functions of intellect

Intellect ('Aql), as a spiritual creation of God, has been independently created and bestowed upon humans. Intellect, prior to its association with humans, has functions. This research focuses on the functions of intellect in the realm of ethics to clarify whether intellect, in its cognitive dimension, only comprehends "facts" or also comprehends "oughts." It needs to be determined what functions intellect has in its non-cognitive dimension (desire, will, and external actions). Based on the narrations of the Imams and utilizing a narrative-focused approach in analyzing the narrations, we have concluded that intellect, in the domain of epistemology, recognizes existents and oughts, and this recognition occurs in two domains, namely "sign and language" and "analysis and inference." The linguistic ability and the skill of expressing intellect verbally are one of the cognitive functions of intellect that can be addressed independently. In addition to perception, intellect also has functions in the realm of behavior. Power, will, choice, desire, and practical action are among the functions of intellect. Intellect can possess all the behaviors of angels and spiritual beings, such as "acceptance, refusal, prostration, speech, and supplication," as mentioned in the Quran.

Muhazzab Al-Din Basri was one of the well-known thinkers of Imami theology in the 11th century AH and has left several works in the field of doctrinal and theological issues. He has used a non-philosophical rational method in explaining and strengthening doctrinal issues. His use of the different functions of intellect in post-revelatory beliefs, and the belief in the necessity of interpreting God's narrated attributes, indicate his rational method, and the lack of use of specific philosophical concepts and issues and the critique of some philosophers' opinions confirm his non-philosophical rational method. The orientation of studies, his special method of compilation and his mastery of the beliefs of other Islamic sects, along with his exclusive style of organizing and presenting topics, has given a unique look to his theological works.

Muhazzab Al-Din Basri was one of the well-known thinkers of Imami theology in the 11th century AH and has left several works in the field of doctrinal and theological issues. He has used a non-philosophical rational method in explaining and strengthening doctrinal issues. His use of the different functions of intellect in post-revelatory beliefs, and the belief in the necessity of interpreting God's narrated attributes, indicate his rational method, and the lack of use of specific philosophical concepts and issues and the critique of some philosophers' opinions confirm his non-philosophical rational method. The orientation of studies, his special method of compilation and his mastery of the beliefs of other Islamic sects, along with his exclusive style of organizing and presenting topics, has given a unique look to his theological works.

In Nahj al-Balagha, people have been invited to rationality, and some roles have been identified for intellect and rationality. These roles are not expressed explicitly, but implicitly in the words of Imam Ali (PBUH). This study aims to investigate and organize these items and, also, consider the functions of rationality and intellect through applying a descriptive analytical method in four categories: 1) the Relationship of human and God: the functions of intellect to know God and His commands and to set the scene to have relationship to Him; 2) the Relationship of human to himself: the functions of intellect to recognize good and bad behaviors; 3) the Relationship of human to other people, and 4) the Relationship of human to the nature and world: the functions of intellect to know the world to think about the power of God. In general, the functions of intellect in Nahj al-Balagha are divided into two categories: The first is “theoretical intellect” that leads to the growth of human knowledge and the second is “practical intellect” which leads to the growth of society.