A critical analysis of the Modernists and the Hadeeth ... - Islam House
A critical analysis of the Modernists and the Hadeeth ... - Islam House
A critical analysis of the Modernists and the Hadeeth ... - Islam House
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<strong>and</strong> sects that pursued it<br />
Before <strong>the</strong> appearance <strong>of</strong> outright-philosophers in <strong>the</strong> Muslim<br />
Ummah like al-Farabi, a philosophical discipline crept amongst<br />
Muslims in <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> 'Ilmul-Kalaam'.<br />
Kalaam is a way or mode <strong>of</strong> argumentation that has its origin<br />
in Greek Philosophy. It is thus, a reprehensible innovation that<br />
initiated unnecessary argumentation <strong>and</strong> confusion in <strong>the</strong> Ummah.<br />
The sects that indulged in it however, insist that it is merely a tool to<br />
prove <strong>the</strong> truthfulness <strong>of</strong> <strong>Islam</strong>, <strong>and</strong> not a judge to analyze its veracity.<br />
The first groups to pursue <strong>and</strong> indulge in Ilmul-Kalaam were<br />
<strong>the</strong> Qadariyyah, <strong>the</strong> Mu'tazilah <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jahmiyyah. The influence <strong>of</strong><br />
Ilmul-Kalaam led <strong>the</strong>m astray in many issues <strong>of</strong> belief. After <strong>the</strong><br />
Mu'tazilah, it was absorbed by <strong>the</strong> Ash'aris <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Maturidis, who<br />
used Ilmul-Kalaam to argue with <strong>the</strong> Mu'tazilah. They in turn, sought<br />
to rationally prove <strong>and</strong> justify <strong>the</strong>ir 'fundamental tenants <strong>of</strong> faith' by<br />
means <strong>of</strong> 'Kalaam, which on <strong>the</strong> issue <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Attributes <strong>of</strong> Allah,<br />
amounts to approving only a few Attributes whilst nullifying o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
Thus for <strong>the</strong> Ash'aris <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Maturidis, 'Ilmul-Kalaam' holds special<br />
significance as it is <strong>the</strong> defender <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir beliefs; even though <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
senior-most scholars like al-Fakhr ar-Razi <strong>and</strong> al-Juwayenee regretted<br />
having indulged in Kalaam towards <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir lives.<br />
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