kalam

Kalam is a term that appears in several languages and contexts. In Arabic and related languages, kalām denotes speech or discourse. In Islamic theology, kalām refers to a formal discipline—also called Kalam or Islamic theology—that seeks to defend and explain doctrinal beliefs through rational argument. The field originated in early Islam and includes debates among scholarly schools such as the Muʿtazila and the Ashʿarī tradition.

In South Asia and among its diaspora, Kalam is also a personal name and surname. The most widely known bearer is A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (1931–2015), an Indian aerospace engineer who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007 and played a central role in India’s civilian space program and missile development; he was popularly known as the Missile Man of India.

In other contexts, kalām can be used to mean speech or eloquence in Urdu, Persian, and related languages, and it is sometimes transliterated without diacritics as Kalam. It should not be confused with qalam, the word for “pen” in Arabic; however, both derive from related roots in the Arabic language and appear in similar writing traditions.

Overall, Kalam is a versatile term linking language, philosophy, and notable individuals, most famously associated with the Indian scientist-president Abdul Kalam and with theological discourse in Islamic intellectual history.