Transformation in Kalām in the view of Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi

Today transformation in Islamic theology or kalām is a major issue in religious studies, given the developments in the Islamic community. Given his insights into the needs of the society, Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi believes that traditional kalām is incapable of discharging its functions. In his view, it is necessary to transform the Islamic theology, and hence, he makes great contributions to the field. The main question of the present article is Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi’s account of the background, necessity, and manner of transformation in kalām. I draw on Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi’s works to clarify that, on his account, kalām has always been in a process of transformation, and given the questions and skepticisms posed today, it is necessary to transform the field. In his perspective, the major change that should occur in kalām is in its problems and principles. Islamic theology should deal with new problems and discard outdated problems. On the other hand, those of the principles and axioms of kalām that have been undermined by skepticisms should be reinforced so that the field of kalām can rely on them and discharge its functions.