Usul al-Din: Difference between revisions

The principles of Islam consist in [[monotheism]], the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (s), and the Resurrection.<ref>Miṣbāḥ Yazdī, ''Āmūzish ʿAqāʾid'', p. 14.</ref> Anyone who believes in these three doctrines is considered to be a Muslim, and anyone who does not believe in any of these doctrines is not considered as a Muslim.<ref>Guzashta, "Uṣūl-i dīn", p. 282.</ref> However, there are disagreements among Muslims with respect to the details of these principles. For instance, the majority of Shiite and [[Mu'tazila]] theologians believe in the identification of God's Attributes with His Essence, but [[Ash'aris]] maintain that God's Attributes are over and above, and external to, His Essence.<ref>Suḥānī, ''Muḥāḍirāt'', p. 53-54.</ref>

The majority of scholars require certainty with respect to the principles of the religion.<ref>Anṣārī, ''Farāʾid al-uṣūl'', vol. 1, p. 553.</ref> In his book, ''[[al-Bab al-hadi 'ashar]]'', [[al-'Allama al-Hilli]] claimed that scholars had [[consensus]] over this requirement,<ref>Ḥillī, ''al-Bāb al-ḥādī ʿashar'', p. 1.</ref> but [[al-Shaykh al-Ansari]] cited other views in this regard as well,<ref>Anṣārī, ''Farāʾid al-uṣūl'', vol. 1, p. 553, 554.</ref> such as the view according to which it is sufficient to presume, or have probabilistic knowledge (zann) of, the principles of the religion. According to al-Shaykh al-Ansari, it is implied by what is quoted from [[al-Muhaqqiq al-Ardabili]] and his student, [[Sahib al-Madarik]], as well as by the writings of [[al-Shaykh al-Baha'i]], [[al-'Allama al-Majlisi]], and [[Fayd Kashani]], that if a person merely presumes the principles of the religion, then he or she counts as a Muslim.<ref>Anṣārī, Farāʾid al-uṣūl, vol. 1, p. 553, 554.</ref>

Al-Shaykh al-Ansari himself holds, in his ''[[al-Rasa'il]]'', that the mere presumption of the principles of the religion is not sufficient for counting as a believer, and that given many hadiths implying the requirement of knowledge, one is obliged to inquire about such principles in order to achieve certainty, if possible. According to al-Shaykh al-Ansari, a person who has not achieved certainty is not a believer, because according to hadiths, knowledge is required for faith. However, such a person does not count as an unbeliever either, because there are many hadiths implying that some Muslims are neither believers, nor unbelievers.

According to [[al-Shahid al-Thani]] in ''Haqa'iq al-iman'', almost all Muslim scholars believe that it is not permissible to [[taqlid|follow]] other people in the principles of the religion, because the belief in such principles should be with certainty, but following other people does not provide one with certainty.

Al-Shaykh al-Ansari has reported that the majority of scholars believe that it is obligatory to inquire about and argue for the principles of the religion. However, there are other views here as well. For example, some scholars hold that taqlid or following other people with respect to the principles of the religion is permissible if it yields knowledge. Al-Shaykh al-Ansari himself believes that taqlid in Islamic principles is permissible, because what is required for faith by hadiths is knowledge, and not inquiry. Moreover, because of many doubts about the principles of the belief, one cannot obtain certainty even after a great deal of inquiry. [[Al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] also believes that a person who cannot personally inquire about the principles of the religion can follow a scholar in this regard.

Today, the first issue that appears in books of [[tawdih al-masa'il]] (or manuals of Islamic laws) is taqlid in the principles of the religion. According to the [[fatwa]]s of [[marja']]s, a Muslim should believe in the principles of the religion with certainty and on the basis of arguments. However, some marja's, such as [[Sayyid Muhammad Rida Gulpayigani]], [[Sayyid 'Ali Sistani]], and [[Lutf Allah Safi Gulpayigani]], have added that if one obtains certainty in the principles of the religion, even without any arguments or reasoning, then they count as Muslims.  

* The material for this article is mainly taken from {{ia|[[:fa:اصول دین|اصول دین]]}} in Farsi WikiShia.

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