Conceptions of God in early kalam: The doctrines of tasbîh, tanzîh and te'lîf

The basic element of being a Muslim is belief in the existence and unity of Allah. Although all Muslims hold this belief, various understandings of the existence of Allah have emerged in the Islamic tradition. One of the main reasons for the emergence of different understandings is the various interpretations of the expressions attributed to Allah in the Quran. The emergence of these different interpretations is a result of the methods adopted in the process of understanding the Quran. Each method followed in understanding the verses reveals the principles of belief of a different doctrine. This study examines how these doctrines shape different understandings of God in the context of the methods they use, by considering three basic doctrines such as taşbîh, tanzîh and ta'lîf.