The Creed of Imam Malik – Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani [French]

The Creed of Imam Malik is dedicated to explaining a foundational doctrinal text within the Maliki tradition: the introduction to the Risālah authored by the imam Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Zayd al-Qayrawānī (d. 386 AH). Placed at the beginning of one of the most widely taught manuals in classical Maliki education, this statement of belief lays the doctrinal groundwork upon which the study of fiqh and acts of worship is built.

Within the Maliki corpus, this doctrinal introduction holds a central pedagogical role. Ibn Abī Zayd al-Qayrawānī, regarded as one of the leading Maliki jurists of the Islamic West, composed it as a clear and normative synthesis of Sunni belief as transmitted in the school of Imam Mālik. Rather than engaging in speculative theology or polemics, the text sets out—precisely and methodically—what a Muslim must believe inwardly and affirm outwardly before moving on to detailed legal rulings.

Due to its concision and the precision of its wording, this introductory ʿaqīdah was widely memorized, taught, and commented upon independently of the Risālah itself. It has long served as a doctrinal gateway to Maliki fiqh, reminding students that the science of deeds rests upon soundly established belief. Moreover, its grounding in scriptural sources and its restraint from speculative elaboration led scholars to treat it as a representative reference for the creed transmitted within the classical Maliki school.

In this perspective, The Creed of Imam Malik stands in continuity with early Sunni doctrinal writings attributed to the first generations of imams. Readers who wish to broaden this approach may also benefit from related works such as The Creed of the Early Imams – Texts & Biographies , which highlight the transmission of creed across the earliest centuries.

This book offers a detailed explanation of that text by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Muḥsin ibn Ḥamad al-ʿAbbād al-Badr, whose approach is built on a rigorous teaching methodology. Before moving into the line-by-line commentary, he presents a series of introductory lessons that set the framework for creed: defining the path of Ahl al-Sunnah, outlining principles for receiving the texts, clarifying the link between belief and practice, and explaining the place of doctrinal foundations within the religious sciences.

The commentary then proceeds phrase by phrase, unpacking Ibn Abī Zayd al-Qayrawānī’s formulations and clarifying their doctrinal implications. It shows how a brief text can contain a complete and coherent theological structure, organized around affirming Allah’s oneness, recognizing His names and attributes as transmitted, establishing the foundations of faith, and laying out general principles governing the acceptance of deeds.

Thus, The Creed of Imam Malik is both a work of transmission and explanation, aiming to restore the authentic meaning of an early doctrinal text while making it accessible to today’s reader. It highlights the essential place of ʿaqīdah in Maliki religious formation and clearly recalls that sound understanding of worship and practice rests upon firmly established and correctly understood belief.