History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 121 - This is a Test - the Mutazilites
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Mar 24, 2013 AI Snips
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Al-Ma'mun's Inquisition (Mihna)
- Caliph al-Ma'mun enforced the Mu'tazilite doctrine that the Quran was created via the Mihna inquisition.
- He imprisoned judges and scholars who refused to accept that doctrine, asserting caliphal authority over theology.
Reason As A Core Source
- The Mu'tazilites blended scripture with reason and treated reason as a third authoritative source.
- This rationalist stance let them adopt figurative readings and challenge literalist interpretations.
Unity Over Distinct Divine Attributes
- To preserve tawhid, Mu'tazilites denied real, distinct divine attributes and held God is identical to his attributes.
- They explained apparent distinctions by reference to God's relations to created things, not to divided divinity.