The Creed Made Easy | Al-ʿAqīdah al-Muyassarah – A Bilingual Introduction to Islamic Theology – Shaykh Mahmoud Abu l-Huda al-Husainy

العقيدة الميسرة – al-ʿAqīdah al-Muyassarah) is a concise and accessible introduction to the foundations of Islamic belief, written by the Syrian scholar Shaykh Mahmoud Abu l-Huda al-Husainy.

Presented in Arabic and English side by side, this bilingual treatise introduces the essential principles of Islamic theology in a clear, systematic and approachable manner.

The author guides readers through the fundamental beliefs that every Muslim should understand, combining traditional theological terminology with rational explanations intended to strengthen conviction and clarify doubts.

Whether studied independently or as part of a structured course, this book provides a valuable foundation for further studies in ʿaqīdah and ʿilm al-tawḥīd.

A clear introduction to classical Sunni theology

Islamic theology addresses some of the most fundamental questions of religious belief: What must a Muslim believe? How do we understand the existence and attributes of Allah? What is the relationship between knowledge, reason and faith?

Shaykh Mahmoud al-Husainy approaches these questions through the established framework of classical Sunni theology.

The book begins with introductory concepts that help readers understand how Islamic scholars organise religious knowledge and distinguish between different types of judgments.

Among the subjects discussed are:

* The meaning of religion
* Individual obligations (farḍ ʿayn) and communal obligations (farḍ kifāyah)
* Legal judgments (aḥkām sharʿiyyah)
* Rational judgments (aḥkām ʿaqliyyah)
* Necessity and impossibility in rational reasoning
* Knowledge and faith
* The legally responsible person (mukallaf)
* The question of taqlīd in matters of belief

These discussions provide the conceptual foundation needed to understand the more detailed theological subjects that follow.

Understanding the existence and attributes of Allah

A central part of The Creed Made Easy concerns the beliefs relating to Allah and His Divine Attributes.

The author introduces important theological concepts, including:

* The existence of Allah (wujūd)
* Pre-eternity (qidam)
* Everlastingness (baqāʾ)
* Allah’s absolute dissimilarity to created things
* Divine self-sufficiency
* Divine Oneness (waḥdāniyyah)
* The meaning of associating partners with Allah (shirk)
* Disbelief (kufr)
* The relationship between customary causes and Divine power
* The meaning of Lā ilāha illā Allāh

Rather than simply listing theological doctrines, the author presents concepts that help readers understand the reasoning underlying classical Islamic creed.

This makes the book especially useful for students who wish to move beyond memorising definitions towards developing a structured understanding of their faith.

Arabic and English side by side

One of the book’s most valuable features is its bilingual presentation.

The Arabic text appears alongside its English translation, allowing readers to engage directly with the original terminology while benefiting from a clear English explanation.

This format is particularly useful for:

* English-speaking students of Islamic theology
* Beginners learning Arabic theological terminology
* Teachers introducing classical ʿaqīdah
* Students preparing to study traditional Arabic texts
* Readers seeking a concise reference to fundamental beliefs

The side-by-side format also makes the work suitable for reading circles and introductory classes.

About the author

Shaykh Mahmoud Abu l-Huda al-Husainy was born in Manbij, in the Aleppo province of Syria, in 1960.

A scholar of the Shafiʿi school, he studied the Islamic sciences with his father, Shaykh Kamil Badr al-Husainy, as well as prominent Syrian scholars including Shaykh Muhammad Darwish al-Khatib and Shaykh ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Shaghuri.

He served for more than twenty-five years as an imam and khatib at the ʿAdiliyya and Umayyad mosques of Aleppo and taught at the al-Fath al-Islami Institute in Damascus.

In addition to his Islamic scholarship, Shaykh Mahmoud is a physician and has written works on medicine, literature, poetry and religious sciences.

His writings include al-ʿAqīdah al-Muyassarah, Irshād al-Mukallafīn ilā al-ʿAqāʾid al-Khamsīn and Bawāriq al-Īmān.

Who is this book for?

The Creed Made Easy is particularly suitable for:

* Beginners studying Islamic creed
* Students of traditional Sunni ʿaqīdah
* English-speaking Muslims seeking a structured introduction to theology
* Students learning Arabic theological vocabulary
* Teachers and Islamic study circles
* Readers preparing for more advanced studies in ʿilm al-tawḥīd

Level: Beginner to early intermediate.

Its concise structure, accessible language and bilingual presentation make it an excellent starting point for students who wish to develop a sound foundation in Islamic theology.

Book details
Title The Creed Made Easy
Subtitle A Bilingual Introduction to Islamic Theology
Arabic title العقيدة الميسرة
Author Shaykh Mahmoud Abu l-Huda al-Husainy
Translator Ali Peter Keeler
Subject ʿAqidah / Islamic Theology / ʿIlm al-Tawhid
Language Arabic and English
Publishers Sunni Publications / Warda Publikationen
Publication places Rotterdam / Hellenthal
Edition First Edition
Year 2020
Pages 120
Binding Paperback
Weight 160 g
ISBN 978-90-79294-33-6
ISBN-13.    9789079294336

Summary

The Creed Made Easy by Shaykh Mahmoud Abu l-Huda al-Husainy is a concise bilingual introduction to classical Islamic theology. With Arabic and English presented side by side, it explains the foundations of Sunni creed, rational judgments, faith, Divine Oneness and the attributes of Allah. An accessible starting point for students of ʿaqīdah and ʿilm al-tawḥīd.

Nederlands

The Creed Made Easy – De geloofsleer eenvoudig uitgelegd

The Creed Made Easy (al-ʿAqīdah al-Muyassarah) is een toegankelijke, tweetalige introductie tot de klassieke islamitische geloofsleer van de Syrische geleerde Shaykh Maḥmūd Abū al-Hudā al-Ḥusaynī.

Het boek behandelt op overzichtelijke wijze de belangrijkste beginselen van ʿaqīdah, waaronder de verhouding tussen geloof en kennis, rationele oordelen, de religieuze verantwoordelijkheid van de moslim en de Goddelijke Eigenschappen.

Onderwerpen zijn onder andere het bestaan van Allah, Zijn eeuwigheid, Zijn absolute onafhankelijkheid, Zijn eenheid en Zijn onderscheid van de schepping.

Een bijzonder voordeel is dat de Arabische en Engelse tekst naast elkaar staan. Hierdoor is het boek zeer geschikt voor studenten die de basis van de geloofsleer willen bestuderen en tegelijkertijd vertrouwd willen raken met Arabische theologische begrippen.

Een uitstekende eerste kennismaking met traditionele soennitische ʿaqīdah en ʿilm al-tawḥīd.

العربية

العقيدة الميسرة – The Creed Made Easy

كتاب العقيدة الميسرة للشيخ محمود أبي الهدى الحسيني، وهو متن مختصر وميسر في أصول العقيدة الإسلامية، مترجم إلى اللغة الإنجليزية بقلم علي بيتر كيلر.

يتناول الكتاب الأحكام الشرعية والعقلية، والعلم والإيمان، وحكم التقليد في العقيدة، وما يجب اعتقاده في حق الله تعالى من الوجود والقدم والبقاء ومخالفة الحوادث والقيام بالنفس والوحدانية.

كما يتناول مسائل الشرك والكفر والأسباب العادية ومعنى كلمة التوحيد.

تتميز هذه الطبعة بعرض النص العربي والترجمة الإنجليزية جنبًا إلى جنب، مما يجعلها مناسبة للمبتدئين وطلاب العقيدة الراغبين في تعلم المصطلحات العقدية باللغة العربية والإنجليزية.

كتاب نافع للدراسة الفردية والحلقات التعليمية التمهيدية.