Module 4: Islamic Theology

Understanding the foundations of Islamic beliefs

Agenda
• Introduction to Islamic Theology and its historical evolution

• Epistemological basis of Islamic Theology

• Imam Ghazali’s typology of the sources of knowledge

• Some basic beliefs of Islam

The Dimension of Iman (Beliefs)
• The discipline of Islamic Sciences in which the beliefs are
studied is known as Ilm al-Kalam or Islamic Theology

• Ilm al-Kalam: because in the initial phase of Islamic history the

debate about the true nature of Qur’an became a major issue of
debate among Muslim scholars.

• Theology: Theo-- refers to God and --logy means study

 The Reality of Islam
• Characteristic feature of Islam: Sami‘na wa ata‘na (We listened and we
obeyed)
‫س ِمعْنَا َوأَطَعْنَا‬
َ ْ‫َوقَالُوا‬
And they say: We have listen, and we obey. [Al-Baqara: 285]

• Then why did Muslims engage in debates which were sometimes unnecessary?
Conquests of Alexander of Macedon: Greeks’
Cultural Presence in the Muslim Lands
Important Greek philosophers

• Socrates

• Plato

• Aristotle
Acquisition of Greek knowledge by the Muslims
• Library of Alexandria in Egypt contained a large collection of
books written by Greek philosophers

• Conquest of Alexandria during the Caliphate of Umar Ibn

Khattab (R.A)

• Translation movement during the Abbasid Caliphate

Understanding the Context of the Development of
Islamic Theology

• Influence of Greek philosophy on some Muslims

• There was a need to articulate Islamic beliefs which were under

scrutiny from philosophers.
Philosophy Science Theology

Use of Use of
Use of
reason reason
reason
through under the
through
empirical guidance of
speculation
research revelation
Imam Ghazali’s life journey: From skepticism to
firm belief
• Imam Ghazali’s epic journey in the pursuit of knowledge and
certainty

• Illustrious career in Jamia Nizamia in Baghdad

– Established by Nizam ul Mulk
– The Seljuq Empire

• Hujjatul Islam
Imam Ghazali’s epistemology (theory of
knowledge)

• Sensory knowledge

• Rational knowledge

• Experiential knowledge (through spiritual experience)

“The proof of the sun is the sun itself, if you want the proof then
do not avert your face from it.”
[Jalaluddin Rumi]
Experiential Knowledge

• The highest level of certainty is attained through experiential

knowledge

• Ilm ul-Yaqeen
• Ain ul-Yaqeen
• Haqq ul-Yaqeen
Belief in Tauheed
• Belief in Allah:
– Entity (‫)ذات‬
– Attributes (‫)صفات‬
ِ ِ ‫ات َر ِبي َولَ ْو ِجئْنَا ِب ِمْثْ ِل‬
ُ ‫ات َر ِبي لَنَ ِفدَ الْبَ ْح ُر قَبْ َل أَن تَنفَدَ كَ ِل َم‬
ِ ‫ان الْبَ ْح ُر ِمدَادًا ِلكَ ِل َم‬
َ َ‫قُل لَّ ْو ك‬
‫َمدَدًا‬
Say: "If the ocean were ink with which to write the words of my
Rabb, the ocean would surely be consumed before the words of
my Rabb are finished, even if We brought similar quantity of ink
to replenish it. [Al-Kahaf: 109]
Belief in Tauheed
• Transcendental concept about God
– The Entity of God is beyond our comprehension
– And we have only a limited ability to contemplate about His Attributes
– God is beyond time and space

ِ ‫يت علَى‬
‫نفسك‬ َ َ‫ال أُحصي ثنا ًء علَيك‬
َ َ‫أنت كما أثن‬
“(Oh Allah (S.W.T)) I am incapable of praising You (as You deserve to
be praised). You are as You have praised Yourself.” [Jami‘ Tirmizi]
Belief in Risalat
• Allah (S.W.T) has sent prophets for the guidance of mankind
• Difference between ‫ رسول‬and ‫نبى‬
• Finality of prophethood:
ُ َّ ْ َ َٰ ‫ان ُمح َّمدٌ أَبَا أَح ٍد ِم ْن رجا ِلكُ ْم و‬
َ ‫ي ٍء‬
‫ع ِلي ًما‬ ْ ‫ش‬
َ ‫ل‬
ِ ‫ك‬ ‫ب‬
ِ ُ ‫هللا‬ ‫ان‬
َ َ ‫ك‬ ‫و‬
َ ۗ ‫ين‬
َ ‫ي‬ ‫ب‬
ِِ َ َ‫ن‬‫ال‬ ‫م‬َ ‫ت‬‫َا‬
‫خ‬ ‫و‬ ‫هللا‬
ِ ‫ل‬
َ ‫و‬ ‫س‬
ُ ‫ر‬
َ ‫ن‬ ‫ك‬
ِ ‫ل‬ َ َ ِ َ َ َ َ‫َما ك‬
Muhammad (S.A.W) is not the father of any of your men (he is not going
to leave any male heirs). He is the Rasool of Allah and the Seal of the
Prophets. Allah has the knowledge of all things. [Al-Ahzab: 40]
 Belief in Taqdeer and the transcendental concept about
God
• Issue of human fate is an issue of the Attributes of Allah
(S.W.T) and therefore cannot be perfectly grasped by
human intelligence.

• Allah (S.W.T) has given the humans a limited share from

His Infinite Attributes.
Belief in Fate (Taqdeer)
• Taqdeer (‫ )تقدير‬has two meanings:
– Estimate based on Knowledge
– Ability or Will
• Taqdeer is the All-embracing Knowledge of Allah (S.W.T) about
all of His creations
• Ability (‫ )قدرة‬is the Attribute of Allah (S.W.T) and Allah (S.W.T)
has granted human beings a reflection of this Attribute
• Human beings have a limited ability to choose
 Many Misunderstood the Extent of ‫ قدرة‬Given to the Humans
• Two Extreme Views on Human Fate / Human Will

• Qadar: Absolute Free Will

– Wasil Ibn Ataa

• Jabar: Absolute Predestination

– Jahm Ibn Safwan
How limited is the human ability to choose?

• Two types of matters in a person’s life:

– Those pre-determined and bestowed upon humans (‫)وهبى‬

– Those left to the humans to choose and acquire (‫)كسبى‬

 Matters left to human choice

• Knowledge of Human Actions (‫)علم‬

• Allah (S.W.T) alone has perfect knowledge of human actions whether they belong to the past, the present or the future.

• Creation of Human Actions (‫)خلق‬

• Allah (S.W.T) is the creator of all the means that the humans need to do every single action.
• Everything, including our bones, muscles, veins, blood circulation, every single thing we can think about is the creation
of Allah (S.W.T)

• Acquisition of Human Actions (‫)كسب‬

• This is where the attribute of ‫ قدرة‬comes.
• Allah (S.W.T) has given the humans the ability to choose their actions.
 Knowledge, Creation and Acquisition
• Knowledge and Creation of Allah (S.W.T) does not undermine the choice, will
and acquisition of the humans.

• Example: A teacher creates a system to evaluate the students. Both A-grade

and F-grade are also a part of this system created by the teacher. And
sometimes the teacher has an idea about a particular student whether he is
going to get an A or an F. But in spite of all this the student still has a choice to
study hard and get a better grade. If the student does not study hard and gets an
F in the final exam, he cannot and should not blame the teacher.
 Words Mentioned in the Qur’an to Indicate Human Part in
Actions:

• Use of the Word ‘Choice’ or ‘Will’ (‫ )مشيئة‬in the Qur’an:

‫ق ُ ِل الْ َح ُّق ِمن َّر ِبكُ ْم ف َ َمن شَاء فَلْيُؤْ ِمن َو َمن شَاء فَلْي َ ْكف ُ ْر‬
And say: “The truth [has now come] from your Sustainer: let, then, him who wills, believe in it, and let
him who wills, reject it.” [Al-Kahaf: 29]

َ ‫ِإ َّن هَذِ ِه ت َ ْذ ِك َرة ٌ ف َ َمن شَاء ات َّ َخذَ ِإلَى َر ِب ِه‬

ً ‫س ِب‬
‫يل‬
This, verily, is a reminder: let him who wills, then set out on a way to his Sustainer! [Al-Muzammil:
19]