The Role of Consensus in the Theological Thought of Sayyid Murtaza

Contrary to the usual literature, consensus not only applies to the Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), but also counts as one of the most important devices for theological inferences from the viewpoint of the theologians. Among these theologians is Sayyid Murtaza who—with a foundational establishment for his theological thought—could employ consensus in his theological foundations. In his view, consensus is a certain, knowledge-giving device that can discover the ideas of Imams. His reliance on consensus in the theological issues distanced him away from Mutazilis in many theological issues. This paper tries to explain the nature of consensus, its different features and its significance in the theological thoughts of Sayyid Murtaza.