A Return to Mind and Wisdom: Al-Maturidi

The views of Imam al-Māturīdī (d. 333/944), the founder of one of the theological schools of Islamic thought, continue to live among Muslims for centuries. Māturīdism, which emerged as a continuation of the views of Abū Ḥanīfa (d. 150/767), the founder of Ḥanafism, the first legal school, found a response in the lands where Ḥanafism spread. Known for emphasizing reason and wisdom, Imam al-Māturīdī advocated a non-exclusive understanding of faith in Islamic thought. In his philosophy of nature, he emphasized the wisdom of God. He made a fairly rational defense of religion against gnostic beliefs while placing justice at the center of religion. The views of Imam al-Māturīdī, which has been forgotten in the last centuries, have begun to be remembered again against radical Salafist interpretations. When the readers read Imam al-Māturīdī’s views, they will better understand why Radical Salafists and ISIS harshly criticize Māturīdism. Therefore, the authors have not neglected to include a special chapter in the book on this issue.