BENEFIT 224: 'Aqeedah of Imam Ash-Shawkani

Question: Some claim Ash-Shawkani rahimahullah was inconsistent in many aspects of creed. Is this true? Sheikh Yahya ḥafidhahullāh: Yes, it is true, and his tafseer attests to this. However, in his later years, he read the works of Sheikhul Islam and An-Najdi, Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab, among others, and this influence is evident in his writings. His book "At-Tuhaf" on the doctrines of the Salaf is a testament to his integrity in his later years, compared to much of his earlier work. "At-Tuhaf" is a good book; we have read it multiple times, and one could read it in one night as it is a small, beautiful treatise. Some even teach it in the context of the Salaf's doctrines. In this book, he affirmed the doctrines of the Salaf and the methodology of Ahlus Sunnah. Although, previously he was preoccupied with ilm Al-Kalam while authoring "Irshad Al-Fuhul," and even afterwards, which affected him. Ash-Shawkani was very intelligent, his intelligence is well-known, but despite this, he was not free from error. However, in his later years, his books improved significantly, especially towards the end of his life. @almanhajussalafi