Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Discursive Theology Volume 1

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought

• Foreword
• Reference
• Preface
• References
• Lesson 1: Why Should We Know God? 
• 1. The Need for Preventing Serious Losses
• 2. The Need for Gratefulness to the Benefactor
• 3. Sense of Curiosity
• The Benefits of Knowing God
• Knowledge of God as the Fountainhead of All Knowledge
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 2: The Ways of Knowing God 
• The Rationalists
• The Intuitionists
• Assessment
• The Sensualists
• Assessment
• The Literalists
• Assessment
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 3: Natural Disposition (Fiṭrah) and Knowing God 
• Definition of Fiṭrah
• The Distinctive Features of Fiṭrah
• Fiṭrah in the Domain of Knowledge and Sensory Perception
• Intrinsic (fiṭrī) Knowledge
• Instinctive Inclinations
• Fiṭrah and Search for God
• Fiṭrah and Inclination to God
• a. Love for Absolute Perfection
• b. Hope for a Superior Power in Moments of Danger
• Reply to Two Objections
• What Scholars Say
• Fiṭrah and Religion from the Perspective of Revelation
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 4: Order in the Universe and Knowing God 
• The Definition and Types of Order
• The Order of Outcome and the Argument of Design
• It is Design and Not Accident!
• Imām al-Ṣādiq (‘a) and the Proof of Order
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 5: Assessment of Hume’s Objections to the Argument of Design 
• First Objection
• Reply
• Second Objection
• Reply
• Third Objection
• Reply
• Fourth Objection
• Reply
• Fifth Objection
• Reply
• Sixth Objection
• Reply
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 6: The Argument of Contingency 
• Objection
• Reply
• The Second Principle of Thermodynamics and the Universe’s Contingency
• Bertrand Russell’s Objection
• Reply
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 7: The Argument of Possibility and Necessity 
• The Argument’s Premises
• Bertrand Russell’s Misgiving
• Reply
• Review Questions
• Reply
• Lesson 8: The Unity of God’s Essence and Attributes
• 1. The Unity of the Divine Essence
• Types of Compositeness
• Trinity or Polytheism in the Essence of God
• 2. The Unity of the Divine Attributes
• The Unity of the Divine Attributes in the Traditions
• Insufficient Formula
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 9: The Unity of God in Creation 
• Reason and the Divine Unity in Creation
• The Qur’an and the Divine Unity in Creation
• Traditions and the Divine Unity in Creation
• The Interpretation of the Divine Unity in Creation
• 1. Imāmiyyah Theologians and Muslims Theosophers
• 2. ‘Ashā‘irah
• 3. Mu‘tazilah
• Examination and Criticism
• The Dualists and the Misgiving of Evils
• Reply to a Question
• The Divine Unity in Creation and the Problem of Ascribing Evils to God
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 10: The Divine Unity in Lordship 
• Cosmic and Legislative Lordship
• Lordship in This World and the Hereafter
• The Proofs of the Divine Unity in Lordship
• Human Being’s Deviation Relative to the Divine Unity in Lordship
• The Divine Unity in Legislation
• The Divine Unity in Sovereignty
• The Divine Unity in Obedience
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 11: The Divine Unity in Worship 
• What is Worship?
• The Wahhābīs and Polytheism in Worship
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 12: The Attributes of God
• Name (ism) and Attribute (ṣifah)
• Classifications of the Divine Attributes
• 1. The Attributes of Beauty and the Attributes of Glory
• 2. The Attributes of Essence and the Attributes of Action
• 3. The Real and the Relative Attributes
• 4. The Transmitted Attributes
• Are the Names of Allah Tawqīfī?
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 13: The Knowledge of God
• 1. God’s Knowledge of His Essence
• 2. God’s Essential Knowledge of the Creatures
• 2.1. Shaykh al-Ishrāq’s View
• 2.2. Mu‘tazilah View
• 2.3. Ibn Sīnā’s View
• 2.4. Ṣadr al-Muta’allihīn’s View
• God’s Present Knowledge of the Creatures in the Present
• The Divine Proofs
• The All-hearing, the All-seeing and the Perceiver
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 14: God’s Power and Will
• The Essence of Power
• The Proof of God’s Power and Will
• The Extent of God’s Power
• Power and Potentiality
• Reply to Some Misgivings
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 15: Life, Pre-existence and Eternity 
• Divine Life
• The Essence and Classifications of Life
• The Essence of Life with Respect to God
• The Proof of Divine Life
• Pre-existence and Eternity
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 16: The Divine Will and Decree
• Some Views on the Essence of Will
• Assessment of the Views
• An Examination and Analysis
• The Divine Will as Described in Traditions
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 17: The Divine Speech and Word 
• 1. The Ahl al-Ḥadīth and Ḥanbalīs
• 2. Justice-Oriented Theologians
• 3. The Ash‘arīs and Māturdīs
• 4. Muslim Philosophers
• The Word of God in the Qur’an and the Traditions
• The Contingency of God’s Word
• The Immaculate Imāms (‘a) and the Issue of Contingency of God’s Word
• The Absence of Lie in God’s Word
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 18: The Attributes of Khabariyyah 
• Literalism and Anthropomorphism
• Ta’wīl Approach
• Theological Foundation of Ta’wīl
• Singular and Synthetic Appearance
• Postponement (Tawaqquf) and Delegation (Tafwīḍ)
• Bases of the Proponents of Tafwīḍ
• Transmitted Attributes in the School of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 19: Negative Attributes (Al-Ṣifāt al-Salbiyyah)
• The Proofs of Impossibility of Physically Seeing God
• Proof of the Proponents of Ru’yah
• Argument on the Occurrence of Ru’yah and the Objection to It
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 20: The Divine Justice and Wisdom  
• The Literal and Technical Meanings of Justice
• Justice in the Parlance of Theologians
• The Literal and Technical Meaning of Wisdom
• Wisdom in the Parlance of Theologians
• 1. Theoretical Wisdom
• 2. Practical Wisdom
• Conclusion
• Manifestations of the Divine Justice and Wisdom
• The History and Motive for Discussing Justice
• The Position of Justice in ‘Adliyyah Theology
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 21: Rational Goodness and Evil
• An Elucidation of the Rule of Rational Goodness and Evil
• Theoretical Reason and Practical Intellect
• The Affirmers and Negationists
• Appreciation and Condemnation, Reward and Punishment
• Incumbent upon Allah
• The Proofs Substantiating Rational Goodness and Evil
• Rational Goodness and Evil in the Qur’an and the Traditions
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 22: The Proofs of Divine Justice and Wisdom  
• 1. The Proof of Essential Necessity
• 2. The Proof of Special Attention (‘ināyah)
• 3. The Omniscience and Self-sufficiency of God
• 4. The Lack of Claimant and the Existence of Ṣārif
• 5. Signs of the Divine Justice and Wisdom in Nature
• Design and Perfection as Viewed by Scientists and Scholars
• Design in the Plant Kingdom
• Factors that Contribute to the Suitability of the Earth for Living
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 23: The Creation as Goal-oriented 
• The Justice-oriented Argument
• The Ash‘arī’s Objection
• Reply
• Another Objection
• Reply
• The Goal of Action and the Goal of Agent
• The Third View
• The View of Theosophers
• Motive and Exigency
• The Qur’an and the Goal-orientedness of the Universe
• The Perfect Man as the Philosophy behind Creation
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 24: Evil and the Best Order
• The Skepticism on Evil and the Best Order
• Reply [to the Skepticism]
• The Non-discernment of Evil in the Realm of Nature
• The Beauty of the Totality or the Perfect System
• Objection
• Reply
• Second Objection
• Reply
• Evil and the All-encompassing Power of God
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 25: Evil and the Justice of God 
• General Welfare and Public Good
• Unpleasant Things and Understanding the Sweetness of Doing Good
• Undesirables and the Blossoming of Talents
• Painful Incidents or Warning Signs
• Istidrāj and Ibtilā
• The Role of Sins in the Occurrence of Painful Incidents
• The Saints of God’s Account as Separate
• Evil and Retributory Justice
• Pains and Rewards
• Concluding Points
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 26: Man and Freewill
• The Theologians’ Opinions on the Interpretation of Freewill
• 1. The Theory of Tafwīḍ
• Examination and Criticism
• 2. The Theory of Kasb
• The Interpretation of Kasb
• A Criticism of the Theory of Kasb
• The Theory of the “Position between Two Positions” (amr bayn al-amrayn)
• A Historical Survey of the “Position between Two Positions”
• A Manifestation of the Divine Grace
• Known Only to the True Men of Learning
• An Illustrious Example
• A Firm Principle
• Imām al-Hādī (‘a) and the Interpretation of Amr Bayn al-Amrayn
• The Philosophical Interpretation of Amr Bayn al-Amrayn
• A Study of the Book of the Self
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 27: Misgivings of the Predeterminists
• The Divine Decree, Predestination and the Eternal Knowledge of God
• The Correct Interpretation of Qaḍā and Qadr
• Reinforcement of the Free-will on the Basis of the Principle of Qaḍā and Qadar
• God’s Will and Man’s Free-will
• Is Will a Voluntary Action?
• The Divine Unity in Creation and the Issue of Predetermination
• Reply
• The Universality of the Divine Power and Man’s Freewill
• The Divine Guidance and Misguidance and Man’s Freewill
• Elements of Guidance
• Elements of Misguidance
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 28: The Mandatoriness of Obligation 
• Definition and Classification
• The Philosophy behind Obligation
• Obligation and Power
• The Ash‘arīs and the Permissibility of Unbearable Obligation
• Review Questions
• References
• Lesson 29: The Necessity for Grace
• The Definition and Classification of Luṭf (Grace)
• The Conditions of Grace
• Reasons behind the Necessity for Grace
• The proof of wisdom
• God’s generosity and munificence
• The Qur’an and the Rule of Grace
• Divine Grace and Sayings of the Imāms (‘a)
• Reply to the Objections
• Review Questions
• References