Research Article

Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya

Volume: 10 Number: 1 April 30, 2026
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Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya

Abstract

The concept of ḥikma (divine wisdom) signifies that God’s act of creation is neither ʿabath (futile) nor arbitrary, but unfolds according to a determinate wisdom and order. It has long occupied a cen-tral place in kalām discussions, particularly in relation to the divine acts (afʿāl Allāh). These debates address whether God’s acts are purposive, the extent to which divine wisdom is accessible to human reason, and how ḥikma relates to God’s absolute power. While these issues have been extensively treated in the classical literature, modern scholarship has largely examined individual theological schools in isolation, leaving comparative approaches relatively underdeveloped. This study aims to address this gap by analysing the conceptions of divine wisdom articulated by the Muʿtazila, the Māturīdiyya, and the Ashʿariyya within a comparative theological framework. It examines how each school accounts for the divine acts through key notions such as justice (ʿadl), benefit (maṣlaḥa), divine will (irāda), and debates over causality. The study shows that the Muʿtazila, drawing on ethi-cal rationalism, interpret divine acts in accordance with the principles of ṣalāḥ and aṣlaḥ, prioritising human benefit; that the Māturīdiyya affirm the non-futility of divine acts without reducing them to rational necessity; and that the Ashʿariyya approach ḥikma primarily through divine will and power, maintaining its limited intelligibility to human reason. By comparing these perspectives, the study seeks to contribute to a more integrated understanding of the God–human–cosmos relationship in kalām.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This research received no external funding.

Ethical Statement

This study is based on the analysis of published texts and publicly available sources. It did not involve human participants, animals, or the collection of personal/sensitive data. Therefore, formal ethical approval and informed consent were not required. The academic content, argumentation, data, interpretations, and referencing of this study were prepared by the author. After the manuscript was completed, QuillBot Premium (v40.8.3) was used solely for linguistic editing and final proofreading, focusing on English grammar, spelling, fluency of expression, and the consistency of technical terminology. The AI tool was not used to generate original academic content, produce interpretations, or create citations for any part of the manuscript. Full responsibility for the final text rests entirely with the author.

References

  1. Abū Zahra, Muḥammad. Tārīkh al-Madhāhib al-Islāmiyya fī al-Siyāsa wa-l-ʿAqāʾid wa-Tārīkh al-Madhāhib al-Fiqhiyya. Cairo: Dār al-Fikr al-ʿArabī, n.d.
  2. al-Ashʿarī, Abū al-Ḥasan. al-Ibāna wa-Usūl Ahl al-Sunna: Eşʿarî Akaidi. trans. Ramazan Biçer. Istanbul: Gelenek, 1st ed., 2010.
  3. al-Ashʿarī, Abū al-Ḥasan. Kitāb al-Lumaʿ fī al-Radd ʿalā Ahl al-Zaygh wa-al-Bidaʿ. Beirut: Dār Lubnān li-al-Ṭibāʿa wa-al-Nashr, 1987.
  4. al-Ashʿarī, Abū al-Ḥasan. Maqālāt al-Islāmiyyīn: İlk Dönem İslâm Mezhepleri. trans. Ömer Aydın. Istanbul: Türkiye Yazma Eserler Kurumu Başkanlığı, 2019.
  5. Arslan, Hulusi. “Ahlâkî Değerlerin Nesnelliği ve Öznelliği Açısından Muʿtezile ve Eşʿarîlik.” Hikmet Yurdu 9/17 (2016), 9–19. https://doi.org/10.17540/hy.v9i17.294.
  6. Arslan, Hulusi. “Maturîdî’ye Göre Evren ve İnsanın Yaratılış Hikmeti.” Hikmet Yurdu, İmam Mâtürîdî ve Mâtürîdîlik Özel Sayısı, 2/4 (July–December 2009), 71–90. https://doi.org/10.17540/hy.v2i4.64.
  7. Arslan, Hulusi. “Yaratma ve Gâyelilik Bağlamında Muʿtezile’nin Fayda Teorisi.” Kader 14/2 (10 September 2016), 343–360. https://doi.org/10.18317/kader.57191.
  8. Arslan, Hulusi, and Mustafa Bozkurt. Sistematik Kelâm. Malatya: Ensar Neşriyat, 2018.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Comparative Religious Studies , Religious Studies (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

April 30, 2026

Submission Date

January 9, 2026

Acceptance Date

April 21, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 10 Number: 1

APA
Kuyucu, M. (2026). Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya. Tefsir Araştırmaları Dergisi, 10(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.31121/tader.1860014
AMA
1.Kuyucu M. Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya. TADER. 2026;10(1):1-19. doi:10.31121/tader.1860014
Chicago
Kuyucu, Mehmet. 2026. “Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya”. Tefsir Araştırmaları Dergisi 10 (1): 1-19. https://doi.org/10.31121/tader.1860014.
EndNote
Kuyucu M (April 1, 2026) Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya. Tefsir Araştırmaları Dergisi 10 1 1–19.
IEEE
[1]M. Kuyucu, “Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya”, TADER, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1–19, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.31121/tader.1860014.
ISNAD
Kuyucu, Mehmet. “Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya”. Tefsir Araştırmaları Dergisi 10/1 (April 1, 2026): 1-19. https://doi.org/10.31121/tader.1860014.
JAMA
1.Kuyucu M. Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya. TADER. 2026;10:1–19.
MLA
Kuyucu, Mehmet. “Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya”. Tefsir Araştırmaları Dergisi, vol. 10, no. 1, Apr. 2026, pp. 1-19, doi:10.31121/tader.1860014.
Vancouver
1.Mehmet Kuyucu. Classical Theological Schools and the Conception of Divine Wisdom (Ḥikma): A Comparative Study of the Muʿtazila, the Ashʿariyya, and the Māturīdiyya. TADER. 2026 Apr. 1;10(1):1-19. doi:10.31121/tader.1860014