An Evaluation on Metaphorical Definitions of Mu'tazila Methodologists

Abstract

Some concepts discussed in the field of religion have been the subjects of more than one discipline; and these concepts have been studied from different perspectives in each discipline. Literal meaning and metaphor, which have an important place in understanding the religious rules (religious nas), are such concepts. Although literal meaning and metaphor seem to be solely linguistic concepts, they have substantially become the subjects of many religious disciplines. Jurisprudence methodology is one of the basic religious disciplines that intensively use these concepts. Although there was no definition of metaphor in the early language sources, it has been generally accepted as "the use of words other than the meaning given in the language". Imam Shafii (d. 204/820), the author of the first work of Islamic jurisprudence methodology that has survived to the present day, and Jahiz (d. 255/869), Abu Ali al-Jubbai (d. 303/916) and Abu Hashim al-Jubbai (d.. 321/933) also used metaphor without defining the concept while basing their views. Two definitions about metaphor were narrated from Abu Abdullah al-Basri (d. 369/979-80), one of the kalam methodologists, and who first made a definition of metaphor. Although the definitions made by Abu Abdullah had a significant impact on the definitions of later jurisprudence methodologists, his close methodology scholar followers did not accept these definitions. While Jessas (d. 370/981) and Baqillani (d. 403/1013), made a simple definition that does not include intellectual considerations, Abu l-Husayn al-Basri(d. 436/1044), one of the Mu'tazila methodologists, developed a complex definition that includes theological considerations regarding metaphor. In his definition, Abu l-Husayn first pointed out that the type of address is one of the basic determining factors in order to reveal that the word is used in a metaphorical sense. In his definition, Abu l-Husayn, secondly, pointed out that the metaphoric meaning of the word, as well as its literal meaning, is made within the linguistic rules. In addition, although Abu l-Husayn did not express it clearly in his definition, in his evaluations within the framework of the subject, he emphasized that the presumption is one of the main determining factors in order to reveal that the word is used in a metaphorical sense. According to him, only if there is a presumption that prevents the use of the word in its literal sense, is the word taken to have a figurative meaning. In this study, which is about the metaphor definitions of Mu'tazila methodologists, first of all, the metaphor definitions put forward by linguists and jurisprudence methodology scholars other than Mu'tazila in the first five centuries were examined. Then, the metaphoric definitions of Mu'tazila methodologists were evaluated. Among the metaphorical definitions of Mu'tazila scholars, the definition of Abu'l-Husayn al-Basri, which takes into account the intellectual considerations of the school, was closely examined. Since the definition of Qadi Abd al-Jabbar, one of the Mu'tazila thinkers, reflecting his understanding of metaphor has not survived to the present day, his views were also examined while examining Ebu'l-Husayn's definition. Thus, it was revealed that Ebu'l-Husayn's definition of metaphor, which contains intense theological considerations in the field of jurisprudence, is basically based on Qadi Abd al-Jabbar. Finally, in our study, the effect of the definition of metaphor conveyed by Abu'l-Husayn on the methodologists of other schools was also revealed. It was stated that this definition was accepted by Fakhr al-din al-Razi (d. 606/1210), one of the methodologists in question, and Razi's views within the framework of this definition were discussed on the intellectual basis of Mu'tazila.