ASH'ARIYYA, a theological school, the followers of Abu 'l-Hasan
al-Ash'ari [q.v.], sometimes also called Asha'ira. (The history
of the school has been little studied, and some of the
statements in this article must be regarded as provisional).
During the last two decades of his life al-Ash'ari attracted a
number of disciples, and thus a school was founded. The
doctrinal position of the new school was open to attack from
several quarters. Apart from members of the Mu'tazila, certain
groups of orthodox theologians attacked them. To the Hanbalis
[q.v.] their use of rational arguments was an objectionable
innovation. On the other hand, to the Maturidiyya [q.v.], who
also were defending orthodoxy by rational methods, some of their
positions seemed too conservative (cf. the criticisms made by an
early member of that school in Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar ascribed
to al-Maturidi). Despite such opposition the Ash'ariyya
apparently became the dominant school in the Arabic-speaking
parts of the 'Abbasid caliphate (and perhap