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Usul al-Din: Difference between revisions
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'''Usul al-Din''' (اصول الدین) or | '''Usul al-Din''' (اصول الدین) or "Principles of Religion" contrary to Furu' al-Din or "Minor Issues of Religion" are a set of essential beliefs in Islam, which every Muslim needs to believe in; otherwise, he would not be considered a Muslim, i.e. rejecting each of these principles implies blasphemy and results in punishment in the hereafter. | ||
From Shia viewpoint, oneness [of God], prophethood, justice [of God], imamate and resurrection are the principles needed to be believed in to reach ultimate happiness. However, the two principles of justice and imamate can be considered separate from the other three, since if one rejects oneness, prophethood and resurrection is basically not a Muslim, but if he rejects justice and imamate, then he is a Muslim but not a Shia and distances from genuine Islam. Therefore, the two principle of justice and imamate are called Principles of School. | From Shia viewpoint, oneness [of God], prophethood, justice [of God], imamate and resurrection are the principles needed to be believed in to reach ultimate happiness. However, the two principles of justice and imamate can be considered separate from the other three, since if one rejects oneness, prophethood and resurrection is basically not a Muslim, but if he rejects justice and imamate, then he is a Muslim but not a Shia and distances from genuine Islam. Therefore, the two principle of justice and imamate are called Principles of School. | ||
Most religious scholars believe that contrary to | Most religious scholars believe that contrary to Furu' al-Din, Taqlid (emulation) is not permissible in Usul al-Din and everyone needs to think about these principles for himself and accepts them through certainty (not assumption). | ||
== Meaning of Usul al-Din == | == Meaning of Usul al-Din == | ||
Usul al-Din refers to two different senses: first sense commonly includes all Islamic theological principles opposite to minor issues in religion. In this sense, Usul al-Din are theological principles which are to be thought about and | Usul al-Din refers to two different senses: first sense commonly includes all Islamic theological principles opposite to minor issues in religion. In this sense, Usul al-Din are theological principles which are to be thought about and Furu' al-Din are those issues which are to be observed, whether they need to be followed or abandoned. | ||
Its other sense refers to the three or five theological principles of oneness [of God], prophethood, justice [of God], imamate and resurrection. However often, the three principles of oneness, prophethood and resurrection are called principles of religion and the two principles of justice and imamate are called principles of School (School of Twelver Shia); yet sometimes, all of them together have been called principles of religion. | Its other sense refers to the three or five theological principles of oneness [of God], prophethood, justice [of God], imamate and resurrection. However often, the three principles of oneness, prophethood and resurrection are called principles of religion and the two principles of justice and imamate are called principles of School (School of Twelver Shia); yet sometimes, all of them together have been called principles of religion. | ||
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Sometimes, Usul al-Din has been used to address a more general sense; for example, it has been used to refer to the science of Kalam [Islamic theology]. | Sometimes, Usul al-Din has been used to address a more general sense; for example, it has been used to refer to the science of Kalam [Islamic theology]. | ||
== Usul al-Din in the | == Usul al-Din in the Qur'an and Tradition == | ||
This title has been used by theologians and neither exists in the | This title has been used by theologians and neither exists in the Qur'an, nor in hadiths, is any classification of religious sciences as principles and other issues. | ||
However, there are hadiths in which it is mentioned that Islam has principles; for example, in a hadith, Imam Sadiq (a) was asked | However, there are hadiths in which it is mentioned that Islam has principles; for example, in a hadith, Imam Sadiq (a) was asked "what are principles? And what are the issues everyone needs to have knowledge about, should not be ignorant about, otherwise whose beliefs would be spoiled and God would not accept his deeds and if anyone knows them and acts upon them, his religion would be corrected and his deeds would be accepted? Imam answered, ‘declaring belief in oneness of God, prophethood of the Prophet (s), acknowledging what is revealed from God, paying Zakat and acknowledging Wilayah of the Progeny of Muhammad (s), among whom Wilayah is of special importance." | ||
In another hadith, Imam al-Baqir (a) says, | In another hadith, Imam al-Baqir (a) says, "Islam has five pillars of daily prayers, Zakat, Fasting, Hajj and Wilayah which is most important of all." Such hadiths show that some Islamic beliefs are such that rejecting them results in rejecting Islam, while the rest of beliefs are not as such. | ||
== Deep Religious Conviction or Mere Conjecture == | == Deep Religious Conviction or Mere Conjecture == | ||
There is no disagreement over the necessity of believing in Usul al-Din, but there are different opinions about whether believing in Usul al-Din needs to be based on assured knowledge or conjectural knowledge is just enough; and also different opinions over the former, that such assured knowledge needs to be acquired through reasoning or emulation is enough. Most scholars think that believing in Usul al-Din needs to be based on assured knowledge and the faith upon conjecture is not enough. | There is no disagreement over the necessity of believing in Usul al-Din, but there are different opinions about whether believing in Usul al-Din needs to be based on assured knowledge or conjectural knowledge is just enough; and also different opinions over the former, that such assured knowledge needs to be acquired through reasoning or emulation is enough. Most scholars think that believing in Usul al-Din needs to be based on assured knowledge and the faith upon conjecture is not enough. | ||
They justify their theory using verse of the | They justify their theory using verse of the Qur'an and hadiths which criticize following conjecture such as "indeed conjecture is no substitute for the truth." (10:36); "They follow nothing but conjectures and they do nothing but surmise." (6:116); "and they only make conjectures." (45:24). | ||
Against this opinion, some other scholars have considered a strong conjecture for believing in Usul al-Din enough and have said that a strong conjecture makes the heart tranquil and that in the view of religion, a true knowledge is not beneficial if not resulted in tranquility of the heart. Therefore, what is necessary with regards to believing in Usul al-Din is receiving certainty at the heart which is commonly called certitude. In certitude, there is no absolute protection from mistake; however, it is disregarded since it is weak, contrary to logical certitude, in which there is no possibility of conjecture. | Against this opinion, some other scholars have considered a strong conjecture for believing in Usul al-Din enough and have said that a strong conjecture makes the heart tranquil and that in the view of religion, a true knowledge is not beneficial if not resulted in tranquility of the heart. Therefore, what is necessary with regards to believing in Usul al-Din is receiving certainty at the heart which is commonly called certitude. In certitude, there is no absolute protection from mistake; however, it is disregarded since it is weak, contrary to logical certitude, in which there is no possibility of conjecture. | ||
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According to the common opinion of Twelver Shia scholars, the five mentioned principles are defined as following: | According to the common opinion of Twelver Shia scholars, the five mentioned principles are defined as following: | ||
# Tawhid (Oneness of God): knowing God and acknowledging the fact that from pre-existence to post-eternity, He exists and is Necessary Existent and acknowledging positive attributes of God such as infinite power, knowledge, and existence and rejecting His negative attributes such as ignorance, inability and believing in the fact that | # Tawhid (Oneness of God): knowing God and acknowledging the fact that from pre-existence to post-eternity, He exists and is Necessary Existent and acknowledging positive attributes of God such as infinite power, knowledge, and existence and rejecting His negative attributes such as ignorance, inability and believing in the fact that God's attributes are the same as His essence and that He has no attribute extra to His essence. | ||
# Justice [of God]: knowing that God is Just and Wise, meaning that He does not do any wrong and does not abandon any proper act. God is not consent with the wrong humans do and in fact, humans do anything using the power God has given them and therefore, they hold the absolute responsibility for their actions, good or bad. | # Justice [of God]: knowing that God is Just and Wise, meaning that He does not do any wrong and does not abandon any proper act. God is not consent with the wrong humans do and in fact, humans do anything using the power God has given them and therefore, they hold the absolute responsibility for their actions, good or bad. | ||
# Prophethood: acknowledging the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (s) and what has been revealed to him. However, there is a disagreement on whether generally acknowledging the issues the Prophet (s) has said as revelation or one needs to acknowledge the revelation in details. It is to note that some Twelver Shia scholars have also deemed it necessary for one to believe that the Prophet (s) was infallible and that he (s) was the last prophet. | # Prophethood: acknowledging the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (s) and what has been revealed to him. However, there is a disagreement on whether generally acknowledging the issues the Prophet (s) has said as revelation or one needs to acknowledge the revelation in details. It is to note that some Twelver Shia scholars have also deemed it necessary for one to believe that the Prophet (s) was infallible and that he (s) was the last prophet. | ||
# Imamate: Acknowledging imamate of the twelve imams (a). All Twelver Shia theologians agree on this as it has been considered one of the two required principles of Shia. All imams are infallible and guardians of religion and guide humans towards the truth and everyone needs to obey them. The Twelfth Imam (a) is alive, who disappeared but one day he (a) will reappear by the permission of God. | # Imamate: Acknowledging imamate of the twelve imams (a). All Twelver Shia theologians agree on this as it has been considered one of the two required principles of Shia. All imams are infallible and guardians of religion and guide humans towards the truth and everyone needs to obey them. The Twelfth Imam (a) is alive, who disappeared but one day he (a) will reappear by the permission of God. | ||
# Resurrection: This principle suggests that humans will be resurrected one day and their good and bad actions will be judged. All Muslims believe in physical resurrection which suggests that the body to which humans will be resurrected is physical. | # Resurrection: This principle suggests that humans will be resurrected one day and their good and bad actions will be judged. All Muslims believe in physical resurrection which suggests that the body to which humans will be resurrected is physical. | ||