The Problem of Husn-Qubh in Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī

The purpose of this study is to determine the thoughts, arguments and counter-arguments of Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī on the moral issue of "ḥusn and qubḥ" (theodicy), which has been debated by many different schools throughout the intellectual history of Islam; and the proximity and remoteness of his views to those in classical kalām thought. Accordingly, the first chapter analyses the approaches of Mu'tazilite, Ash'arite and Māturīdite schools towards the issue of theodicy, their points of divergence and the arguments to support their own ideas, in order to provide a better understanding of the earlier discussions before al-Rāzī. Subsequently, the second chapter is devoted to examine the terminology of theodicy and al-Rāzī's criticism for them, moral epistemology, theodicy with respect to unbearable obligation (taklīf mā lā yutāq), al-Rāzī's arguments for the invalidity of rationalisation of theodicy in Allah's acts and commands, the unnecessity to rationally knowing the existence of Allah and praising Him, and lastly the predicament of things without revelation. Keywords: Ḥusn, Qubḥ, Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, Moral Epistemology, Act