The Kalam of Twelver Shi'ism

This article examines the Shiite theology of the Twelver Shi'ism from the Ilkhani period in the seventh century to the end of the Safavid period in the twelfth century. In the first part, the role of Naṣir al-Din al-Țūsi is discussed, who, by introducing Ibn Sinā's philosophical concepts into theological discussions, transformed the Shiite theology of the Twelver Shi'ism, a change that Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazāli and Fakhruddin Rāzi brought about among the Ash'arites. After Țūsi, attention has been paid to Imami theologians. ‘Allāma ḤillĪ and his son Fakhr al-Muhaqiqin and Bahraini scholars including Ibn Sa’ādah Baḥrāni, Meysam Baḥrāni, Ali Ibn Sulaymān Baḥrāni and finally Ibn Abi Jumhūr Aḥsāi are among the theologians whose works and Ideas have been studied. The second part pf this article deals with the Safavid period. The combination of theology and philosophy in the works of some theologians of this period, the role of hadith sources in theological orientations, the conversion of some scholars of this period to the earlier Imami theology and the efforts of the opponents of theology to establish themselves as official representatives of the Twelver Shiites are among the issues discussed in this chapter.