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Mu'tazilism is an Islamic theological school primarily known for its rationalist approach, which flourished in the cities of Basra and Baghdad.
Answer: True
Mu'tazilism is indeed an Islamic theological school renowned for its rationalist methodology, which prominently developed in the intellectual centers of Basra and Baghdad.
The founder of the Mu'tazila school, Wasil ibn Ata, advocated for the doctrine that the Quran is uncreated and co-eternal with God.
Answer: False
Wasil ibn Ata, as a founder of Mu'tazilism, advocated for the doctrine that the Quran is created, a central tenet that distinguished the school from those who believed in the Quran's uncreated and co-eternal nature with God.
The Mu'tazila school developed its rationalist theology around the fundamental principles of God's oneness, divine justice, and the concept of human free will.
Answer: True
The Mu'tazila school indeed structured its rationalist theology around the core principles of God's absolute oneness (Tawhid), divine justice (Al-'Adl), and the affirmation of human free will, which are central to their intellectual framework.
The name 'Mu'tazili' was initially adopted by the adherents of the school to signify their commitment to monotheism and justice.
Answer: False
The name 'Mu'tazili' was initially used by opponents of the school. The adherents themselves later adopted the self-designation 'Ahl al-Tawhid wa al-'Adl' (People of Monotheism and Justice).
The theological dispute between Wasil ibn Ata and Hasan al-Basri concerned the legal status of a Muslim who had committed a serious sin, leading to Wasil's 'withdrawal'.
Answer: True
The theological disagreement between Wasil ibn Ata and Hasan al-Basri indeed centered on the legal status of a grave sinner, a dispute that culminated in Wasil's 'withdrawal' and the subsequent formation of the Mu'tazila school.
Which two cities are primarily identified as the flourishing centers of Mu'tazilism in early Islamic history?
Answer: Basra and Baghdad
Who is recognized as the founder of the Mu'tazila school of theology?
Answer: Wasil ibn Ata
Which of the following was NOT one of the three fundamental principles around which the later Mu'tazila school developed its rationalist theology?
Answer: The pre-existence of the Quran
How did Mu'tazilites fundamentally differ from a common Sunni position regarding the Quran?
Answer: They rejected the doctrine that the Quran is uncreated and co-eternal with God.
What is the etymological origin of the name 'Mu'tazili'?
Answer: A root meaning 'to separate, segregate, retire'
How did the founder, Wasil ibn Ata, contribute to the naming of the Mu'tazila movement?
Answer: He 'withdrew' from Hasan al-Basri's study circle after a theological disagreement.
What name did the Mu'tazila group later use to refer to themselves?
Answer: Ahl al-Tawhid wa al-'Adl
According to Sunni sources, when and where did Mu'tazili theology originate?
Answer: In the eighth century in Basra
Who is considered the theologian who systematized and formalized Mu'tazilism in Basra, a few generations after its founders?
Answer: Abu al-Hudhayl al-'Allaf
Mu'tazilism addressed the problem of evil by asserting that God directly wills all suffering to test humanity, thus emphasizing divine omnipotence over human responsibility.
Answer: False
Mu'tazilism addressed the problem of evil by attributing it to human free will and actions, not to God's direct will. This perspective emphasizes human responsibility and divine justice, rejecting the idea that God directly wills suffering.
The Mu'tazila believed that human intelligence and reason were crucial for understanding religious principles and establishing categories of good and evil.
Answer: True
The Mu'tazila indeed held that human intelligence and reason were indispensable for comprehending religious principles and for discerning categories of good and evil, underscoring their rationalist approach to theology.
Mu'tazilis were accused by rival schools of giving absolute authority to extra-Islamic paradigms like Greek philosophy, an accusation they largely embraced.
Answer: False
While Mu'tazilis engaged with Greek philosophy, they did not embrace accusations of giving it absolute authority. Their framework remained rooted in Islamic principles, and they often adopted doctrines like creation 'ex nihilo' that diverged from Greek thought.
According to Mu'tazili theology, children who suffer are destined for Paradise as compensation, regardless of their parents' beliefs.
Answer: True
Mu'tazili theology posits that children who suffer are considered free from sin and liability, and divine justice dictates that they are destined for Paradise as recompense for their suffering, irrespective of their parents' faith.
The Mu'tazili principle of 'The Promise and the Threat' asserts that God's promises are unwavering, but His warnings can be altered based on human repentance.
Answer: False
The Mu'tazili principle of 'The Promise and the Threat' asserts that God is unwavering in both His promises of reward and His warnings of punishment, implying that His threats are not subject to alteration based on human repentance, once clearly articulated.
The 'Intermediate Position' (Al-Manzilah bayn al-manzilatayn) classifies Muslims who commit grave sins and die unrepentant as 'kafirs' (non-believers).
Answer: False
The 'Intermediate Position' (Al-Manzilah bayna al-Manzilatayn) specifically classifies Muslims who commit grave sins and die unrepentant as 'fasiq' (grave sinners), placing them in an intermediate state, neither full believers nor non-believers ('kafirs').
Mu'tazilites believed that human reason alone is sufficient to discern all aspects of right and wrong, making revelation largely redundant for moral guidance.
Answer: False
Mu'tazilites did not believe human reason alone was sufficient for all knowledge. They maintained that while reason could discern basic morality, revelation was still necessary for certain aspects of right and wrong, thus complementing, rather than being made redundant by, reason.
The 'first obligation' for adults in Mu'tazilism is to use their intellect to ascertain God's existence and attributes, even without prior encounter with a messenger or scripture.
Answer: True
In Mu'tazilism, the 'first obligation' (wujub al-nazar) for mentally capable adults is indeed to employ their intellect to discern God's existence and attributes, a duty considered mandatory even prior to encountering a divine messenger or scripture.
Ibrahim an-Nazzam, a Mu'tazili scholar, argued that God could order or permit a sin if it served a greater divine purpose.
Answer: False
Ibrahim an-Nazzam explicitly argued that God cannot order or permit any sin, as sins are inherently wrong. He believed that all that God commands is good by virtue of His command, reflecting an objective moral order.
Abd al-Jabbar explained that God does not commit ethically wrong acts because He is all-knowing of their immorality and is absolutely self-sufficient without them.
Answer: True
Abd al-Jabbar indeed explained that God abstains from ethically wrong acts because His omniscience makes Him aware of their immorality, and His absolute self-sufficiency means He has no need or deficiency that would lead Him to such actions.
According to Mu'tazilism, what is the primary source of evil in the world?
Answer: Errors in human actions arising from divinely bestowed free will
According to al-Khayyat and Abu al-Hudhayl, which of the following is one of the five basic tenets of the Mu'tazilite creed?
Answer: The intermediary position
How do Mu'tazilis explain the existence of suffering and inequality in the world in light of Divine justice?
Answer: They stem from human free will and are part of life's 'fair test'.
What is the Mu'tazili view on the fate of children who suffer, including those of non-believers?
Answer: They are destined to go to Paradise as recompense for their suffering.
What does the Mu'tazili principle of 'The Promise and the Threat' (al-wa'd wa l-wa'id) assert about God's commitments?
Answer: God is believed to be unwavering in His promises and warnings.
In Mu'tazili theology, what is the 'Intermediate Position' (Al-Manzilah bayn al-manzilatayn) for a Muslim who commits grave sins and dies without repentance?
Answer: They are considered 'fasiq' (grave sinners), neither believers nor non-believers.
What was the Mu'tazila's methodology of interpretation for scripture?
Answer: A synthesis of reason and revelation, validating allegorical readings when necessary.
What is considered the 'first obligation' for adults with full mental faculties according to Mu'tazilism?
Answer: To use intellectual power to ascertain God's existence and attributes.
How did the Mu'tazili view of the 'first obligation' ('al-nazar') differ from other Muslim theologians?
Answer: Mu'tazilis considered it mandatory even if one had not encountered a messenger or scripture.
What was Ibrahim an-Nazzam's stance on God's commands regarding sin?
Answer: No sin may be ordered or permitted by God because sins are inherently wrong.
Early Mu'tazilites accepted Hadith as a primary source of certain knowledge, provided the chain of transmitters (isnad) was strong.
Answer: False
Early Mu'tazilites were generally skeptical of Hadith, insisting on rigorous scrutiny of their content (matn) in addition to the chain of transmitters (isnad), and often requiring 'mutawatir' transmission for certainty, rather than accepting them as a primary source based solely on a strong isnad.
Wasil ibn Ata believed a report's veracity required four independent transmitters, drawing inspiration from juridical notions of multiple witnesses.
Answer: True
Wasil ibn Ata indeed established a criterion for a report's veracity, requiring four independent transmitters, a standard he derived from juridical principles concerning the sufficiency of multiple witnesses.
Ibrahim an-Nazzam was known for his profound skepticism, rejecting the trustworthiness of both single and 'mutawatir' Hadith reports, as well as consensus ('ijma').
Answer: True
Ibrahim an-Nazzam was indeed characterized by profound skepticism, extending to the rejection of both single and 'mutawatir' Hadith reports, as well as the trustworthiness of consensus ('ijma'), as sources of certain knowledge.
What was the Mu'tazili stance on the validity of Hadith reports?
Answer: They were skeptical and insisted on scrutinizing the content (matn), not just the chain (isnad).
What was Wasil ibn Ata's criterion for the veracity of a report, concerning the number of transmitters?
Answer: Four independent transmitters.
What was Ibrahim an-Nazzam's broader skepticism regarding Hadith and consensus ('ijma')?
Answer: He believed both single and 'mutawatir' Hadith, as well as consensus, could not be trusted for certain knowledge.
The Mu'tazila movement reached its political peak during the Umayyad Caliphate, where its doctrine was briefly enforced as state policy.
Answer: False
The Mu'tazila movement reached its political zenith during the Abbasid Caliphate, specifically during the 'mihna' (inquisition) from 833 to 851 CE, not the Umayyad Caliphate.
Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, the founder of the Ash'ari school, was a former Mu'tazili who later became a prominent opponent of Mu'tazili theology.
Answer: True
Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, the founder of the influential Ash'ari school, was indeed initially a Mu'tazili who subsequently became one of the most significant theological opponents of Mu'tazilite doctrines.
Caliph al-Ma'mun initiated the 'mihna', an 18-year period of religious persecution where Mu'tazila doctrine was enforced as state policy.
Answer: True
Caliph al-Ma'mun did indeed initiate the 'mihna', an 18-year period from 833 to 851 CE, during which Mu'tazilite doctrine was enforced as the official state policy, leading to religious persecution.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal willingly accepted and propagated the Mu'tazila creed during the Mihna to avoid imprisonment and torture.
Answer: False
Ahmad ibn Hanbal famously refused to accept and propagate the Mu'tazila creed during the Mihna, enduring imprisonment and torture for his steadfast opposition, rather than willingly conforming.
The Mihna policy was reversed by Caliph al-Mutawakkil in 851 CE, who sought to restore traditional Muslim faith and his legitimacy.
Answer: True
Caliph al-Mutawakkil did reverse the Mihna policy in 851 CE, motivated by a desire to reestablish traditional Muslim faith and bolster his own legitimacy, which had been undermined by the previous caliphs' enforcement of Mu'tazilism.
The Aghlabids in Ifriqiya were among the dynasties that adhered to Mu'tazilism and imposed it as state doctrine after the Mihna.
Answer: True
The Aghlabids in Ifriqiya were indeed one of the dynasties that adopted Mu'tazilism as their state doctrine, even after the Mihna period in the central Abbasid lands.
The Mongol Invasion was the sole reason for the disappearance of Mu'tazilite influence from Islamic society.
Answer: False
While the Mongol Invasion significantly contributed to the disappearance of Mu'tazilite influence, it was not the sole reason. It compounded the effects of earlier persecutions and marginalization by rival theological schools and caliphs.
During which historical period did the Mu'tazila movement achieve its greatest political influence?
Answer: The Abbasid Caliphate during the 'mihna'
Which Abbasid Caliph made Mu'tazilism the established faith during his reign, initiating the 'mihna'?
Answer: Al-Ma'mun
How long did the 'mihna' (inquisition) period, during which Mu'tazila doctrine was enforced as state policy, last?
Answer: 18 years
Which prominent Sunni jurist was imprisoned and tortured for refusing to accept the Mu'tazila creed during al-Ma'mun's Mihna?
Answer: Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Who reversed the Mihna policy in 851 CE, seeking to reestablish traditional Muslim faith?
Answer: Caliph al-Mutawakkil
Which of the following actions was taken against Mu'tazilites during the reign of Caliph al-Qadir?
Answer: A decree was issued to kill anyone openly adhering to Mu'tazilism.
What ultimately compounded the effects of earlier persecutions and led to the long-term disappearance of Mu'tazilite influence from Islamic society?
Answer: The Mongol Invasion
Mu'tazilism supported Jabriyya theology, which posits that all events are entirely predetermined by God, thereby rejecting human free will.
Answer: False
Mu'tazilism explicitly rejected Jabriyya theology and its doctrine of absolute divine predetermination. Instead, Mu'tazilis emphasized human free will and responsibility for their actions, directly opposing fatalistic views.
Mu'tazilite atomism, unlike Greek atomism, did not imply determinism and was used to reinforce concepts of responsibility and divine justice.
Answer: True
Mu'tazilite atomism was indeed distinct from Greek atomism in that it did not lead to determinism. Instead, it was employed within their theological framework to strengthen concepts of human responsibility, causality, and divine justice.
Mu'tazilis generally believed that Paradise and Hell had already been created and existed in the physical universe.
Answer: False
The majority of Mu'tazilis rejected the idea that Paradise and Hell had already been created, arguing that their existence awaited Judgment Day and would be created after the 'fana' (destruction of everything except God).
In Mu'tazilite atomism, 'accidents' (halq) were considered internal forces within atoms that caused their motion and changes in quality.
Answer: False
In Mu'tazilite atomism, 'accidents' (a'rad) were understood as entities separate from atoms, not internal forces. They were posited to explain motion and qualitative changes, such as the 'accident' of motion being present in an atom, rather than an inherent internal force.
How does Mu'tazilism's stance on causality relate to Jabriyya theology?
Answer: It rejects Jabriyya theology by asserting that humans create their own actions through free will.
What was a significant point of disagreement between Mu'tazila and their theological opponents concerning eschatology?
Answer: Whether Paradise and Hell had already been created.
Why did the Mu'tazila reject the Hadith promising the viewing of God's face in Paradise?
Answer: They argued that an immaterial, transcendent God is not visible.
Mu'tazilism persists today primarily in the Maghreb region, where its adherents refer to their creed as Wasiliyah.
Answer: True
Mu'tazilism does indeed persist in the Maghreb region today, with its adherents identifying their creed as Wasiliyah, a name derived from the school's founder, Wasil ibn Ata.
Muhammad Abduh, a key figure in Islamic Modernism, explicitly identified himself as a Mu'tazilite and sought to fully restore the school's historical prominence.
Answer: False
Muhammad Abduh, while a significant figure in Islamic Modernism who contributed to a revival of Mu'tazilite thought, did not explicitly identify himself as a Mu'tazilite or seek to fully restore the school's historical prominence in its classical form.
The 'Ankara School' is characterized by its emphasis on historical criticism and a revival of Mu'tazilite rationalism, initiated by Edip Yüksel's critical Hadith studies.
Answer: True
The 'Ankara School' is accurately characterized by its focus on historical criticism and a resurgence of Mu'tazilite rationalism, with its approach initiated by Edip Yüksel's critical examination of Hadith.
Which modern movement has been influenced by Mu'tazilism's emphasis on the Quran as the sole source of religious law?
Answer: The Quranist movement
Who initiated the 'Ankara School' approach, characterized by historical criticism and a revivification of Mu'tazilite rationality?
Answer: Edip Yüksel
Which prominent Arab Islamic philosopher was deeply influenced by the Mu'tazila, reflecting their rationalist approach?
Answer: Ismail al-Faruqi
How is the term 'Mu'tazilite' used in contemporary Salafi jihadism?
Answer: As an epithet by rival groups to undermine each other's credibility.