ISLAMIC THEOLOGY (KALĀM) The “War Between Brothers,” 809-13

1. ISLAMIC THEOLOGY (KALĀM) • The “War Between Brothers,” 809-13 • A. Harun al-Rashid decides to divide empire on death (809). • B. Al-Amin (Baghdad and west) vs. al-Ma’mun (Khurasan) • C. Al-Ma’mun captures Baghdad and has al-Amin executed • (813). (1) (2) (3) (5) (4) (6) (8) (7)

2. II. Influence of classical Greek thought in Abbasid Baghdad A. Works preserved by Sasanians B. Translations into Syriac and medieval Persian under Sasanian emperor Khusrau I Anushirvan (r. 531-79) Khusrau I Anushirvan receives ambassador from India from the Houghton Shahname

3. C. Al-Ma’mun founds Bayt al-Hikma (“House of Wisdom”) for translations from Greek and Syriac into Arabic Illustration from translation of Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica (ms. from Mosul, Iraq, 1228) (Dioscorides)

4. Socrates and 2 students, from Choice Maxims and Finest Sayings ms. from Syria, early 13th c.

5. III. Rational theology (kalām) IV. Muctazilites A. Origins in dispute over Uthman’s murder and in defense against Manicheanism B. God’s absolute justice and, therefore, absolute UNITY C. Essence vs. attributes/accidents (from Aristotle) – God has eternal attributes (all-knowing, merciful, etc.), but these are NOT separate from his essence. D. Created Qur’an GOD = pure essence uncreated QUR’AN An uncreated Qur’an would exist eternally, as a sort of “second God.” CREATION = attributes

6. E. Human beings have FREE WILL (create their own actions). GOD = pure essence my potential actions that God already knows about These potential actions would exist eternally, as a sort of “second God,” like the uncreated Qur’an. my actions (attributes)

7. V. Al-Ma’mun’s Muctazilite MIHNA (inquisition), 833 A. Question of created Qur’an B. Opposed by Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780-855)→Hanbali legal rite VI. Al-Mutawakkil (r. 847-61) makes Hanbalism the official Abbasid legal rite.

8. Mosque of al-Mutawakkil, Samarra, Iraq

9. The Ashcarite compromise • A. Al-Ashcari (873-935) [Peters, ch. 8, #s 5, 22] • B. Created things/beings participate in their essence. • C. Qur’an is an eternal attribute, neither God nor other • than God. • D. Human beings do NOT create their own actions, • therefore do NOT have free will. However, their • actions (attributes) participate in their potential • actions (part of God’s essence). GOD = pure essence POTENTIAL ACTIONS QUR’AN = eternal attribute PARTICIPATION (kasb) CREATION = attributes HUMAN ACTIONS

10. Iraq, 10th century Iran, 10th century

11. THE MADRASA (ISLAMIC THEOLOGICAL ACADEMY) • Patronized by the SELJUKS • A. Take Baghdad, 1055 • B. 1071: defeat Byzantines at Manzikert in E. Anatolia, expand into • Anatolia and Greater Syria • C. 1st Crusade (1096-99) responds to Seljuk prohibition of • Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Manzikert Konya Jerusalem FATIMIDS

12. II. Seljuks patronize madrasa as Sunni defense against Ismaili Fatimid caliphate (to be discussed next week). A. Nizamiyya Madrasa, founded by Seljuks’ wazir Nizam al-Mulk in Baghdad in 1067, was Shafici. B. Other madrasas might be Shafici, Hanafi, both, or all 4. C. Curriculum: law, theology, grammar, etc. D. The “four-iwan” madrasa E. Madrasa becomes institutional home for ulama, including Hanbalis. Hanafi Maliki courtyard Hanbali Shafici

13. III. Abu Hamid Muhammad AL-GHAZALI (1058-1111) A. Born in Tus in eastern Iran B. Professor at Nizamiyya Madrasa in Baghdad, c. 1082-95 C. Ashcarite theologian [Peters, ch. 8, #s 8-10] Nishapur Tus excavation of citadel, Tus

14. ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY (FALSAFA) I. Influence of the 9th-century translation movement II. Philosophers at the courts of regional rulers (i.e., not in the madrasas with the ulama) III. Abu Nasr AL-FARABI (d. 950) [Peters, ch. 8, # 7] A. From Turkic military family on Jaxartes River B. Independent scholar in Baghdad C. Court musician to HAMDANIDs, Arab Shicite princes of Aleppo Aleppo

15. D. From Aristotle: Cosmos consists of concentric spheres, proceeding from First Cause/Prime Mover (“pure thought, thinking about itself”) E. From Plotinus (d. 270 C.E.): Spheres result from eternal EMANATION from First Cause. F. Al-Farabi’s metaphysics: 1st intelligence First Cause = God 2nd intelligence/ 1st sphere/soul 10th (active) intelligence/ earth/human soul Man uses intellect to communicate with active intelligence.

16. G. Conclusions from al-Farabi’s metaphysics: (1) The human beings best able to communicate with God are those with the strongest intellects, i.e., philosophers. (2) Orthodox Islam acts as a sort of opiate of the masses. IV. Abu Ali ibn Sina (AVICENNA, d. 1037) A. From bureaucratic family, grew up in Bukhara (SAMANID capital). B. Rejected GHAZNAVID offer, became wazir in provincial BUYID court in W. Iran. Bukhara

17. C. Avicenna’s metaphysics (1) Keeps al-Farabi’s emanating spheres (2) Adds PROPHETs = ideal philosophers able to communicate with spheres in supra-rational manner [See Peters, ch. 4, #s 19, 28.] (3) Adopts Aristotle’s idea of First Cause (God) as only NECESSARY existence, thus different from creation (4) Human intellect (SOUL) is separate from spheres and from human body (thus, soul is resurrected without body, against Islamic theology). [Peters, ch. 8, #20: Avicenna on the afterlife]

18. V. Al-Ghazali vs. the Philosophers [Peters, ch. 8. # 6] A. Wrote The Incoherence of the Philosophers while at Nizamiyya Madrasa (1) Philosophers started with reason and worked faith into a rational system. (2) Theologians started with faith and used rationalism to amplify it. (3) Al-Ghazali’s arguments against philosophers: (a) God of revelation cannot be reached through rationalism alone. (b) Universe is created in time, not an eternal process of emanation. (c) Human soul is resurrected with body. B. Effects of al-Ghazali: Philosophy is abandoned in much of Sunni world. C. Philosophy is defended by Abu al-Walid Muhammad ibn Rushd (AVERROES, d. 1198) – lived in Spain and Morocco [Peters, ch. 4, #27; ch. 8, #s 11, 14, 20]