Religion, by its very nature, is a call to consciousness. In contrast, imitation expects an unconscious pursuit from the individual. Whereas religion aims to equip individuals with a sense of obligation, imitation implies fulfilling the requirements of this obligation without questioning. In this respect, the attitude of imitation, which neglects the responsibility of conscious acceptance that religion imposes on the individual, has been condemned in the history of Islamic thought, and the validity of the imitator's faith has been brought into question. Different schools of thought within the Islamic theological tradition have presented different approaches to this issue regarding whether imitation entails a religious consciousness. Indeed, some schools of thought, which consider the application of the principles directly instilled by revelation the essence of piety and formally repeat the acts of the Prophet as the very essence of religion, have, in a sense, reduced religion to imitation. Conversely, some schools of theology, which argue that faith is essentially an act of conscious affirmation, have, for this reason, dismissed the imitator's faith as valid. On the other hand, approaches that do not absolutize either position and offer interim solutions to the issue are also found in the Islamic scholarly heritage. Numerous theses, books, and articles have been written on the subject, resulting in a rich literature in this regard. However, there is also serious criticism that the conceptual foundation on which these discussions are based is not sufficiently coherent. The majority of these studies have focused on the definitions of faith and taqlid, and have conducted their evaluations within this framework. Our study, however, aims to offer a more in-depth perspective on the issue, without neglecting these fundamental definitions, but without being content with them. In this context, our study will not be content with merely the literal meaning or theological definitions of the concept of "faith"; it will also explore the nature of "faith as an act of the heart." This approach pushes us to go beyond theological discussions and consider faith as a phenomenon and address it on a philosophical basis. Furthermore, our study will also explore the methodological and intellectual frameworks upon which Islamic theologians base their judgments on this issue. In this regard, while the study's bibliography largely overlaps with previous research, we believe the results will differ significantly due to differences in methodology and interpretation. The outcome of the discussions depends not only on the texts discussed but also on how those texts are interpreted and the methodology employed in their analysis.
Religion, in its essence, is a call to consciousness. In contrast,
taqlīd demands an uncritical following from the individual.
While religion seeks to equip the human being with a sense
of responsibility and moral awareness, fulfilling taqlīd entails
religious obligations without questioning their underlying rationale.
In this regard, taqlīd-which neglects the conscious
Acceptance required by religion - has been subject to criticism
Throughout Islamic intellectual history, and the validity of
the muqallid's faith has become a matter of theological debate.
Within the Islamic theological tradition, various schools
have approached this issue differently, depending on
Whether taqlīd involves genuine religious consciousness.
Some schools have reduced religion to taqlīd, perceiving religiosity
as the faithful repetition of prophetic practices or
the mere enactment of divinely revealed instructions. on the
on the other hand, schools that define faith (īmān) essentially as a
conscious act of affirmation has consequently denied the
validity of faith acquired through taqlīd. However, the tradition
also includes intermediary approaches that seek to reconcile
the two extremes through more nuanced formulations.
Numerous theses, books, and scholarly articles have been
written on the matter, and one may speak of a rich and diverse
body of literature concerning the faith of the muqallid
in the Islamic tradition. Nevertheless, it must be noted that
the conceptual foundation upon which these discussions are
Built is not always methodological sound. Most existing
studies have taken the definitions of faith and taqlīd as their
primary analytical framework. Our study, while acknowledging
These definitional foundations aim to go beyond them
and offer a more profound examination of the issue.
Accordingly, this research will not limit itself to lexical or
traditional theological definitions of īmān, but will also seek
to analyze the nature of faith as an internal act of the heart.
This approach encourages a move beyond the confidences of
classical theological polemics, allowing for the treatment of
faith as a lived phenomenon and subjecting it to philosophy
analysis At the same time, the study will explore the
methodological and epistemological premises upon which
classical Muslim theologians grounded their judgments regarding
this issue.
Thus, although the bibliography of this work may largely
overlap with prior research, it is evident that the conclusions
reached will differ significantly. This divergence arises not
from the sources themselves, but from the distinct hermeneutical
and methodological approaches adopted in the interpretation
and analysis of those sources. Keywords: Theology, al-İman, al-Taqlîd, al-Tahkîk, al-
Muqallid.
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