Efforts to Systematize the Imāmiyya Kalām in the Early Period: The Example of al-Shaykh al-Mufīd

Abstract

Our research suggests al-Shaykh al-Mufīd was the first author to write down “Systematic Kalām” within the framework of Imāmiyya works, which has survived to the present day. He reviewed and rationalized the theological issues of Imāmiyya, and produced major works like Taṣḥīḥ al-I‘tiqādāt, Awā’il al-Maqālāt, al-Nukat fī Muqaddimāt al-Uṣūl, and al-Nukat al-I‘tiqādiyya, in that context. While the method and content of Taṣḥīḥ and Awā’il seem to be influenced by the Baghdād School of Mu‘tazila’s, particularly that of Abū al-Qāsim al-Balkhī, they do not systematically examine the subjects. His works title al-Nukat on the other hand, show clear influence of the Baṣran School of Mu‘tazila, especially al-Qāḍī ‘Abd al-Jabbār. In both texts al-Mufīd collects the belief of the Imāmiyya under five basic principles: tawḥīd, justice, prophethood, imāmate, and ma‘ād/resurrection. This study will examine how al-Shaykh al-Mufīd tried to systematize the Imāmiyya creed through his four works.

Keywords

• imāmiyya
• al-shaykh al-mufīd
• systematic kalām
• awā’il al-maqālāt
• al-nukat
• abū al-qāsim al-balkhī
• al-qāḍī ‘abd al-jabbār
• mu‘tazila
• i̇mâmiyye
• şeyh müfîd
• sistematik kelam
• evâilü’l-makâlât
• en-nüket
• ebu’l-kāsım el-belhî
• kādî abdülcebbâr
• mu’tezile