Al-Khalq wa-al-Ba'th الخلق والبعث

Al-Khalq wa-al-Ba'th (كتاب الخلق والبعث, "The Creation and the Resurrection") is a significant theological treatise by the eminent Ash'ari theologian, philosopher, and Quranic exegete Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (544-606 AH / 1149-1210 CE), one of the most influential figures in classical Islamic theology.

About the Book

In this concise yet profound work, Imam al-Razi examines two of the most fundamental doctrines of Islamic belief:

• Al-Khalq (Creation): Establishing the origination of the universe (huduth al-'alam), affirming Allah's absolute creative power and sovereignty, and refuting philosophical claims regarding the eternity of the universe.

• Al-Ba'th (Resurrection): Presenting both rational and scriptural proofs for bodily resurrection, the Day of Judgment, the Gathering (al-hashr), and divine justice in the Hereafter.

Following the method that characterizes many of his major theological works, Imam al-Razi combines evidence from the Quran and Sunnah with rigorous rational argumentation, demonstrating the harmony of revelation and reason while responding to the objections of philosophers and skeptics.

Critical Edition

This volume is presented in its first critical edition, carefully edited from three authenticated manuscript copies. It makes this rare treatise available for the first time in a reliable scholarly edition, providing researchers and students with an authoritative text.

Significance

Questions concerning creation and bodily resurrection occupied a central place in the debates between the classical Muslim theologians (mutakallimun) and the philosophers (falasifah). In this work, Imam al-Razi offers one of the clearest classical defenses of these foundational Islamic beliefs, illustrating the intellectual depth and systematic methodology that made him one of the foremost architects of Ash'ari theology.

Published by Maktabat al-Ghanim, this edition is a valuable addition to the corpus of Imam al-Razi's writings and an important resource for students of Islamic creed ('aqidah), kalam, philosophy, and the history of Islamic thought.