کلامی مسائل میں امام آمدی اور امام نسفی کا اسلوب: ایک تقابلی جائزہ

Theological Approaches of Imām ʼĀmidī and Imām Nasafī: A Comparative Study

Abstract

This article presents a comparative theological study of two prominent scholars of Islamic kalām, Imām Saif al-Dīn al-Āmidī (d. 631 AH) and Imām ʿAbd Allāh al-Nasafī (d. 710 AH), representing the Ashʿarī and Māturīdī schools, respectively. The authors explore their methodologies in engaging theological questions, particularly in relation to the epistemology of divine knowledge, the nature of God’s attributes, eschatology, the legitimacy of reason in matters of faith, and the scope of human agency. Al-Āmidī, deeply influenced by Aristotelian logic and the works of al-Ghazālī and Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, emphasizes rational inquiry and methodical reasoning, frequently integrating logical premises with revelatory proofs. In contrast, al-Nasafī, though not devoid of rational argumentation, gives precedence to transmitted knowledge (naql) and limits speculative reasoning to maintain doctrinal integrity. The article elucidates key differences and convergences in their approaches to theological issues such as the divine essence and attributes, the vision of God in the hereafter (ruʾyat
Allāh), the interpretation of ambiguous Qurʾānic texts (mutashābihāt), and the epistemological status of miracle and prophecy. The study concludes that while both scholars uphold orthodox Sunni doctrines, their methodological orientations reflect distinctive intellectual legacies within kalām: one leaning toward philosophical-theological synthesis, and the other toward a more scripturally anchored exposition.