Reason and Revelation in Ash'Ariyah Theology: An Epistemological Analysis
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Abstract
This study examines the historical development and intellectual significance of Ashʿarite theology within the Sunni Islamic tradition. Using a qualitative library research approach, the study analyzes classical and contemporary sources related to the emergence and evolution of Ashʿarite thought. The findings show that Ashʿarite theology emerged as a mediating response to the tension between Muʿtazilite rationalism and strict textualist approaches, integrating reason and revelation into a balanced theological framework. Through the contributions of major scholars such as al-Baqillani, al-Ghazali, and al-Razi, Ashʿarism gained widespread acceptance and became the dominant theological orientation of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaʿah in many Muslim societies. The novelty of this study lies in highlighting Ashʿarite theology not merely as a system of religious belief, but as a dynamic intellectual and social response to the theological and socio-political challenges of classical Islam.
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