فصلنامه قبسات
پیاپی 73 (پاییز 1393)

Methodology is an important prerequisite of every kind of knowledge. 'Ilm al-Usul al-Fiqh (the methodology of inferring Islamic jurisprudence), is developed continuously as how as the Islamic jurisprudence has been developed in several eras. The logic and method of 'Ilm al-Kalam (Islamic Theology), on the other hand, has not been developed sufficiently so. Thus, as a preface to the subject, this article is to compare the two disciplines (Fiqh and Kalam) to investigate their differences and thereby finding out the different methodological requisites of 'Ilm al-Kalam.

Monotheism (Tawhid) is the main problem in the whole universe, that Prophets and the successors (Awsiya) – peace be upon them – have invited the people to it, at first, and then, scholars, mystics and Theosophers pursued it. According to Allama Tabatabai, the Oneness (Wahidiyyah) position is the legacy of the previous religions and remarks of Theosophers within the meaning of monotheism (Tawhid), and, additionally, the truth of existence is “necessary existent by itself (Wajib al-Wujud bi al-Zat)”,“from all directions” and “unique to the true and original unity”, and it is the “collection of all attributes of perfection”, and it is free from all “attributes of defection and non-existence”. This article proceeded to scientific and philosophical explanation and analysis of Allama Tabatabai’s viewpoint about the legacy of the previous religions and remarks of Theosophers within The meaning of Monotheism (Tawhid) based on his various works.

Surveying Tabataba’i’s view about the nature of faith is the main concern of this paper. After the presentation of views among Islamic scholars about the nature of faith, the place of Tabatabai's view among these approaches, have been shown. Although Tabataba’i’s phrases in determining the nature of faith are different and sometimes seemingly incompatible, it has been shown that these phrases are about two positions. Some of them are about absolute faith, namely faith in itself. In this perspective, the nature of faith is what Tabatabai calls it "Aqd al- Qalb". And stresses that faith is a matter of heart and not acknowledge by language or practice by body, or the like. But some of the phrases are about faith as it required by religion. In this perspective, faith must be coupled with action, otherwise it will be useless. Thus, there is no contradictory or inconsistency in his phrases about faith. To confirm and strengthen this interpretation of his viewpoint about faith, three other major issues we have to follow: First, the intensity and weakness in faith, second, the relationship between faith and other categories, and third, the relationship between faith and reason. Throughout the essay it have been shown how these issues discussions, confirm our interpretation.

There is a serious difference between Allama Tabatabai ethical theory, according to monotheism (Tawhid), and western current theories. In his theory, God (Allah) is as an ultimate goal of ethical behavior. It is the ultimate goal which attracts the ethical conduct of anyone in terms of the absoluteness of perfection and beauty. This attitude is different from those theories that, truth element has not generally main role in their essentials; such as Aristotle's virtue ethics [theory] and Kant’s deontological ethics [theory]. Additionally, God exists in human congenitally and innately and that is the main feature of the human tendency toward morality in above theory. Surely, such a view is fundamentally different from utilitarianism [theory] of the people like Bentham, in which the main feature of the human tendency toward morality is his material desires to higher profits. Third, the subject of detachment of human form Allah, even in little scale, has been supposed as a necessity for a moral behavior in Allama theory that it is clearly 7 opposed to ethical egoism. All these [three] points can be supposed as the dimensions of monotheism (Tawhid) principle which can be seen in all over of Allama theory.

“Islamic Humanities” as a branch of “Religious Science” has two foundations; foundations of “the Knowledge of the Nature of Science” and foundations of “Knowledge of Religion”. Discussion about foundations of “the Knowledge of the Nature of Science” is more often by type of issues in the “Philosophy of Science”, and topics that related to foundations of “Knowledge of Religion” has worth to plan among the discussion of “Philosophy of Religion”. Foundations of “Knowledge of Religion” related to “Religious Science” are group of principles and features that make it possible for religion to enter in science realm, by having those qualifications. The language of Islam is among these principles. This language gave this ability to Islam in order to play in “Humanities”, because of having these features: being meaningful and narrating the reality; but, there are some views in current topics that block the way to entrance religion to this realm, by damaging these features in “Language of Religion”. Positivists by planning challenge of being meaningful, Wittgenstein by “Language Games” idea, and Functionalism by following functionalist theory of meaning are mastermind of opposing views. In this writing, after explaining the realization of possibility of “Islamic Humanities” on basis of linguistic features of Islam, we will engage in opposing views and each of their difficulties.

One of the most important theories about Qur’an miracle is “Effective Miracle” that was propounded, first of all, by khattabi - of Sunni great author of “Bayan I’jaz al-Qur’an” and commentator of “Sahih al- Bukhari” and “Sunan Abu Dawud” with available resources, and many scholars follow him. According to this theory, Qur’anic attractions have beyond the nature of human and its own special signs, and also, it is different from known attractions in material world. Khattabi has left its origin and process ambiguously by referring to some documentations and signs of “Effective Miracle”. In this article, we try to consider and analyze his remarks, and present it, by proper refinement,

To explain the relationship between God and everything other than God, four major theories has been formed among intellectuals, that one of them is “Personal Unity of Existence”. This theory has been entered into the realm of philosophy by Mulla Sadra and then, several arguments have been adduced to prove the theory of “Personal Unity of Existence”; that one of them is based on infinite existence of transcendent God. In this article, the argument has been reflected and each of its premises considered separately. We have tried to plan and analyze all critics on the premises, and then, logical strengths and weaknesses points of argument have been discussed in order to prove the claim. At the end, two “gradation” (Tashk9k) and “existential connection” (Wujud Rabit) theories have been criticized and considered as the opponent theories for personal unity.

This research pursues the analysis and study on the role of the philosophical insight in understanding religion as being favorable or harmful. Therefore, at first we will proceed with explaining and analyzing of approaches, and then will criticize the opinions and attitudes toward the subject. Determining the kind of relationship between religious knowledge with the fact of religion is the important point in clarifying the problem. By clarifying this relationship, the role of the philosophical thought will be clarified. There are four approaches about this issue; first approach, regarding Ta’wil (esoteric interpretation), believes that there is no correlation between the truth of religion and religious knowledge; Therefore, it makes dominant the insight which is in accordance with the contemporary age, on the role of the philosophical thought in understanding religion. The second approach, regarding the interpretative role for philosophical insight, accepts the correlation between the truth of religion and religious knowledge, and adaptive of philosophical insight with religious knowledge. According to the third approach, religious knowledge come from the truth of religion, and it is in opposite of human insights, like the philosophical insight. Therefore, this approach not only believes in the role for philosophical insight in understanding religion, but also assigns it as an impediment to understanding religion. In fourth approach, emphasizing on the authority of common sense arising from common insight, knowledge of religion is the same as religion realities; and counts the interference of philosophical thought in it, is “Bidah” (any innovations in religious matters) and unlawful. The selected approach, by emphasizing on understanding religion on influencing of religious thought, believes that religious knowledge is correspond with the truth of religion, and also at the time of understanding religious knowledge from religion resources, effective elements in this understanding are efficacious. As a result, if influence of philosophical insight, in summary, is in the direction of religious thought, religious insight can be as an effective element, without the interference of principles, in understanding the truth of religion, Otherwise, it Stipulates on the philosophical insight precision in understanding the truth of religion.