<![CDATA[Usamah Al-Azhari's claim that the Hadith scholars follow the Ash'ariyah and Maturidiyah creeds in the book Aqidah Al-Muhadditsin Wa Washilatuhum Bi Al-Tashawwuf has sparked academic controversy because it ignores significant chronological and methodological gaps. This study aims to test the validity of this claim by critically analyzing the theological independence of the Hadith scholars. Using a qualitative approach that integrates Krippendorff's content analysis and historical theology, this study evaluates the text of Usamah's claim. It compares it with classical documents from the Hadith scholars, the Ash'ariyah, and the Maturidiyah traditions. The research findings indicate that the Hadith scholars possess an epistemological independence that cannot be reduced to the Ash'ariyah or Maturidiyah framework. The chronological gap-where the Ash'ariyah and Maturidiyah emerged in the 3rd century AH, long after the initial generation of Hadith scholars-proves a historical anachronism in Usamah's mapping. Furthermore, despite both using the tafwidh method, the Hadith scholars apply it with a textual-traditionalist approach that is fundamentally different from the rationalistic Ash'ariyah ta'wil method and the rationalist-systematic Maturidiyah approach. The internal dialectics within the Hadith scholars' tradition-such as Al-Ghazali's critique of textual codification and Ibn Khuzaymah's ta'wil practices-further strengthen their methodological autonomy. This research contributes to the reconstruction of Sunni theological historiography by affirming the position of the Hadith scholars as an independent tradition, not merely followers of a posteriori theological school.]]>
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