Ash'arism

Ash'ari theology (Arabic: ٱلْأَشْعَرِيّةُ, romanized: al-Ashʿarīyya) is a school of theology in Sunni Islam named after Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, a Sunni jurist, reformer (mujaddid), and scholastic theologian, in the 9th–10th century. It established an orthodox guideline, based on scriptural authority, rationality, and theological rationalism. The disciples of the Ash'ari school are known as Ash'arites, and the school is also referred to as the Ash'arite school. Ash'ari theology is considered one of the orthodox creeds of Sunni Islam, alongside the Athari and Maturidi. Al-Ash'ari established a middle way between the doctrines of the Athari and Mu'tazila schools of Islamic theology, based both on reliance on the sacred scriptures of Islam and theological rationalism concerning the agency and attributes of God. Ash'arism eventually became the predominant school of theological thought within Sunni Islam, and is regarded as the single most important school of Islamic theology in the history of Islam. Amongst the most famous Ashʿarite theologians are al-Nawawi, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Ibn al-Jawzi, al-Ghazali, al-Suyuti, Izz al-Din ibn 'Abd al-Salam, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Ibn 'Asakir, al-Subki, al-Taftazani, al-Baqillani, and al-Bayhaqi. Scholars and scientists who were affiliated with the Ash'ari school included al-Biruni, Ibn al-Haytham, Ibn al-Nafis, Ibn Battuta, and Ibn Khaldun. An Islamic philosopher who was particularly attacked by the Ashʿari school is Avicenna, on various accounts, notably his philosophical theology, his logic and his physics.