Al-Farq bayn al-Firaq is a book by the

Shafi'i The Shafii ( ar, شَافِعِي, translit=Shāfiʿī, also spelled Shafei) school, also known as Madhhab al-Shāfiʿī, is one of the four major traditional schools of religious law (madhhab) in the Sunnī branch of Islam. It was founded by ...

scholar Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi (d. 1037 CE) outlining the doctrinal positions of various sects and schisms in Islam. Written as an explanation of the

hadith Ḥadīth ( or ; ar, حديث, , , , , , , literally "talk" or "discourse") or Athar ( ar, أثر, , literally "remnant"/"effect") refers to what the majority of Muslims believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approval ...

regarding the division of the Muslim

ummah ' (; ar, أمة ) is an Arabic word meaning "community". It is distinguished from ' ( ), which means a nation with common ancestry or geography. Thus, it can be said to be a supra-national community with a common history. It is a synonym for ' ...

into 73 sects, the book explains the hadith, lays out the various beliefs of 72 "misguided" sects and ends by explaining the beliefs of Orthodox

Sunni Islam Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagre ...

, according to the author, in 15 points. The book also outlines the doctrinal positions of sects which are not deemed to be included under the hadith.

The Hadith

Abu Mansur lists 3 narrations of the hadith. Regarding the first he writes, after listing his chain of narrators to

Abu Hurairah Abu Hurayra ( ar, أبو هريرة, translit=Abū Hurayra; –681) was one of the companions of Islamic prophet Muhammad and, according to Sunni Islam, the most prolific narrator of hadith. He was known by the ''kunyah'' Abu Hurayrah "Fathe ...

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...

said:

The Jews are divided into 71 sects, and the Christians are divided into 72 sects and my people will be divided into 73 sects.

The 72 Sects

This part of the book is split into 8 sections and is divided as follows: #An Explanation of the opinions of the

Rafidah ''Rafida'' ( ar, رافضة, Rāfiḍah, Rejectors) is a term that broadly refers to Shīʿi Muslims who reject (rafḍ) the caliphates of the first two Rashidun, namely Abū Bakr and ʿUmar. Many Sunni scholars, however, have stated that the ...

#An Explanation of the opinions of the

Khawarij The Kharijites (, singular ), also called al-Shurat (), were an Islamic sect which emerged during the First Fitna (656–661). The first Kharijites were supporters of Ali who rebelled against his acceptance of arbitration talks to settle the ...

#An Explanation of the opinions of the

Mu'tazila Muʿtazila ( ar, المعتزلة ', English: "Those Who Withdraw, or Stand Apart", and who called themselves ''Ahl al-ʿAdl wa al-Tawḥīd'', English: "Party of ivineJustice and Oneness f God); was an Islamic group that appeared in early Islamic ...

and Kadiryah #An Explanation of the opinions of the Dirariyah, Bakiryah and Jahmiyah #An Explanation of the opinions of the Karimiyah #An Explanation of the opinions of the

Anthropomorphists Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...

found among the numerous sects which we have mentioned #An Explanation of the opinions of the

Murji'ah Murji'ah ( ar, المرجئة, English: "Those Who Postpone"), also known as Murji'as or Murji'ites, were an early Islamic sect. Murji'ah held the opinion that God alone has the right to judge whether or not a Muslim has become an apostate. Conseq ...

#An Explanation of the opinions of the Najjariyah A number of sects are outlined under each section.

The Orthodox Sect

The book ends by explaining the beliefs of Orthodox

in 15 points. These points span several subjects.

The Universe

Abu Mansur writes that the Orthodox sect confirms, "realities and knowledge, particularly and generally." He also write that it confirms the knowledge regarding the creation of the Universe, its atoms and accidents, i.e. God is the creator of both.

God's Attributes

Abu Mansur outlines the various beliefs of the Orthodox sect regarding God.

Messengers and Prophets

Abu Mansur outlines the position of the Orthodox sect regarding the veracity of Prophethood and its attributes. He also outlines the distinction between Prophets and Messengers.

Consensus of Muslims

Abu Mansur outlines various points he believed the Muslim

agreed upon.

The Hereafter

Abu Mansur outlines various events the Orthodox sect confirmed will happen in the future, such as the everlastingness of Paradise and Hell.

The Caliphate

Abu Mansur outlines the position of the Orthodox sect regarding the

First Fitna The First Fitna ( ar, فتنة مقتل عثمان, fitnat maqtal ʻUthmān, strife/sedition of the killing of Uthman) was the first civil war in the Islamic community. It led to the overthrow of the Rashidun Caliphate and the establishment of ...

. He writes,

They confirm the aliphateof
Abu Bakr Abu Bakr Abdallah ibn Uthman Abi Quhafa (; – 23 August 634) was the senior companion and was, through his daughter Aisha, a father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as the first caliph of Islam. He is known with the honor ...
the Righteous after the Prophet ... They affirm the loyalty of
Uthman Uthman ibn Affan ( ar, عثمان بن عفان, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān; – 17 June 656), also spelled by Colloquial Arabic, Turkish and Persian rendering Osman, was a second cousin, son-in-law and notable companion of the Islamic proph ...
and they steer clear of anyone who calls him an infidel. They recognize the Caliphate of Ali in its time. They judge 'Ali right in his wars ... and they assert that
Talha Ṭalḥa ibn ʿUbayd Allāh al-Taymī ( ar, طَلْحَة بن عُبَيْد اللّه التَّيمي, ) was a Companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Sunni Islam, he is mostly known for being among ('the ten to whom Paradise was ...
and al-Zubair repented and withdrew from warfare against 'Ali ... Regarding al Siffin they rule that the right was on the side of 'Ali, while
Mu'awiya Mu'awiya I ( ar, معاوية بن أبي سفيان, Muʿāwiya ibn Abī Sufyān; –April 680) was the founder and first caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, ruling from 661 until his death. He became caliph less than thirty years after the deat ...
and his supporters wronged him by means of an interpretation as a result of which they became sinners but not heretics.

References

{{Islamic theology Kalam Sunni literature Ash'ari literature Islamic theology books