[Q 705] Understanding Ash’ari, Maturidi, and Barelvi Identity

Question

I was recently watching a debate of shaykh asrar rashid and during his debate he said he doesn’t identify as barelvi and furthermore stated he was ashari and said anyone who says he is barelvi in terms of aqidah is commiting innovation. So my question is what is meant by ashari and maturidiyah and why do we put barelvi at the end of our names as told by hazrat sab

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

Just as there are four famous Imams of Ahlus Sunnah in fiqh (Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi’i, and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on them all), similarly, in `aqaaid, there are also two Imams of Ahlus Sunnah: Imam Abu Mansoor Maturidi and Imam Abul Hasan Ash’ari, may Allah have mercy on them both.

While taqlid in the usool al-`aqaaid (principles of belief) is not permissible for anyone, taqlid is possible in some furoo’ al-`aqaaid (subsidiary matters of belief). On this basis, those who followed Imam Abu Mansoor Maturidi, may Allah have mercy on him, are called Maturidis, and those who followed Imam Shaykh Abul Hasan Ash’ari, may Allah have mercy on him, are called Ash’aris. Both of these groups belong to Ahlus Sunnah, and both are upon the truth. Their differences are only in some subsidiary matters. Their differences are like those between Hanafis and Shafi’is, in that both are people of truth, and no one declares the other misguided or fasiq.

Regarding adding “Barelvi” to one’s name, the detail is that Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi, may Allah have mercy on him, clarified the beliefs of Ahlus Sunnah in an excellent manner. Now, a true Sunni is one who acts upon the teachings of A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan, may Allah have mercy on him, because A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan, may Allah have mercy on him, expounded the same beliefs that have been prevalent for fourteen hundred years. This is why we use “Barelvi” at the end of our names. “Barelvi” is not a separate sect but rather the true Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah. Therefore, calling oneself “Barelvi” is not a bid’ah or sin from a Shari’ah perspective, because it is not a devotional term but rather a historical and identificatory affiliation used to identify the followers of the school of thought from Bareilly (Imam Ahmad Raza Khan).

It is stated in Bahar-e-Shariat:
“Taqlid in the usool al-`aqaaid (principles of belief) is not permissible; rather, every matter must be held with absolute certainty, regardless of how that certainty is obtained. There is no specific need for demonstrative knowledge to achieve it. However, taqlid is possible in some furoo’ al-`aqaaid (subsidiary matters of belief). On this basis, there are two groups within Ahlus Sunnah themselves: the “Maturidiyyah,” who are the followers of Imam `Alam al-Huda Hadrat Abu Mansoor Maturidi, may Allah be pleased with him, and the “Asha’irah,” who are the followers of Hadrat Imam Shaykh Abul Hasan Ash’ari, may Allah have mercy on him. Both of these groups belong to Ahlus Sunnah, and both are upon the truth. Their differences are only in some subsidiary matters. Their differences are like those between Hanafis and Shafi’is, in that both are people of truth, and no one can declare the other misguided or fasiq.”

(Bahar-e-Shariat, vol. 1, part 1, p. 182)

Answered by: Tabaruk Madani (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 16th August 2026