Theology

The Mu‘tazila, whose name means “those who set themselves apart” or “those who stand aside,” were a theological school known for their unique interpretation (ta‘wīl) of Qur’ānic passages and their application of reason (‘aql) to scripture and other sources of religious knowledge. They emerged from obscure origins in the middle of the eighth century and lasted as an independent school until as late as the twelfth century. Despite sharing a core set of principles (as described subsequently), the Mu‘tazila were a highly heterogeneous group, with representatives articulating radically different views and theories. At its peak in the ninth and tenth centuries, Mu‘tazilī thought coalesced around two intellectual poles centered on the Iraqi cities of Basra and Baghdad.

Initially, the relationship between the Mu‘tazila and the Shī‘a was quite adversarial. During the eighth and ninth centuries, theMu‘tazila criticized the Shī‘a – in particular, the Imāmīs (precursors of the Ismā‘īlīs and the Twelvers) – for their views pertaining to the succession to the Prophet, the nature of God, and the characteristics of the Imām. The broader Shī‘ī community eventually aligned (to differing degrees) with many of the central tenets of Mu‘tazilism. The Zaydīs embraced almost the entirety of Mu‘tazilī thought beginning in the tenth (among Yemeni Zaydīs) and eleventh (among Caspian Zaydīs) centuries. The Twelvers were more selective in their appropriation, rejecting those principles that conflicted with their doctrine of the Imāmate. By the eleventh century, however, Mu‘tazilī influence on Twelver theology was fairly pronounced.