Discussions on Partial Free Will in the 18th Century in the Context of al-Amir al-Kabir's Work "Matlaʿu'n-Neyyireyn"

One of the main topics in Islamic theology (kalām) is the examination of human voluntary discussed in classical works under the heading "af'āl al-ibād. On this subject, various theological schools have presented different views, often aligning these views with their doctrines by referencing verses from the Quran and Hadith. In the history of kalām, two radical stances emerge: the assertion that humans are the direct creators of their voluntary actions and the doctrine of hard determinism, which posits that free actions are essentially indistinguishable from voluntary actions. In contrast, the Ash'arite and Maturidī schools, adopt a moderate approach between these extremes. The Ash'arites emphasize God's absolute power, positioning themselves closer to the doctrine of hard determinism, whereas the Maturidīs stress the active role of humans in their free actions. More specifically, the dominant discourse among the Ash'arites is based on the idea that human power merely coincides with God's power, and thus, humans are passive rather than active in the actions for which they are held accountable. In contrast, the Maturidīs assert that humans themselves direct their given capacity of choice. The ongoing debate is whether the difference between these two Sunni schools is merely verbal or substantial. In this context, this study will examine the work "Maṭla'u'n-neyyireyn fīmā yeteʿallaḳu bi'l-ḳudreteyn" by the 18th-century Egyptian scholar Muhammad al-Sunbāwī, also known as Amīr al-Kabīr. This work, which addresses the concept of partial free will (juz'ī iradah), will be compared with notable contemporary works from the 18th century on the same subject. The study will aim to identify the points of convergence and divergence among different theological schools, specifically focusing on the contributions of al-Amīr al-Kabīr's work.