Mu'tazili effect on Judaism "Samuel ben Hophni's example"

The dissertation examines adoption of Mu'tazilî theological views by Samuel ben Hophni (d.404/1013) who is a Rabbinic Jewish scholar. As a scion of one of the aristocratic Jewish family which provided leaders for gaonic yeshivot during the tenth and eleventh century and a prolific author he read so many arabic works like his other contemporaries and came to adopt Mu'tazilî rational method and their legal theory. Before giving Samuel's Mu'tazilî adoptions we are going to emphasize on causals for adoptions as living geography, his predecessor's tendency, interreligious discussion majlis and competition between sects. On the other hand influence of Mu'tazila on Judaism can be divided into three period. First can be called as "early period" which initial adoptions done in, second can be called as "classic period" which Basran Bahshamiya School doctrines become central and Jews involved own Mu'tazila inner disputes, third can be called as "late period" which proses and compendiouses produced in. As a prolific and close follower of Mu'tazila, Samuel ben Hophni says imposition of obligation is sound in his "Kitâb fi'ş-Şarâi'" and 'Ashâr Masâil". He tries to prove this claim by using Mu'tazila compensation theory. Samuel says all suffering in this world will ultimately compensate by God and when he say this he uses Mu'tazila compensation theory. He says no one can know miracles but prophets. And he adopted "promise and threat" and "Mu'tazila atomism" and he also frequently addresses to Torah to find a reference from his own side. Beside the kalâm Samuel came under the influence of the Mu'tazila legal theory. Additionally he almost borrowed all kalam concepts from Mu'tazila.