The Development and Evolution of Faith in the Light of Virtues from the Viewpoint of Allame Tabataba'i and Thomas Aquinas

Faith as a disposition of the soul has potential to be strengthened and developed from the viewpoint of Shiite and Catholic school of thought. Virtues, due to their internal components, have coherent and integrated connection with faith, and thus, they play significant role in the development and sublimity of faith. Using an analytical-descriptive method, this paper seeks to study two issues from the viewpoint of Allameh Tabatabai and Thomas Aquinas, two influential intellectuals in Shiite and Catholic ethics; the first, on what basis the existence of stages in faith can be justified? The second, which types of virtues are more prominent, and has role in the development of faith? Findings show that, according to both views faith gets intensity and weakness due to its nature and components. Allameh Tabataba'i regards piety, composure and certainty as the faith's effective developer virtues, but Aquinas considers it the virtues of charity, religion and certainty.