Mutazilites

The Mutazilites were a prominent school of Islamic theology that flourished in the 8th and 9th centuries. Their central tenet was the belief in reason's paramount role in understanding religious doctrine, often referred to as rational theology. They emphasized the absolute oneness and justice of God, believing that divine justice necessitated human free will. This led to their assertion that humans create their own actions, a view that contrasted with the more prevalent Ash'ari and Maturidi schools which emphasized divine decree.

Key Mutazilite doctrines included the concept of God's absolute unity (tawhid), asserting that God has no partners or equals, and that His attributes are not distinct from His essence. They also advocated for the Quran being created, rather than co-eternal with God, to uphold God's absolute uniqueness. Their stance on free will meant that divine justice was understood as God rewarding good and punishing evil based on human choices. The Mutazilites were also known for their rational interpretation of scripture, seeking logical consistency in religious texts. Their influence waned after a period of state patronage, and their theological positions were largely supplanted by other schools of thought.