The subject and purpose problem of kalām within the framework of the concept of Jihat al-Wahda

This study focuses on the emergence of the concept of "jihat al-wahda" within the logic literature, a term that is used to classify the sciences from one another, along with determining the context of kalām (Islamic speculative theology) in which this term emerged. Jihat al-wahda is a converging point for many of the concepts of sciences and a standard for appeals. It can also be referred to in terms of subject (jihat al-wahda al-dhātiyya) and purpose (jihat al-wahda al-aradiyya). The representation of this concept in the Islamic world, which goes back to the period of ancient philosophers, emerges in the works of al-Fārābī (d. 339/950) and Ibn Sīnā (d. 428/1037) on logic. Being firstly used as a term by al-Taftāzānī (d. 792/1390) and the subsequent scholars of the 8th/14th century, jihat al-wahda emerged almost simultaneously with similar approaches from the western world. The work of Mulla Fanārī (d. 834/1431), al-Fawāid, is the pinnacle of jihat al-wahda. This study focuses on al-Fawāid and its footnotes by first evaluating the concept of jihat al-wahda and the relevant literature. The content of the epistles of jihat al-wahda which became common during the Ottoman era has been analyzed through evaluating the nature of the concept itself, its historical journey, and the subsequent literature it has resulted in. The second and main part of the study is the application of the concept of jihat al-wahda on the kalām. In this concept, the study focuses on the subject and the purpose of the kalām by studying how its definition has changed throughout history and the discussions surrounding each one of the definitions with the framework provided by the concept of jihat al-wahda. Evaluation of the function of the concept within the context of kalām has been a core component throughout this analysis, along with a discussion of somewhat contemporary approaches. Finally, the main goal of this study which provides a general description of the science of kalām based on the concept of jihat al-wahda is to draw attention to the importance of determining the past, the present, and the future position of kalām vis-à-vis modern sciences, especially philosophy. Keywords: Jihat al-wahda, kalām, logic, classification of sciences, subject, purpose