Aqidatul-Awaam Student's Guide - Ramzy Ajem

Aqidatul-Awaam is a poem on the tenets of Islamic belief (Iman) for beginners. The accuracy of the Arabic text, its grammar and vowel markings has been painstakingly checked and verified by Shaykh Dr.Moaaz Safwat Salem through the use of various copies and commentaries. The poem consists of fifty-seven lines in Bahr al-Rajaz (a common metre in classical Arabic poetry). The text is written to facilitate easy memorization and comprehension for the novice. Sections outlining what is necessary, impossible and possible of God and His Messengers are articulated in the way of the Ash`ari theologians but without recourse to rational evidences. The text then continues to elaborate on the six pillars of Iman guiding the reader through a beginner's level of detail, and then concludes with a brief prophetic biography.

It has been reported by the author that the Prophet ﷺ instructed him in a dream to recite the poem from the beginning until this line: "وَصُحُفُ ٱلْخَــلِيلِ وَٱلْكَــلِيمِ فِيــهَا كَـــلَامُ ٱلْحَكَمِ ٱلْعَـــلِيمِ". He then awoke from the dream having memorized it. On another occasion while asleep, he saw the Prophet ﷺ again which prompted the Shaykh to recite the poem back to him ﷺ before his companions. After reciting every line they said, "ameen!" Later, when people started to learn the poem from the Shaykh and inquired about its meanings, he found it necessary to add more to the poem. Hence, the Shaykh added line 27 "وَكُــلُّ مَــــا بِـــهِ أَتَى ٱلرَّسُـــولُ فَــحَــقُّــهُ ٱلــتَّــسْــلِيــمُ وَٱلْــقَُــبُــولُ" onwards until the end of the poem making it fifty-seven lines.
​
I have divided the poem into sections, added subject headings to each, and followed it with questions and answers to help my students at Dar al-Burhan comprehend what they memorize of the poem. I have refrained from translating the poem into English in order help students rely on the original Arabic for a general comprehension. The forty-five questions and answers serve as a commentary for students and a teaching tool for teachers. I ask Allah Most High to grant benefit to those who memorize the poem and study the addendum that this needy servant, Ramzy Ajem (may Allah forgive him), has authored.

Posted by: Ramzy Ajem

Aqidatul-Awaam Text