Uzbekistan: a land multifarious geniuses. ABU-L-MUIN AN-NASAFI (1027-1114)

Abu-l-Muin an-Nasafi was one of the greatest representatives of the Maturidiya School of kalam founded by a great genius, master of the science of kalam in the Islamic world Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (870-944). He made a substantial contribution to the development and spread of the Hanafian order in Maveraunnahr. He was known not only as a great master of the science of kalam but also as a famous lawyer and stylist of his time. Appreciating his scientific potential, Najmiddin Umar an-Nasafi, another scholar from Nasaf, wrote in the book “Al-qand fi zikri ulamai Samarqand” (Sweet Ideas about the Scholars of Samarkand) about Abu-l-Muin an-Nasafi the following lines: “Scientists and scholars of the East and the West absorbed knowledge from the sea of his science and appreciated his scientific career”.

As has been mentioned in the previous articles, the science of kalam is a branch of Islamic sciences that discusses the religious teachings from the point of mind and utterance relying on the real evidences and proofs avoiding any citations. Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa an-Nu’man as-Sabit al-Kufi (699-767) and his disciples played a considerable role in the formation and development of this science. The religious schools founded by them in Maveraunnahr were related to the name of Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi and called as “Ahli as-Sunnah va-l-jamaat” or “Al-madarasat al-Maturidiya” (Maturidiya School). At the same time another type of religious schools called “al-madrasat al-ash’ariya” (Al-ash’ariya School) founded by Imam Abu-l-Hasan al-Ash’ari (873-935) began to spread throughout Iraq. The difference between these schools was of subjective character, i.e. in the approach to the form and meaning of the utterance.

It is noteworthy to mention in this matter that the scholars of Islamic sciences often related the science of kalam from different points of view, i.e. they defined the essence of the science of kalam from different approaches. Despite this slight difference, they had the same opinion in the definition of the main and basic notions of the Islamic teachings. However, approaching the philosophic essence of the religious matters from the point of form and meaning, the representa­tives of this science formed two opponent parties. The representatives of the first party promoted the idea that the main attention should be paid to the meaning of the matter in solving controversial matters and the solution of the problem should be carried out from the point of view of mind, i.e. by commenting the essence of the matter. The origin of this first trend dates back to the lst-2nd/7th-8th centuries. Imam Abu Hanifa was among the scholars who worked effectively in this period. In his book “Al-fiqh al-Akbar”, alongside with his legal ideas, he promoted precious ideas about religious teachings dealing with the science of kalam. The ideas promoted by the second party were based on the attempt to solve the problems relying on the principles of mind. This trend appeared on the scene of Islam during the later periods. A noticeable influence on the formation and development of the second trend was the translation of religious books written in other languages into the Arabic language. They brought to the scene different philosophical ideas and approaches about religious matters most of which were controversial ones. The first trend of the Islamic philosophy was represented by such scholars as Sa’daddin at-Taftazani, Tashkuprizada, Sheikh Imam Muhammad Abda, whereas the second trend was supported by such famous philosophers as Abu Nasr al-Farabi, Imam al-Ghazzali and Ibn Khaldun.

If we take into consideration the history of development of the science of kalam, this science was called in different terms. Foi instance,”al-fiqhal-akbar” (great law),”usul-ad-din” (basicprinciples of religion), “ilm at-Tawhid va-s-sifat” (the science about the unity of Allah and his peculiarities). Even Mu’tazilis called this science as “bahs fi-l-adl va-t-Tawhid” (A debate about justice and the unity of Allah). As has been mentioned above, the earliest term for this trend was “ilm al-kalam” because this term can be seen in the works of Abu Hanifa. It should also be noted that Abu Hanifa had been firmly engaged in the science of kalam before his career in the field of law. The fact that in the course of its development the science of kalam was used by different terms shows that this science covered several stages of development. The course of deve­lopment of the science of kalam is usually divided by the specialists into three stages:

• The first stage covers the time from Prophet (saas) up to the end of the first century according to the Islamic calendar;
• The second stage covers the time of the 2nd-3rd centuries according to the Islamic calendar;
• The third stage covers the time from the 3rd to the end of the 5th centuries according to the Islamic calendar.

The Hanafian order of Islam is one of the four orders of Sunnah branch of Islam. Its founder was Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa an-Nu’man ibn as-Sabit al-Kufi. Like the other three founders of the orders of the Sunni branch in Islam — Imam Ash-Shafi’i (767-820) (the founder of the Shafi’i order), Imam Malik ibn Anas (712-795) (the founder of the Maliki order) and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780-855) (the founder of the Hanbali order), Imam Abu Hanifa made a great effort in the struggle against the enemies of the religion to keep it pure from the influence of rivals of Islam.

It is of great importance to study the scientific heritage of Abu-l-Muin an-Nasafi who represents our country in the science of kalam. He was one of the acknowledged scholars at the end of the 3rd century and the beginning of the 4th century who took an active part and made a considerable contribution to the spread and estab­lishment of the order called “ahli Sunnah va-l-jamaat” in Maveraun­nahr. Imam an-Nasafi was one of the famous geniuses of his time and an acknowledged expert not only in the science of kalam but also in law and style. His scientific works were highly appreciated by his contemporary colleagues. One of his colleagues Hajji Khalifa wrote in his famous book “Kashf az-zunun” the following lines about his book “Tabsirat al-Adilla”: “The text of Najmiddin Umar Nasafi’s book “Al-Aqaid” seems to have originated from “Tabsirat al-Adilla”.