امام فخرالدین رازی کے اعتقادی مباحث میں فلسفہ اور علمِ کلام سے استفادہ: ایک تحقیقی مطالعہ

Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi’s Engagement with Philosophy and Kalām in Theological Matters: An Analytical Study

Abstract

Imam Razi included reason, philosophy, and theology as sources of knowledge for the “Marifah” of Allah, along with the Quran and Hadith. He believed that in order to attain truth and justice, it is useful to utilize the rational arts along with the transmitted sciences, however, in terms of importance and prestige, the Holy Quran has superiority and distinction over other sciences. Some scholars did not like Imam Razi's critical style and methodology, but they did not consider him to be excluded from the “Ahlus-Sunnah” because he had always been associated with the “Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah”. Therefore, Imam Razi presented scholarly criticisms of the thoughts and beliefs of the false sects and religions of his time. In these criticisms, Imam Razi presented all kinds of arguments, both authentic and reasonable. Based on some of his quotes, it has been attempted to claim that perhaps in the latter part of his life he had turned to the problems of philosophy and theology that are mentioned in his works. But in reality this did not happen. He continued to promote these debates throughout his life because he believed that his scholarly position and status were high enough to reach the level of certainty.