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Q&A · Sects & Comparative Belief

Who were the Muʿtazila and why did Ahl al-Sunnah oppose them?

The Muʿtazila were an early rationalist school that made human intellect the judge over revelation, and so they claimed the Qur'an was created, denied that Allah's attributes are real, and denied that the believers will see their Lord in the Hereafter. Ahl al-Sunnah opposed them because these claims contradict clear texts: Allah says of the believers on the Day of Resurrection, "Faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking at their Lord" (Quran 75:22-23), and the Prophet ﷺ said, "You will see your Lord as you see this moon, having no trouble in seeing Him." We do not, however, make blanket takfir of every individual, but reject the erroneous beliefs themselves.

Evidence — the daleel
Quran 75:22-23Sahih Muslim 633 Ṣaḥīḥ
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