The purpose of discussing this section The initial purpose...

The purpose of discussing this section The initial purpose of this discussion is to prove for this subject, that for the realisation of the realities of being, and a true path for living life, there are means other than that of sense perception and intellect, which are accurate (or cannot make any mistake). These are known as revelation, and are types of Divine teaching, which are specified for the special servants of God.

The majority of people are unaware of this reality because they do not see an example of it within themselves. However through the effects and signs they can arrive upon and confirm the proclamations of the Divine prophets and messengers (a). Accordingly, once the confirmation of the revelation upon a person is established then others are obliged to accept and act upon it with out any confrontation.

None will be excused except those who have a message especially for them as a group or an individual in a particular time. Therefore, the fundamental elements of this section are as follows: the necessity of prophethood and the requirement of revelation being immune from any form of domination or personal initiation, until the crux of the matter reaches the people.

In other words the necessity of the infallibility of the prophets and the above requirement is needed in order to prove the prophethood of the Prophet of Islam (s). After the issues concerning prophethood and revelation through the intellect are established, other issues arise such as the number of prophets, Books, Divine laws and the determination of the last Book, its Prophet and his successors.

However the establishment of all these topics with intellectual reasoning is not possible, therefore the religious text must be given as a proof for these topics. a. The method of investigation in theology By focusing upon what has been said, the essential difference between philosophy and theology becomes clear.

Philosophy discusses only those issues that are established by intellectual reasoning and theology includes those topics that are only proved through devotion and narration (or religious texts). In other words: The relationship between philosophy and theology is of generality and peculiarity in some respect. This means that philosophy and theology share common issues, which are established by the intellect, and uncommon (specific) issues.

However for philosophy the basis of establishment is the intellect. In theology it is narration and devotion for the uncommon issues.