With the rise of the Abbasids in 750, the Islamic faith entered an unprecedented age of reason. Looking to the great thinkers of the classical Greek era such as Plato and Aristotle, a new generation of Islamic philosophers appeared, embracing reason and rationality alongside revelation. It is in these times that highly esteemed Muslim philosophers appeared, such as Al Kindi and Ibn Sinā, thinkers who would make great strides in theological study such as Ibn Sinā who had great effect on Western Latin theology under the name of Avicenna. It is in this context of rationality that the Mu'tazilite movement was able to develop. While remaining a religious group, they were those who saw reason and revelation as complementary, each equally important attribute to living a proper life, while also existing as a strictly Orthodox group dedicated to bringing Islam to its purest form. Despite maintaining a stronger connection to rational thought than its contemporaries, the Mu'tazilite movement was short-lived and was eventually relegated to the position of a minor sect in the Islamic world. This essay will explore the characteristics possessed by the Mu'tazilite school of thought and how these traits ultimately led to the sect's downfall. Emerging from the conflict between the Muri'jites and the Kharijites over the fate of the Grave Sinner, the Mu'i Tazilites chose to remain aloof from such matters. In fact, the name Mu'tazila derives from this detachment, since Mu'tazila translates as “to stand aside”. This name was given to this group or mentality by an Imam who was present at that time. Apparently Imam Al-Hasan Al Basri was giving a lecture on the division between Karijiti and Mu'rijiti and asked his class for their opinions on...... middle of paper ...... n was divinely inspired, saying it was artificial and created during human time would attract another group of detractors. Despite the group's attempts to place reason and rational thought on seemingly equal ground with revelation or faith, their attempts failed when put into practice. The sect actually still exists today, albeit with a smaller following and without the power it previously had. That said, the Mu'tazilites introduced Greek-style argumentation to Islamic theology, an addition that would remain in Islam beneath the preferred values of belief and faith. Mu'tazilism was an important step in the progress of Islamic theology due to the concepts it introduced as well as the example it set. Islam may incorporate reason into its practices, but ultimately not at the expense of people's beliefs or the power or role of God in Islamic society.
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