Rational Proofs from the First Principle:
Establishing God's Existence through Syllogistic Reasoning in Rational Theology From Kamāl ad-Dīn Ibn Humām’s
al-Musāyarah
FREE SEMINAR
Background
Al-Musāyarah fī al-ʿAqāʾid al-Munjiyah fī al-Ākhirah by ʿAllāmah Kamāl al-Dīn Ibn Humām (d. 861 AH) is a foundational text in Islamic theology. This text emerged during the period of Mazj (700–900 AH), a significant phase marking an era of convergence between the Māturīdī and Ashʿarī Schools of Sunni doctrine. This text contains four Integrals coupled with an introduction on the definition of ʿilm al-kalām and an ending (khātimah) on Īmān and Islām. The four integrals are:
Knowledge of Allah,
Knowledge of His Attributes,
Knowledge of the Acts of Allah, and
Textually Transmitted Beliefs.
Each Integral is divided into ten principles.
What is the seminar about?
In this seminar, we will delve into the rational proof for the existence of God, as presented in the First Principle from the First Integral. Our exploration will cover key discussions in kalām, including:
The rationale for presenting rational proofs for God's existence in kalām works.
A detailed explanation of foundational principles and rules of logic from Mīr Sayyid Jurjānī’s Kubrā.
An introduction to syllogistic reasoning in the context of Islamic rational theology.
The necessity of a Cause
The role of clarifications in understanding self-evident knowledge
Proving the temporality of the universe
A synthesis of these discussions to demonstrate the rational necessity of God's existence.
Exploring the Farangī Mahall Tradition and Our Upcoming al-Musāyarah Programme
Following this, we will briefly discuss the significance of late-classical curricula, particularly the Farangī Mahall tradition, and works such as al-Musāyarah. We will explore the pedagogical framework needed to approach these texts and intellectual traditions.
The seminar will conclude with an overview of our al-Musyarah programme, followed by a Q&A session to address any queries related to the course.
Learn more about our upcoming al-Musyarah programme here: https://www.khairabadiinstitute.com/musayarah
About the Author: Imām Ibn al-Humām
Kamāl al-Dīn Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Wāḥid b. ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd Ibn al-Humām (790–861/1388–1457) was born in Alexandria and was a prominent Ḥanafī jurist and theologian.
He is well known for his work al-Musāyarah, a major work in ʿilm al-kalām based on the topical headings of Imām al-Ghazālī's al-Risālah al-Qudsiyyah fī Qawāʾid al-ʿAqāʾid
Al-Shawkānī noted that Ibn Humām surpassed many of his teachers in insight and precision of thought, highlighting his unique position as a major scholar in the Māturīdī period of Mazj.
About the Instructor
Mawlanā Mubashir is the founder of Khairabadi Institute. He began his studies at Jamʻia al-Karam at age eleven. He advanced his education at Dārul Qurrāʼ & Islamic Research Centre in England, and in Istanbul, studying with scholars from diverse backgrounds. He furthered his knowledge at Dār al-ʻUlūm Muḥammadiyyah Ghawthiyyah and Jamʻia Qādiriyyah in Pakistan. Throughout his studies Mawlanā Mubashir received ʼijāzahs from renowned scholars tracing back to the likes of ʼImām Fazl-i Haq Khairābādī and ʼImām al-Ghazālī. With extensive teaching experience across various institutions, he has profoundly impacted his students.
Shaykh Muhammad Mubashir Iqbal
Founder
Seminar Details
Date: Sunday 15 December 2024
Time: 7PM GMT
Duration: 2 hours
Fees: Free
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