Ismah Ismah or ‘Isma (عِصْمَة; literally, “protection”) is the concept of incorruptible innocence, immunity from sin, or moral infallibility in Islamic theology, and which is especially prominent in Shia Islam. In Shia theology, ‘ismah is characteristic of prophets, imams, and angels. When attributed to human beings, ismah means “the ability of avoiding acts of disobedience, in spite of having...
Challenge Of The Quran The challenge of the Quran or Tahaddi (التحدي في القرآن, al-tahaddi fi al-Quran), in Islamic theology, refers to a challenge proposed in the Quran. It requests non-Muslims among both humans and jinn to produce either a chapter or multiple chapters like those within the holy book, with the aim of proving the...
What Is Iman? Iman (إِيمَان ʾīmān, faith or belief) in Islamic theology denotes a believer’s faith in the metaphysical aspects of Islam. Its most simple definition is the belief in the six axioms of faith, known as arkān al-īmān. The term iman has been delineated in both the Quran and hadith. According to the Quran, iman must be accompanied by righteous deeds and...
Islamic Theology Islamic theology is derived from the expression “Word of God” (Kalām Allāh) found in the Qur’an. The Arabic term Kalām means “speech, word, utterance” among other things. Ilm al-Kalam (عِلْم الكَلام, literally “science of discourse”), usually foreshortened to Kalam and sometimes called “Islamic scholastic theology”, is the study of Islamic doctrine (‘aqa’id). It...
Traditionalist Theology (Islam) Traditionalist theology or Athari (الأثرية—al-Aṯharīya) is an Islamic scholarly movement, originating in the late 8th century CE, who rejects rationalistic Islamic theology (kalam) in favor of strict textualism in interpreting the Quran and hadith. The name derives from “tradition” in its technical sense as a translation of the Arabic...
Islam And Racism This article covers the relationship between Islam and racism. The “Unity” is the basis of Islamic theology. and therefore “Unity” is the ground of its philosophy of society. All humanity is one; a great unit. Its individuals are members of one society incorporate, which is so comprehensive...
The Theology Of History The concept of a theology of history as distinct from a philosophy of history raises problems that affect our understanding of the field. Loose, ambivalent use of both terms is not uncommon. Several reasons may account for the confusion: (1) there is some question about the...
Islamic Philosophy In the religion of Islam, two words are sometimes translated as philosophy—falsafa (literally: “philosophy”), which refers to philosophy as well as logic, mathematics, and physics; and Kalam (literally “speech”), which refers to a rationalist form of Islamic philosophy and theology based on the interpretations as developed by medieval Muslim philosophers. Islamic philosophy has also...
What Is Akhlaq? Akhlaq (أخلاق) is the practice of virtue, morality and manners in Islamic theology and falsafah (philosophy). Overview Akhlaq is most commonly translated in English dictionaries as: disposition, nature, temper, ethics, morals or manners (of a person). It is the plural of the word khulq which means disposition. “Disposition” is a faculty (malakah) of the soul...
What Is Jinn? This article covers the answer to the question: “What Is Jinn?“ Jinn (الجن, al-jinn), also Romanized as djinn or Anglicized as genies (with the more broad meaning of spirits or demons, depending on the source) are supernatural creatures in Islam. Besides the jinn, Islam acknowledges the existence of demons...