The Role of Reason in the Geometry of Religious Knowledge

The method of gaining religious knowledge has been among the most disputed issues after the demise of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and in the era of the absence of the twelfth Imam, due to the lack of access to infallible leaders. This means that if conflicts arise between the clear and decisive injunctions of the reason and the appearances of religious texts, what should be done. In such cases, there have always been differences of views and perceptions in the areas of theology and jurisprudence about the priority of the reason, or its share in understanding the message of revelation, and these differences have caused a lot of ups and downs which are still continuing. Within the scope of the Islamic thought, there are those who adhere to the appearance including Hanbalites and Ash’arites from the sunni sect and the Akhbarites from the Shiite sect on the one side and the Mo’tazelites and the thriving jurisprudence of Shiites on the other side. The present article provides a brief overview of the above-mentioned issue among the followers of the prophet’s household with a glimpse on the extremist views of Akhbari Shiites and other similar views, which do not formally oppose rationalism but in practice do not attach any value to the distinguishing power of reason. The article also examines the rival thought which, in both areas of jurisprudence and theology, emphasizes and insists on the validity of reason. It concludes with the presentation of measures which can prevent extreme rationalism which results in desecrating the lofty divine knowledge.