The doctrine of taklīf in Māturīdī kalām

This thesis seeks to explore and elucidate the concept of taklīf (divine obligation) within Māturīdī theological thought. Comprising an introduction and two main chapters, the first chapter, forming part of this two-part study, provides a comprehensive analysis of the conceptual framework of taklīf and related notions. Subsequently, it examines the understanding of taklīf within the theological traditions of the Salaf, the Ashʿariyya, and the Muʿtazila. Throughout the research, it becomes evident that each tradition grounds the concept of taklīf in distinct theological principles: in Salafī thought, it is primarily based on divine transmission (naql), in Ashʿarī theology, it is centered on the mukallif, that is, God as the one who imposes obligation, whereas in Muʿtazilī doctrine, the concept is rooted in divine justice (ʿadl). The second chapter is dedicated to the Māturīdī perspective on taklīf. The study reveals that, within Māturīdī theology, the notion of taklīf is fundamentally connected to divine wisdom (hikma). Accordingly, the thematic structure of the second chapter is shaped around the interplay between God's justice and wisdom, and human free will, allowing for a detailed examination of the Māturīdī understanding of taklīf.