Mu’tazilites were a school of Islamic theology that emerged in the 8th century in Basra, Iraq. The word “Mu’tazilite” comes from the Arabic word “i’tazala,” which means to withdraw or separate oneself from something. This term was used to describe the group’s withdrawal from mainstream Islamic thought of the time. The Mu’tazilites were known for their rational and philosophical approach to theology and were considered the first Islamic theologians to engage in systematic philosophical discussions about the nature of God, the Quran, and ethics.
The central philosophy of the Mu’tazilites was based on the principle of tawhid, or the oneness of God. They believed that God’s attributes were not separate from his essence but rather were inseparable aspects of his oneness. They also rejected the idea of anthropomorphism, which was prevalent in Islamic thought at the time and argued that God cannot be described in human terms.
The Mu’tazilites also believed in the importance of reason in understanding the Quran and Islamic teachings. They argued that reason and revelation were complementary and that reason could be used to interpret the Quran and Islamic law. They believed that human reason was a gift from God and that it was necessary to use it to understand and interpret the Quran and Islamic teachings.
One of the most significant contributions of the Mu’tazilites was their belief in the concept of justice (adl) as an essential aspect of God’s nature. They argued that God was just and that his justice was an essential aspect of his oneness. They believed that God’s justice required that human beings be held accountable for their actions and that they should be rewarded or punished accordingly. This belief in justice was significant because it challenged the prevalent belief at the time that God’s will was arbitrary and that he could do as he pleased without any consideration for justice.
The Mu’tazilites also believed in the concept of free will (ikhtiyar), which was another significant departure from prevailing Islamic thought at the time. They argued that human beings had the ability to choose between right and wrong and that their actions were not predetermined by God. They believed that human beings were responsible for their actions and that they would be held accountable for them on the Day of Judgment.
The Mu’tazilites also had a unique understanding of the Quran. They believed that the Quran was created and not eternal, which was a departure from the prevailing belief at the time that the Quran was co-eternal with God. They argued that the Quran was a created object that had a beginning in time and that it was created to communicate God’s message to human beings. This belief in the created nature of the Quran was significant because it challenged the prevalent belief that the Quran was an uncreated object and that it was equal to God in its eternal nature.
The Mu’tazilites were also known for their ethical teachings. They believed that ethics were objective and universal and that they could be known through reason. They argued that ethical principles were not arbitrary but were based on the nature of God and the nature of human beings. They believed that human beings had a duty to cultivate virtues and avoid vices and that they would be held accountable for their ethical choices on the Day of Judgment.
One of the most significant controversies involving the Mu’tazilites was their belief in the concept of the created nature of the Quran. This belief was challenged by other Islamic theologians, who argued that the Quran was co-eternal with God and that it was not a created object. The controversy surrounding the created nature of the Quran led to the persecution of the Mu’tazilites and their eventual decline in influence.