This is one of Imam al-A'zam Abu Hanifa's treatises on theology (aqidah).
Prepared in a question-and-answer format, the work contains forty-three questions and answers.
The student (muta'allim) explains that he is unable to answer certain questions posed to him regarding faith and therefore feels the need to learn the fundamental principles of the true school of thought; the scholar (Abu Hanifa) begins the work by explaining the importance of seeking knowledge and the superiority of performing righteous deeds alongside knowledge. Subsequently, it is emphasized that, due to changing conditions, it has become inevitable to examine theological issues that the companions (sahaba) did not previously need to investigate, and that it is necessary to clearly distinguish between true and false opinions circulating at the time. Furthermore, the work states that it is necessary to judge the views held by the Shia, Khawarij, and Murji'a as erroneous. Al-Alim wa'l-Muta'allim is considered one of the first works to establish some of the important issues of the science of theology (kalam) and explain them according to the Sunni perspective. One of its most important characteristics is its use of analogy (qiyas) in explaining the principles of faith and its ability to render mental concepts concrete, expressing them in a style that anyone can understand. With this edition prepared under the editorship of Muhammad Zahid al-Kawthari, the benefit to students has also been facilitated by presenting the Arabic and Turkish texts in a side-by-side format.