The relation between kalam and metaphysics (a study in the context of Al-Fârâbî)

This dissertation consists of an introduction and three chapters. The introduction part includes the maintopic, aim, importance, method, conceptual framework, scope and limitations of the research. Answering the question "What is the possibility of kalam as a metaphysical discipline?" is the main subject of our thesis. My assumption in this dissertation is that "there might be some grounds both supporting and weakening these possibility". The main purpose in this dissertation is to able to justifiy both assumptions. The discussion of subject, assumption and purpose of the research is limited to al-Fārābî's thoughts. Therefore, this dissertaion relies of the explanations of al-Fārābî about Kalam. For this, the comparative analysis method was used in this study. The use of comparative analysis method for this disertation with the discussion of the consistency of al-Fārābî's sayings about Kalam and the comparison between the tradition of Kalam and Posterior Analytics, fill the gap in this subject and contribute to our scientific knowledge. This dissertation exhibits several conclusions. First, I determined that the uses of "fiqh" (Islamic Jurisprudence) and "kalam" (Islamic theology) covering the theoretical and pratical subjects in the first three centuries of Hijri Calendar, was the determinant of al-Fārābî's distinction between "al-ârâ and al-ef'âl". Second, I found that al-Fārābî's notion of the "mashour" (common sense) of "aql" (the intellect) does not comprehend or not represent for Mutakallimuns' arguments. In addition to Benjamin Miller's comments on the relationship between the ideas of "Mutakallimun" and Aristotle, I have provided more specific examples that shows the existance of the relationship. Third, I highlighted the category of the khabar of probhet in Kalam is parallel to the definition of maqbulat (plausible propositions) in al-Fārābî's writings. Last, I stressed that the efforts of the Mutakallimun to establish the truth value of the khabar of probhet were not sufficient to go beyond the definition of al-Fārābî's maqbulat. Two conclusions can be drawn from the assumptions of this dissertation. As a result of my comparison between the writings of al-Fārābî and the Mutakallimun on mashour and aql would increase the posibility to consider Kalam as a metaphysical discipline. On the other hand, the writings of al-Fārābî's on maqbulat decrease the possibility of considering Kalam as a metaphysical discipline.