Durham E-Theses A LOST LEGACY OF CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT: IBN AL-QAYYIM ON DIVINE DETERMINATION (qadar) SLITI, ABDULLAH How to cite: SLITI, ABDULLAH (2015) A LOST LEGACY OF CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT: IBN AL-QAYYIM ON DIVINE DETERMINATION (qadar), Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11615/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 A LOST LEGACY OF CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT: IBN AL-QAYYIM ON DIVINE DETERMINATION (qadar ) by ABDULLAH SLITI A thesis submitted to Durham University for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of Government and International Affairs Durham University August 2015 ABSTRACT This research aims to challenge a popular contemporary Traditionalist trend of intra-Muslim theological disengagement and isolation, which is justified by a conception of a puritan Traditionalist theology entirely hypothetically based on scripture and a utopian monolithic understanding of the first three generations of Islam (the Salaf) . One of the many inevitable consequences of such a popular trend is one of intolerance and hence sectarianism. Intra-Muslim theological disengagement amongst modern Traditionalists and the problems therein will be challenged by proving that the theology of the Traditionalist scholar, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (d. 751/1350), whose work is a main reference for contemporary Traditionalists, is much indebted to his critical engagement and intra-Muslim dialogue with fellow non-Traditionalist theologians and philosophers. This will be evident in my analysis of Ibn al-Qayyim’s discussions on topics related to divine determination, which is a fundamental doctrine to Muslims. In fact, Ibn al- Qayyim successfully develops a compatibilist position of dual agency on the problem of free will and determinism, a traditionalist rational objectivism position in the debate on meta-ethics and a four-fold theodicy of optimism on the problem of evil. Ibn al-Qayyim’s theological developments evidently defy contemporary intra-Muslim theological disengagement and the conception of a puritan Traditionalist theology. At the core of this thesis is an implication which seeks to promote dialogue amongst contemporary Muslims and Traditionalist Islam. i Contents ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... i Contents .......................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vi Transliterations ............................................................................................................................. vii INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 The Problem ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Aims and Objectives of Research ......................................................................................................... 3 Method and Methodology .................................................................................................................... 5 An Overview of the Research .............................................................................................................. 6 1-IBN AL-QAYYIM’S INTELLECTUAL MILIEU IN DAMASCUS ...................................... 10 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 10 The Damascus Crises ......................................................................................................................... 10 Intellectual Engagement in Damascus ................................................................................................ 11 Ibn al-Qayyim’s Background and Characteristics ............................................................................... 13 Ibn al-Qayyim’s Education and Legacy.............................................................................................. 21 Ibn al-Qayyim’s Works Related to Divine Determination ................................................................... 26 A Chronology of Ibn al-Qayyim’s Works .......................................................................................... 35 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 38 2- EARLY CRITICAL ENGAGEMENTS AND THEOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS: A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................ 39 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 39 Early Theological Differences amongst the Companions: Monolithic or Pluralistic? .......................... 39 Early Debates on Divine Determination ............................................................................................. 41 Maʿbad al-Juhanī ........................................................................................................................... 46 Ghaylān al-Dimashqī ...................................................................................................................... 51 Early Schools and Their Theological Developments ........................................................................... 52 The Muʿtazilites ............................................................................................................................. 52 The Jabrites ................................................................................................................................... 55 The Shi ʾites .................................................................................................................................... 58 The Kharijites ................................................................................................................................. 60 The Murjiʾites ................................................................................................................................ 61 ii The Māturīdites ............................................................................................................................. 62 The Ashʿarites ................................................................................................................................ 63 The Traditionalists ......................................................................................................................... 67 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 71 3- FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY: IBN AL-QAYYIM’S COMPATIBILISM OF DUAL AGENCY ...................................................................................................................................... 73 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 73 Defining the Debate ........................................................................................................................... 73 Ibn al-Qayyim on the Mu ʿtazilites ...................................................................................................... 74 Ibn al-Qayyim on the Muʿtazilites’ Arguments................................................................................ 80 Ibn al-Qayyim on the Ash ʿarites ........................................................................................................ 83 Ibn al-Qayyim on the Ash ʿarites’ Arguments .................................................................................. 93 Ibn al-Qayyim on Human Agency ...................................................................................................... 96 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 102 4- IBN AL-QAYYIM’S TRADITIONALIST RATIONAL OJECTIVISM .............................. 103 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 103 Defining the Debate ......................................................................................................................... 103 Ibn al-Qayyim on the Mu ʿtazilites ...................................................................................................