No concise work of the Atharī ‘aqīdah has gathered more prominence throughout the ages than Lum‘ah al-I‘tiqād al-Hādī ilā Sabīl al-Rashād. Written in the 7th century by one of the most notable scholars of the Ḥanbalī madhhab, Shaykh al-Islām Muwaffaq al-Dīn Ibn Qudāmah al-Maqdisī. This short but comprehensive work covers a range of creedal topics from the Attributes of Allāh, His Kalām and Qadar, to the concepts of innovation, belief in the Day of Judgment and matters related to the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and his Companions.

The simple and easy to understand nature of the book, free of technical and complex terminology, has made it ideal for those beginning their journey into the study of the Atharī-Ḥanbalī ‘aqīdah. Due to its brevity and simplicity, the text has not been in any great need of lengthy explanation. However, in recent times, it has undergone commentary from certain Muslim groups who have in their explanations diverted the understanding of the text from the intent of its author.

Ḥāshiyah al-Muwaffaq ‘alā Lum‘ah al-Muwaffaq attempts to correct this divergence and seeks to explain the text according to the intent of Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Qudāmah, restoring it back in line with the methodology of the true Ahl al-Ḥadīth. The commentator, Shaykh Yūsuf bin Ṣādiq al-Ḥanbalī, is one of few traditional Ḥanbalī shaykhs who has studied under both senior scholars from within Jāmi’ah al-Azhar al-Sharīf and outside of it. By presenting this commentary, we hope the reader becomes well acquainted with the true Atharī-Ḥanbalī ‘aqīdah and is then able to engage with the more intermediate works of this madhhab.