The theology of Abu l-Qasim al-Balhi/al-Ka`bi (d. 319/931): A study of its sources and reception.

摘要

Abu l-Qasim al-Balhi/al-Ka`bi (d. 319/931) was a Bagdadi Mu`tazili theologian who lived when Mu`tazilis were undergoing the intellectual and political pressure of the anti-Mu`tazili and pro-Traditionalist (ahl al-h&dotbelow;adit&barbelow; ) caliphal policies, which resulted from the revocation of the mih&dotbelow;na (833-847). Most of al-Ka`bi's writings are lost with the exception of one extant work entitled Qabul al-ahbar wa-ma`rifat ar-rigal (On Accepting the Reports and Knowing the Transmitters of Reports), which consists of a polemical work against the Traditionalists' method of criticism of h&dotbelow;adit&barbelow; (Prophetic tradition) and their rising religious authority. The historian of al-Ka`bi's theology is completely dependent on sources that belong to theological traditions that quote him, most of the time, to disagree with him.;After an assessment of the sources available on al-Ka`bi's biography and theological doctrines, this dissertation examines three essential features of his theology in addition to his polemics with the Traditionalists. These three features are his doctrine on the divine attribute of will, human knowledge and the Imama. They are examined in the context of the texts that quote them, leading to an evaluation of their reception in these sources. These sources belong to four theological traditions: As`ari, Bas&dotbelow;ran Mu`tazili, Maturidi and Twelver Si`i. Examining and identifying the reception of al-Ka`bi s doctrine as they feature in these traditions entails not only reconstructing these doctrines but also locating them in relationship to earlier Mu`tazilis as well as in relationship to his opponents. As for al-Ka`bis views on h&dotbelow;adit&barbelow; and his polemics against the Traditionalists, they are examined in his Qabul al-ahbar wa-ma`rifat ar-rigal . The reception of this latter work and his views on h&dotbelow;adit&barbelow; are also examined in the context of prior and later views of the Mu`tazilis and later views of the hadit&barbelow; critics among the Traditionalists. The dissertation concludes that while al-Ka`bi made significant rapprochements with the Traditionalists in his doctrine on human knowledge, the Imama and h&dotbelow;adit&barbelow; , his doctrine on divine will betrayed his commitment to an archaic form of Mu`tazilism that may have played a crucial role in hindering the survival of his school.