Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth — Page 23
ISLAMIC SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT. Islam, might jeopardise the Islamic viewpoint. It was suspected that the use of reason might lead to movements. that would ultimately deviate from the true Islam. Hence, all such movements with rationalistic leanings were dubbed as Ilḥādī or innovative, which is a derogatory term because it implies deviation from the right path. The concern of the rigid orthodoxy was reflected in the terms they used to describe the founders of the rationalist movements. They referred to them as Mu'tazilah or those who had strayed from the true path and become Ilḥādī. . Another group known as Maturidiyya believed that revelation should be first accepted as such and then logical explanations required to support it should be sought. They believed that revelation strengthened faith while logical explanations provide further satisfaction to that faith. The Ásháriyyah did not reject logical explanations entirely, but considered them superfluous; if they were available, then well and good, otherwise whatever was received through revelation was quite sufficient, even without the props of logic and rationality. . On the right wing of the Ásháriyyah movement another sect came into being, known as Sulfia (the blind followers of well-established scholars of old). According to them, revelation should be accepted without question. No philosophical or logical explanation was permitted as they feared this would lead to deviation from the correct path. u'tazilah m. The Mu'tazilahs on their part did not reject revelation to be the most reliable instrument for leading one to the truth. They, however, emphasized that the real message of revelation could not be properly understood without the use of reasoning. Thus they gave reason preference over revelation only in the sense that 23