1. Mu‘tazilites vs. Traditionalists Free will/personal God creates/
responsibility controls all acts
God’s attributes God’s attributes
metaphorical real
Preferred reason Preferred text
over text - Qur’an i.e. Qur’an/
created hadith - Qur’an
eternal
kalam (Muslim apologetic theology)
al-Ma’mun (r )
Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 855)
1017 and 1041 Caliphs require subjects to
reject Mu‘tazilite theology

2. Abu’l-Hasan al-Ash‘ari (d. 935) and followers
God’s attributes truly exist, but do not
detract from power, because they
are not like our attributes and are
beyond our understanding
Faith important, but must be proved through
action (mixes Mu‘tazilite and
Traditionalist positions)
God and Qur’an are eternal, universe is not

3. Abu’l-Hasan al-Ash‘ari (d. 935) and followers
God controls all actions, but humans are
responsible for their good and bad actions
even though
God decrees what is good and evil (opposes
Mu‘tazilite view that reason can
determine this)
because
God creates all actions, but humans “acquire”
the actions they perform, so are still
responsible for them

4. Al-Maturidi of Samarqand (d. 944)
Humans acquire their actions, but connected
to intention of humans to perform acts,
so evil deeds result of human choice
God gave humans capacity for reason, so
required to use it. Reason even allowed
knowledge of God before prophets
(al-Ash‘ari claims prophets necessary)
Follows al-Ash‘ari on eternal God and issue of
God’s attributes