The study and analysis of Shaikh Mufid and Allamah Helli's viewpoints about the issue of free will

What is known as Shi'a theological thoughts has a history and evolutions without which no comprehensive image of Shi'a theology and thought could be drawn. The concept of "free will" has also experienced evolutions in history of Imamiah theology, and Shi'a theologians have presented different interpretations of it. The present paper has studied and compared the issue in the ideas of Shaikh Mufid from Baghdad theology school and Allamah Helli from Hellah theology school, and discussed its evolution process in these two schools. In Baghdad school, Shaikh Mufid following Shaikh Saduq has interpreted free will as canonization (Tashri') and determination of boundaries by Allah, while in Hellah school, Allamah Helli has mostly presented multiple reasons for the principle of free will and action of mankind.