Recovering the Themes of the Theological Arguments of the Infallible ones (as) in Iḥtijāj of Ṭabarsī and Analyzing the Role of These Arguments in the Growth of Theology

Religion needs to be explained, defended, and promoted, and the first stage of this was carried out by the Prophet (s) and his infallible progeny (a), and in the next step, it is up to religious scholars to do so, one of whose methods is debate. There have been narrated many debates from the Infallibles and the theological and religious scholars, which include some explanations and interpretations of the principles and foundations of religion by the Infallibles or their defenses thereof. So, it is important for us to get acquainted with these debates and particularly to know what themes and areas were subject to skepticisms at that time and how the infallible Imams have discussed and responded to them. Having a look at the theological arguments of the Infallibles (a), this article aims to provide an account of the issues raised in these arguments in Iḥtijāj of Ṭabarsī, and analyzes the role of these arguments in the growth of theology. Although a study of the arguments of the Infallibles (a) requires a considerable background, a research with the purpose of reporting the themes raised in the theological arguments of the Infallibles and analyzing the growth of theology based thereon is unprecedented.