The Major Turning Points in the Life of Imam Abu Al-Ḥasan Al-Ash’ari (260 AH – 324 AH)

Imam Abu Al-Ḥasan Al-Ash’ari went through significant intellectual and doctrinal phases throughout his life, each shaped by and responsive to the historical context of his time. While his father was a follower of Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jama’ah (Mainstream Sunni Islam) in the Shafi’i school and entrusted his son to prominent Shafi’i scholars, his mother’s marriage to a leading Mu’tazili (Rationalist or Isolationists) scholar led Al-Ash’ari to adopt Mu’tazili theology for the first forty years of his life. After a period of deep internal conflict and reflection, torn between the misguidance of Mu’tazilism and the clarity of Sunnism, he eventually emerged as one of the foremost defenders of Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jama’ah. Embracing a path of moderation and balance, he authored numerous works refuting Mu’tazili doctrines and other opposing theological views.