Imam Abu Hanifa’s Al-Fiqh al-Akbar Explained

Imām Abū Ḥanīfah’s Al-Fiqh al-Akbar Explained
By Abū ’l-Muntahā al-Maghnīsawī, with Selections from MullaʿAlī al-Qārī’s Commentary, including Abū Ḥanīfah’s Kitāb al-Wasiyyah*

Al-Fiqh al-Akbar is one of the earliest surviving works on Islamic creed (ʿaqīdah) and one of the foundational texts of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, the eminent jurist and theologian. Studied for centuries across the Muslim world, this text offers a nuanced and layered understanding of Tawḥīd (divine oneness), the central tenet of Islamic belief. It sharpens comprehension of the Creator, the Prophets, and divine revelation, while providing insight into the realities of this life and the hereafter.

Beyond deepening one’s understanding of ʿaqīdah and nurturing spiritual conviction, Al-Fiqh al-Akbar addresses fundamental questions that, if left unresolved, could foster doubt or division within the community. Such questions include: Where is Allāh? Does Allāh undergo change? What constitutes true Islamic belief? Are Prophets capable of sinning? Does creation extend beyond what we perceive? What follows after death?

This English translation represents an unprecedented contribution to the study of Islamic creed. Rendered clearly and accessibly, it avoids overly literal or rigid translation, drawing on multiple commentaries to make a subject previously inaccessible to many English readers both intelligible and engaging. By combining Abū ’l-Muntahā al-Maghnīsawī’s commentary with extensive notes selected from ʿAlī al-Qārī’s super-commentary, and incorporating Abū Ḥanīfah’s complete Kitāb al-Wasiyyah, this edition serves as an essential guide for anyone undertaking an intellectual and rewarding journey through Islamic theology.