The Maturidi & the Ash’ari (r.a.) on Our Acts

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Imam Abu Manswur Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Maturidi (r.a.) said that the action of the servant is called an acquisition, and not creation; and that the Action of the Real is called Creation, and not acquisition – and both are inclusive of action.  Imam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Isma’il al-Ash’ari (r.a.) said that “action” denotes a Real Bringing into existence, and the acquisition of the servant is called “action” only figuratively.  It has been said, “That which is permissible for the All-Powerful to be singularly, is called Creation, and that which is impermissible for the All-Powerful to be described with is acquisition.  The gist of this disagreement is that Imam al-Ash’ari held that the word ‘action’ is literal when applied to Allah since He is the Doer, and is figurative when applied to the servant.  Imam al-Maturidi, on the other hand, held that the word ‘action’ is also literal when applied to the servants.”  This is from Imam Nur ad-Din Ahmad ibn Mahmud asw-Swabuni’s (r.a.) al-Bidayah min al-Kifayah fi al-Hidayah fi Uswul ad-Din.