The Forgotten Rational Thinking in the Ḥanbalite Thought With Special Reference to Ibn Taymiyya

Abstract

The reputation of Ḥanbalite thinkers among academicians is one of an aggressive opponent to other Islamic fields of thought. They refute the scholars of Muslim theology, philosophy and mysticism on the basis of pure Islamic faith, represented they believe by the pious ancestors (al-salaf al-ṣāliḥ). According to the Ḥanbalites, true Islamic belief can only be derived from the Qurʾan, the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad and the first generation of companions. Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728 AH/1328 CE), the subject of this discussion belonged to the Ḥanbalite school of thought in Islam and was regarded as their most prominent representative. He has indeed come to be known as the father of the salafī 1 doctrine.Key words: Ḥanbalite, Ibn Taymiyya, Islamic philosophy, Qur’an, sunna, generation (ḥudūth), divine will and knowledge, kalam, God’s essence, reason, eternal creation, God’s attributes, genera and species, Ashʿarite and Muʿtazilite.