16.11.2012 Views

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

<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 />

- 14 -

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!