Glossary

The moral and theological responsibility of a legally responsible individual (mukallaf) before God for their actions, based on divine justice.
QOM1

Acquisition Theory of Human Action, The *kasb* doctrine, which holds that human actions are created by God but acquired by individuals through intention and effort.

The eschatological reality following death, including resurrection, judgment, and eternal reward or punishment in accordance with divine justice.

Annihilation of the Self, The *fanāʾ* doctrine in Sufism and kalām, where the self dissolves in divine presence, leading to pure servitude.

A rejection of human attempts to justify divine wisdom in the presence of evil, sometimes considered an approach that prioritizes submission over rational explanation.

A theological school that upholds the transcendence and uncreated nature of divine attributes, affirms kasb (acquisition) in human actions, and upholds divine command theory.

Authentic Faith through Inquiry and Verification, Faith established through rational investigation and certainty, considered the highest form of belief (*īmān taḥqīqī*).

Blind Imitation in Faith (Inauthentic Faith), Accepting religious beliefs without evidence or intellectual verification, discouraged in *ʿIlm al-Kalām* in favor of reasoned belief (*taḥqīq*).

The reconstitution of human bodies in the Hereafter, affirming that the soul and body will be reunited for divine judgment.

Capability in Relation to Free Will, The theological concept (*istiṭāʿa*) that humans have the ability to act but ultimately depend on God’s creation of their actions.

A proof for God's existence based on the principle that all contingent beings require a necessary cause, which is ultimately God.

Declaring Apostasy, The theological act of *takfīr*, pronouncing someone outside the fold of Islam, a serious judgment requiring strict conditions in Sunnī kalām.

The divine preordainment (qadar) of all things, balancing God’s absolute knowledge and will with human moral responsibility.

The doctrine that all actions and events occur due to divine causality, though Sunnī theology rejects absolute determinism in favor of kasb.

The execution of God’s will in creation without intermediary necessity, affirming that God directly creates all causes and effects.

The eternal, inherent qualities of God that are neither identical to nor separate from His essence, including life, knowledge, power, and will.

The obligatory moral law established by God's will, forming the basis of ethical obligations.

The conveyance of God's message to His creation through revelation, either directly or via prophets.

Divine Decree and Predestination, The doctrine (*qaḍāʾ wa qadar*) that all events are known and determined by God, though human choices remain morally significant.

Divine Discourse, The communication of God’s eternal speech (*kalām*) to humanity through revelation, without resembling human speech in modality.

Divine Inspirations, The concept (*wāridāt*) of spiritual insights or divine knowledge granted to purified souls.

God's direct involvement in worldly affairs through miracles and guidance without violating the established order of creation.

The principle that God is just and does not wrong His creation, ensuring reward and punishment based on divine wisdom.

The essence of God as absolutely transcendent, indivisible, and incomparable to created beings.

God's absolute ability to do all things that are rationally possible, without constraint.

Divine Self-Disclosure, The unveiling of divine realities (*tanazzulāt*) through creation, revelation, or mystical experience, without compromising divine transcendence.

The eternal attribute of God by which He communicates revelation, not resembling human speech in its modality.

The doctrine of God's absolute oneness (tawḥīd), denying any division, multiplicity, or likeness to creation.

God's perfect knowledge and purpose in all actions, ensuring that creation is arranged in the best possible way.

Encompassing Divine Knowledge, The belief (*iḥāṭa*) that God’s knowledge fully comprehends all past, present, and future realities without limitation.

The intellectual flaws that obstruct knowledge, including bias, arrogance, and deliberate misrepresentation of theological truths.

The intellectual habits that lead to sound knowledge, such as truthfulness (ṣidq), rational consistency, and sincerity in seeking knowledge.

The theory of knowledge, examining the sources and certainty of theological beliefs, including revelation, reason, and sensory experience.

Essential Divine Attributes, The inherent qualities of God, such as knowledge, power, and will, which are uncreated and necessary to His being.

The principle that belief must be based on rational evidence, upheld in Sunnī theology through arguments for God’s existence and prophecy.

The absence or privation of good, permitted by God within divine wisdom and providence but not attributable to Him as an essential act.

Expansion of the Chest (Spiritual Readiness), The concept (*sharḥ al-ṣadr*) that God grants inner illumination and readiness to accept divine truth.

The belief that human actions are entirely predetermined without moral agency, a view rejected by Sunnī kalām in favor of kasb.

The claim that religious belief is independent of reason, opposed in classical kalām, which upholds rational justification for faith.

The capacity to choose actions within the framework of divine causality, explained through the theory of kasb.

The spiritual faculty responsible for faith (īmān) and perception of divine realities beyond rational comprehension.

The voluntary acts of a morally responsible individual, acquired (kasb) by human intention but created by God.

The role of human beings in making moral choices, upheld within a framework of divine preordination.

The inherent characteristics of human beings, including rationality, moral inclination, and susceptibility to guidance or misguidance.

The natural inclination (fiṭra) implanted by God within human beings to recognize and seek the truth.

Inward and Outward Dimensions of Reality, The theological concept (*bāṭin wa ẓāhir*) that reality consists of both an apparent (*ẓāhir*) and a hidden (*bāṭin*) aspect.

Islamic Creed, The foundational beliefs of Islam (*ʿaqīda*), including divine oneness, prophethood, and eschatology, formulated through *ʿIlm al-Kalām*.

The discipline that systematizes legal rulings derived from divine revelation and human reasoning in accordance with God's commands.

The body of divine rulings regulating human conduct in accordance with God’s will.

The systematic discipline (ʿilm al-kalām) that rationally defends and articulates Islamic doctrinal beliefs.

The process by which knowledge, particularly religious teachings, is conveyed through reliable chains of narration (tawātur).

Leadership (Theological Concept), The doctrine of *imāma* in Sunnī theology, which emphasizes the role of rightful leadership in preserving religious and social order.

That which is necessarily true and cannot be otherwise, a foundational concept in theological proofs for God’s existence.

Manifestation of Divine Attributes, The theological and mystical principle (*tajallī*) that God’s attributes are reflected in creation while remaining transcendent.

The philosophical position that reality is solely composed of matter, rejected in Islamic theology in favor of dualism between body and soul.

A Sunnī theological school emphasizing rational knowledge as a source of belief and advocating divine justice within qadar.

Individuals chosen by God to deliver divine revelation, distinguished from prophets by their obligation to bring a new law.

The study of reality beyond the physical world, including God’s existence, the soul, and the unseen.

The philosophical question of the relationship between the soul (rūḥ) and body, addressed in kalām through the dualist view.

Supernatural occurrences granted by God to prophets as a proof of their truthfulness.

Duties imposed by divine law, understood in kalām as deriving from God’s will rather than inherent ethical necessity.

The obligation of human beings to act righteously, based on their ability to choose within divine preordination.

The system of ethical values rooted in divine command and rational discernment.

Mystical Knowledge, Knowledge (*maʿrifa*) gained through spiritual purification and divine illumination, distinct from rational or empirical knowledge.

Necessary Existence (God), The concept that God exists necessarily (*wājib al-wujūd*), meaning His existence is not contingent but self-sustaining.

Attributes denying imperfection in God, such as His transcendence (tanzīh) and lack of dependence on creation.

The overarching aims (maqāṣid) of Sharīʿa, such as the preservation of life, religion, intellect, lineage, and property.

The argument that God's existence is necessary by definition, considered secondary in classical kalām to cosmological proofs.

The persistence of the human self, which remains accountable before God despite bodily changes.

Attributes affirming God’s perfection, such as knowledge (ʿilm), power (qudra), and will (irāda), which are uncreated and eternal.

Predestination, The divine preordainment (*qadar*) of all things, encompassing both divine knowledge and decree (*qaḍāʾ*), while allowing for human accountability.

Proper Spiritual Etiquette, The practice (*adab*) of maintaining reverence and discipline in spiritual pursuits, ensuring proper conduct before God and creation.

The reception of divine revelation by chosen individuals to guide humanity.

The institution through which God conveys guidance to mankind, culminating in the finality of Muḥammad ﷺ.

The moral and spiritual excellences unique to the prophets, including truthfulness, trustworthiness, and infallibility.

God’s governing of creation through wisdom, ensuring that everything ultimately leads to the intended divine purpose.

Purification of the Soul, The process (*tazkiyat al-nafs*) of cleansing the soul from sin and cultivating virtue through divine obedience.

The ethical endeavor to align one's actions with divine law and moral perfection.

The uncreated speech of God, revealed to the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ as final guidance for humanity.

Knowledge attained through reason and intellectual reflection, validated in kalām as a necessary component of faith.

The attainment of true submission to God through faith, knowledge, and righteous action.

The faculty of intellect (ʿaql) by which theological truths can be comprehended and defended.

The argument that belief in God can be properly basic, contested in Sunnī kalām which emphasizes rational justification.

Religious Innovation, Any newly introduced practice (*bidʿa*) that lacks basis in revelation, with theological debate on its classification as praiseworthy or blameworthy.

Knowledge pertaining to theology, law, and spirituality as revealed through divine guidance.

Remembrance of God, The practice (*dhikr*) of recalling God through recitation, reflection, and awareness, considered a means of attaining closeness to Him.

Divine communication to prophets, considered the highest source of knowledge.

Knowledge derived from empirical experience, recognized as a valid but limited source in theology.

The immaterial essence of a human being, distinct from the body and subject to resurrection.

Spiritual Discipline, The process of refining one's soul through worship, self-restraint, and ethical purification, aligning one's inner state with divine commands.

Spiritual Knowledge, Knowledge acquired through divine illumination, direct experience (*maʿrifa*), or deep reflection upon revelation and creation.

Spiritual Nurturing & Growth, The process of cultivating one's soul and character through adherence to divine law (*sharīʿa*) and the pursuit of inner excellence (*iḥsān*).

Spiritual Subsistence, The state of *baqāʾ*, where after *fanāʾ*, the individual remains in creation while fully realizing divine presence.

Spiritualism, The belief in a metaphysical reality beyond the material world, emphasizing the soul’s journey toward divine proximity.

Suffering, The experience of hardship as part of divine testing (*ibtilāʾ*), purification, or expiation of sins, understood within the framework of divine wisdom.

Optional acts of devotion performed during the night for spiritual elevation.

Supra-Natural Events, Events that occur beyond natural laws, including miracles (*muʿjizāt*) for prophets, and divine favors (*karāmāt*) for the righteous.

Repentance, The act of *tawba*, turning back to God with sincerity, recognized as a necessary step for divine forgiveness and purification.

Teleological Argument, A rational proof for God's existence based on the order and purposefulness (*ghāʾiyya*) observed in creation, pointing to an intelligent designer.

Teleological Necessity, The concept that all things in existence have an ultimate purpose, known only to God, supporting divine wisdom (*ḥikma*).

Testimony, The transmission of knowledge through successive, reliable reports (*tawātur*), used in theology to establish certainty about revelation and prophetic traditions.

The Spiritual Secret, The concept (*sirr*) that the heart contains a hidden reality known only to God, sometimes linked to divine inspiration.

Theistic Proofs, Rational arguments demonstrating God's existence, including cosmological, ontological, and teleological proofs, as developed in *ʿIlm al-Kalām*.

Theodicy, The theological explanation of why evil and suffering exist under a just and omnipotent God, often framed within divine wisdom and human moral responsibility.

Unity of Divine Attributes, The belief that God’s attributes (*ṣifāt*) are neither separate from nor identical to His essence, but exist eternally without change.

Universal Principles of Living, The overarching moral and theological foundations derived from divine revelation that govern ethical human conduct.

Wisdom, The divine attribute (*ḥikma*) by which God orders creation in the most perfect manner, ensuring that all things serve a greater purpose.

Witnessing Divine Reality, The direct perception (*shuhūd*) of divine truths through faith and certainty, a concept in both kalām and Sufism.