Muhammad Asad's theological views and preferences

This study aimed to reveal Muhammad Asad's (1900-1992) approach to theological concepts, issues and preferences. The work consisted of an introduction and three main chapters framed within the usūl al-thalātha: Ilāhiyyāt, nubuwwa, and samʿiyyāt. The introductory chapter provided an overview of Asad's life, the intellectual transformations within his theological thought, and his principal works. Additionally, the geographical locations of his residence and the durations of his stays were presented in tabular form. The first chapter examined Asad's views on matters related to ilāhiyyāt. It touched upon the parallels between his thought and that of the Mutazila. Particular emphasis was placed on the concept of tawḥīd, which constitutes the foundation of his thought structure, along with the specific content and meaning he attributes to it. The second chapter discussed Asad's rational explanations of key issues under the heading of nubuwwa, including such as miracles, the miracles of the prophets, and the events of Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj. It further highlighted the way in which he expands the boundaries of symbolic language in his interpretation of these phenomena. The third chapter, under the heading of samʿiyyāt, examined metaphysical concepts, as well as the themes of names and rulings. The chapter included Asad's symbolic interpretations of concepts such as jinn, angels, devil, the Day of Judgment, resurrection, and divine reckoning, along with his depictions of paradise and hell. These were presented with examples from Qur'anic verse, in addition to reductionist approaches and analyses grounded in human psychology. Linguistic and psychological evaluations regarding the terms muʾmin/muslim, kāfir, and munāfiq were also presented.