aqli

Aqli is an Arabic adjective meaning rational or relating to the intellect, derived from the root aql, which signifies mind, understanding, or reason. In Islamic discourse, terms formed from this root are used to describe epistemological and theological approaches that emphasize reason and rational argument.

In classical Islamic philosophy and kalām (theological debate), aqli denotes rationalist or intellect-driven methods. The rationalist tendency in Islamic thought is often associated with schools that foreground deduction, demonstration, and philosophical inquiry as sources of knowledge, sometimes contrasted with naqli approaches that prioritize transmitted texts. The Mu’tazila, a prominent rationalist theological movement, is frequently described as aqli for its emphasis on rational argumentation in matters of creed, ethics, and cosmology. Individual philosophers such as al-Farabi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), and their successors are commonly categorized as aqli due to their reliance on reason in metaphysics and epistemology.

Beyond scholastic usage, aqli also appears in modern contexts as a given name or surname in various Muslim communities, including Malay- and Arabic-speaking populations. In these settings, the term carries its general sense of rationality and intellect but is used primarily as a personal name rather than a philosophical label.