Rāghib Isfahāni as a Salafi Theologian

Different views, sometimes contradictory ones, have been presents about the theological religion and beliefs of the well-known scholar Abulqāsim Hussein bin Muhammad bin Mufazzil, known as Rāqib Isfahāni, who is widely known due to the writing of Mufradāt Alfāz al-Qur›an. Some considered his as Mu›tazilite while others believed him to be Ash›ari, some scholars have spoken of him as Shia, and some sources introduced him as Salafi and emphasized on his tendency toward Ahl al-Hadith. Based on Rāqib Isfahāni›s only book on religious beliefs al-I›tiqādāt and studying the evidences found here, this article has proved that Rāqib Isfahāni followed the ideas and beliefs of a Salafi group called «Ahl-al-Athar» or «Ashāb al-Athar» who, according to Rāqib, is a religion different from Ahl al-Hadith.