Mutazila

Mutazila, or Muʿtazilah, is a rationalist school of Islamic theology (kalam) that arose in the late 8th century among Basran and later Baghdadi scholars. It sought to apply reason to theological questions and to defend ethical and doctrinal positions through speculative argument. The movement played a prominent role in Abbasid-era debates on God, revelation, and human accountability, and its ideas influenced both theology and philosophy before declining in the medieval period.

core tenets and beliefs:

- al-adl (divine justice): God acts with perfect justice, and humans must be morally responsible for their choices.

- free will and acquisition: humans have the capacity to choose, and God creates acts in a way that allows moral praise or blame for human beings (the kasb or acquisition theory).

- the createdness of the Qur’an: the Qur’an is created rather than co-eternal with God, a stance aimed at avoiding ascribing to God a literal, modality-transcending “eternal speech.”

- tawhid and rejection of anthropomorphism: God’s unity is emphasized, and God’s attributes are understood in a manner consistent with divine simplicity, often interpreted metaphorically to avoid likeness to creation.

- use of reason: rational demonstration and systematic argument were valued; interpretation of revealed texts was informed by logic and philosophy when appropriate.

history and influence:

Mutazila enjoyed varying degrees of state support in the 9th and 10th centuries, notably in parts of the Abbasid realm, but faced opposition from traditionalist circles. Over time, rival kalam schools, especially the Ashʿarī tradition, rose to prominence. By the late medieval period, Mutazilite influence waned, though its debates on free will, divine justice, and the nature of the Qur’an had a lasting impact on the development of Islamic theology and philosophy.