to limited intellect.
Abul-Hasan al-Ash'aree was first upon the way of the Mu'tazilah who used to deny the Attributes of Allaah if it opposed their limited intellect. Imam Al-Hafidh Abu Nasr Al-Sijzi (d.444h) in his treatise to the people of Zabeed called 'Rad man Ankara-l-Harf was-Sawt" narrates from Khalf Al-Mu'allim (d.371H) of the Maliki scholars that he said, "Imam Al-Ash'aree was upon the way of I'tizaal (Mu'tazilah) for a period of forty years. Then he repented.
The Second Stage : The way of Ibn Kullab (Tahreef) distorting the meaning of the Attributes of Allaah.
Then the second stage of Abul Hasan Al-Ash'aree saw him following the path of Ibn Kullaab. This is actually the path of many today who call themselves Ash'arees. If they are true to their claim then they should leave off tahreef which is distorting the meaning of the Attributes of Allaah and follow Abul-Hasan by repenting and return to the way of Ahl-us-Sunnah.
Ibn Taymiyyah said, "Imam Ahmed used to warn against Ibn Kullaab and his followers." ['Dar' Ta'aaradh al-'Aql wan-Naql (2/6)]
Ibn Taymiyyah said, "The Kullaabiyyah are the teachers of the Ashaa'ira for Abul-Hasan Al-Ash'aree followed the example of Abu Muhammad. Ibn Kullaab was closest to the way of the Salaf in terms of the period and in terms of his way. Abu Bakr Ibn Fawrak Sheikh Al-Qushairi gathered the speech of Ibn Kullaab and the Ashaa'ira and showed their agreement in the fundamentals (belief)ý" ['Al-Istiqaama (12/368)]
Ibn Taymiyyah said, "Abul-Hasan came after him (Ibn Kullaab) and he was a student of Abu Ali Al-Jubaai al-Mu'tazili. He then turned away from the statements of the Mu'tazilah and clarified their contradictions in many places and opposed them much in areas of Qadr (pre-destination), Eeman (faith) and wa'd and wa'eed (referring to Allaah's promise of reward or punishing, as either an encouragement or deterrent)ýYet in terms of Allaah's Attributes he followed the path of Ibn Kullaabý" ['Majmu' Fataawa '12/178)]
Imam Al-Dhahabi quoted Al-Imam Abu Bakr ibn Khuzaima in Seyar 'alam an-Nubalaa (14/380) saying, "Ahmed Ibn Hanbal was amongst the sternest of people in warning against Abdullah ibn Sa'eed ibn Kullaab and his companions such as Al-Harith and others."
Ibn Taymiyyah said, "Many of the later followers of (Abul Hasan) Al-Ash'aree left his statements and went towards the statements of the Mu'tazila, the Jahmiyyah and the philosophers." ['al-Asfahaaniyya (p.107-108')].
The Third stage of Abul Hasan Al-Ash'aree, the way of Ahl-us Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah
The third stage of Abul-Hasan Al-Ash'aree showed that he turned away from distorting the meanings of the lofty Attributes of Allaah which was the way of Ibn Kullaab and he followed the way of the scholars of the Pious Predecessors. Abul-Hasan Al-Ash'aree clearly showed this by writing three books: 'Al-Ibaana', 'Risaala ila Ahli Thagr' and 'Maqaalaat Al-Islamiyeen' clearly affirming the Attributes of Allaah in the manner He affirmed for himself without misinterpretation.
Ibn Dirbas who died in the year 622H wrote a book illustrating clearly that Al-Ibaana of Abul-Hasan al-Ash'aree is actually his book and not as the innovators claim that it is not. They do this because it clearly portrays the correct belief of Ahl-us-Sunnah with regards the Attributes of Allaah.
The scholars continue to refute Abul-Hasan Al-Ash'aree's first and second stage of beliefs so that the Muslims do not follow him in his errors. From them is:
1. Al-Imam Abu Muhammad Abdullaah ibn Muhammad Al-Andulusi Al-Qahtaani Al-Maaliki (rahimahullaah) from the 4th century.
2. Al-Imam Abu Nasr al-Sijzi rahimahullaah from the 5th century
"Ahl-us-Sunnah were trialed after these with a people who claim to be followers (of the Prophet ) and their harm is far greater than the harm of the Mu'tazila and those other than them. They are Abu Muhammad Ibn Kullaab, Abul 'Abbas Al-Qalaanisi and Abul-Hasan Al-Ash'aree (before his repentance)." ['Rad man Ankara-l-Harf was-Sawt' (p.222-223)]
3. Al-Imam Muhammad ibn Ahmed ibn Khuwaiz Mindaad al-Misri al-Maaliki rahimahullaah
Ibn Abdul-Bar mentioned in his book Jaami' Bayaan al-Ilm wa Fadhlihi (2/92) that he said in his book 'Kitaab ash-Shahadaat' with regards the explanation of Maalik: It is not allowed to take as a witness the innovators and people of desires so Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Ahmed Ibn Khuwaiz Mindaad Al-Misri Al-Maaliki said :
"the people of desires with Maalik and the rest of our companions are the people of rhetoric so every one who philosophises with speech is from the people of desires and innovation whether he be an Ash'aree or something else, his witness is not to be accepted and he is to be boycotted and taught a lesson due to his innovation and if he continues, he is called to repent from it."
4. Ibn Qudaama rahimahullaah from the 7th century
He said in his book 'Kitaab al-Munaathara fil Qur'an' p.35 that they are innovators: "And we do not know amongst the innovators a group that hides their statements, not bold enough to openly portray them except the zanadiqa (heretics) and Ash'arees."
5. Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullaah from the 7-8th century
He said in 'Dar' Ta'aarud al-'aql wan-naql' (6/183) "the people of rhetoric from the Ash'arees and others."
6. Al-Imaam ibn Qaiyum rahimahullaah from the 8th century
He quoted Al-Waleed ibn Rushd Al-Maaliki Ibn Waleed's statement in his book 'As-Sawaa'iq al-Mursala' (2/417) and affirmed it without opposing him. His statement was, "if you were to ponder over what was opposed to this legislation in this time of corruption in terms of ta'weel (misinterpretation of Allaah's attributes) it would become clear that these examples are correct. So the first to change this great cure were the Khawaarij then the Mu'tazilah after them. Then it was the Ash'arees then the Sufis and then Abu Hamid (Al-Ghazali) came and flooded the village over."
7. Sheikh Sulaiman ibn Samhaan rahimahullaah
Sheikh Sulaiman ibn Samhaan says, "how could those who do not affirm Allaah being above the heavens and over His 'Arsh be from Ahl-us-Sunnah? They say 'the letters of the Qur'an are created' and that 'Allaah does not speak with letters or sound' and they 'do not affirm that the believers will see their Lord in paradise with their own eyes.' They affirm the seeing but they explain it to be increase in knowledge that Allaah creates in the heart of the seer. They say that 'belief is just to affirm with the heart' and they make other statements that are known to oppose what Ahl-us-Sunnah wal Jama'aah are upon" [Lawaami' al-Anwaar al-Bahiya (1/73)]
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