ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books An Introduction To 'ilm Al-kalam MU'TAZILAH: We shall begin our discussion - and we shall explain later why - with the Mu'tazilah . The emergence of this sect took place during the latter part of the first century or at the beginning of the second. Obviously*'ilm al-kalam* , like any other field of study, developed gradually and slowly attained maturity.

First we shall enumerate the principal Mu'tazilite beliefs, or what is better to say, the basic and salient points of their school of thought. Second, we shall point out the well-known Mu'tazilite figures and speak of their fate in history. Then we shall give an account of the main outlines of the transitions and changes in their thought and beliefs.

The opinions held by the Mu'tazilah are many, and are not confined to the religious matters, or which according to them form an essential part of the faith. They cover a number of physical, social, anthropological and philosophical issues, which are not directly related with the faith. However, there is a certain relevance of these problems to religion, and, in the belief of the Mu'tazilah , any inquiry about the matters of religion is not possible without studying them.

There are five principal doctrines which, according to the Mu'tazilah themselves, constitute their basic tenets: (i) Tawhid, i.e. absence of plurality and attributes. (ii) Justice ( 'adl ), i.e. God is just and that He does not oppress His creatures. (iii) Divine retribution ( at-wa'd wa al-wa'id ), i.e. God has determined a reward for the obedient and a punishment for the disobedient, and there can be no uncertainty about it.

Therefore, Divine pardon is only possible if the sinner repents, for forgiveness without repentance( tawbah ) is not possible. (iv) Manzilah bayna al-manzilatayn (a position between the two positions). This means that a fasiq (i.e. one who commits one of the "greater sins," such as a wine imbiber, adulterer, or a liar etc.) is neither a believer (mu'min) nor an infidel( kafir ) ; fisq is an intermediary state between belief and infidelity.

(v) al-'amr bil ma'ruf wa al-nahy 'an al-munkar [bidding to do what is right and lawful, and forbidding what is wrong and unlawful]. The opinion of the Mu'tazilah about this Islamic duty is, firstly, that the Shari'ah is not the exclusive means of identifying the ma'ruf and the munkar; human reason can, at least partially, independently identify the various kinds of ma'ruf and munkar.