A Consideration and Critique of the Validity of the Principle of Grace

Document Type : The Quarterly Jornal

Author

Assistant professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Kalam, Allameh Tabatabaʿi University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The majority of Shiite and Muʿtazilite theologians have endorsed the validity of the principle of grace (qāʿidat al-luṭf). In this paper, I begin with an account of the principle of grace. It turns out that things by which compliance with God is enabled can be proved by the principle of “enablement” (tamkīn), and once these come to exist, the principle of grace arises as additional to the principle of enablement. Next, I consider the validity of the principle of grace. The theory seems to face serious challenges. First, it is necessary by light of human reason that God should create things without which obedience of God is not possible, but human reason never rules that God should create what makes one closer to obedience. Instead, sometimes God’s wisdom requires that He does not exhibit grace as a test for His servants. Second, there are things which, by the principle of grace, should have come into existence, but they have never existed. To solve the second problem, one might claim that the principle of grace does not encompass personal instances of grace, but the proposed solution faces its own sorts of problems.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

1.    Farahidi, K. (1410 AH). Al-Ain. (vol. 7). Qom: Hijrat. [In Arabic]
2.    Fazel Miqdad. (1405 AH). Irshad al-Talebeen. Qom: Ayatollah Marashi Library Publications. [In Arabic]
3.    Ghanavi, A., & Zarei Belsheti, M. (1392 AP). Critique of the argument of grace and its application in proving the necessity of Imamate. Journal of Mashriq Maw'ud, 7(25), pp. 51-79. [In Persian]
4.    Halabi, A. (1404 AH). Taqrib al-Ma'arif. Qom: Al-Hadi. [In Arabic]
5.    Helli, H. (1382 AP). Kashf al-Murad. (Sobhani, J. Ed.). Qom: Imam Sadegh Institute. [In Persian]
6.    Homsi Razi, S. (1412 AH). Al-Naqaz min al-Taqlid. (vol. 1). Qom: Islamic Publications Institute. [In Arabic]
7.    Ibn Manzoor, M. (1414 AH). Lisan al-Arab. (Vol. 9). Beirut: Dar al-Fikr. [In Arabic]
8.    Javadi Amoli, A. (1389 AP). Wilayat Faqih. Qom: Isra Institute. [In Persian]
9.    Karimi, H. (1394 AP). A Critical Study of the arguments of the proponents and opponents of the rule of grace in theological discussions. Modern Religious Thought, 11(42), pp. 67-80. [In Persian]
10.    Kazemi, A. (n.d.). Kashf al-Qina'. Tehran: Shirazi Publications.
11.    Kharazi, S. M. (1383 AP). Rule of grace. Journal of Intizar, (8-9), pp. 63-84. [In Persian]
12.    Makarem Shirazi, N. (1382 AP). Anwar al-Osul. (Ghodsi, A, Ed.). Qom: Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib School. [In Persian]
13.    Mirza Qomi, A. (1430 AH). Qawanin al-Muhkamah. (vol. 3). Dar Al-Ihya Al-Kotob Al-Islamiya. [In Arabic]
14.    Naraqi, A. (1417 AH). Awa'id al-Ayam. Tehran: Islamic Propagation Office Publications. [In Arabic]
15.    Rabbani Golpayegani, A. (1382 AP). The rule of grace and necessity of Imamate. Journal of Intizar, (5), pp. 111-132. [In Persian]
16.    Rabbani Golpayegani, A. (1396 AP). Argumentative beliefs (vol. 1). Qom: Hajar Publications. [In Persian]
17.    Rabbani Golpayegani, A. (1418 AH). Theological rules. Qom: Imam Sadegh Institute. [In Arabic]
18.    Razi, F. (1411 AH). Al-Muhasal. Oman: Dar al-Razi. [In Arabic]
19.    Sayyid Murtada. (1411 AH). Al-Zakhirah. Qom: Islamic Publications Institute. [In Arabic]
20.    Sheikh Mofid. (1413 AH). Al-Nukat al-Itiqadiya. Qom: Al-Mutamar al-Alami le al-Sheikh Al-Mufid. [In Arabic]
21.    Sheikh Mofid. (1413 AH). Awa'il al-Maqalat. Qom: Al-Mutamar al-Alami le al-Sheikh Al-Mufid. [In Arabic]
22.    Sobhani, J. (1388 AP). Theology (Vol. 3). Qom: Imam Sadegh Institute. [In Persian]
23.    Sobhani, J. (1420 AH). Resalat fi al-Tahsin wa al-Taqbih al-Aqliin. Qom: Imam Sadegh Institute. [In Arabic]
24.    Taftazani, S. (1409 AH). Sharh al-Maqasid. (vol. 4). Qom: Sharif Razi. [In Arabic]
25.    Tusi, M. (1406 AH). Economy. Beirut: Dar Al-Azwa. [In Arabic]
26.    Tusi, N. (1405 AH). Talkhis al-Muhasil. Beirut: Dar Al-Azwa. [In Arabic]
27.    Tusi, N. (1407 AH). Tajrid al-Itiqad. Qom: Islamic Propaganda Office. [In Arabic]

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics