Abstract:

In this article, the concepts of ‘aql, nature and fitrah are examined in the perspective of the thoughts of Imam al-Māturīdī (d. 333/944), one of the most important figures of the Islamic Kalām and one of the founding names of the Ahl al-Sunnah. Undoubtedly, the views of Māturīdī on the nature and fitrah of human, who is known for his emphasis on ‘aql and freedom, also support his general thought. In this context, his position in the Islamic thought tradition is tried to be determined in the article by the meanings that Māturīdī attributes to the aforementioned concepts and the way he interprets the relationship between these concepts. According to Māturīdī, ‘aql is the most supreme thing possessed by human, as it is their most valuable ability for freedom. As an intelligent being, human is made privileged not only by having reason, but also by reaching the truth by using their ‘aql. Their own being, the universe, the good, and the evil were all created for directing an intelligible being to reach the knowledge of the creator in the end. In essence, human is obliged to reason. Asking human not to reason means to ask them to abandon their original and unique nature, in other words, to deny their existence. As a matter of fact, when faced with such a situation, the ‘aql itself shows a tendency to resist the neglect of its use, and does not consent to be ignored. Human also knows that the feeling that inspires them not to use their ‘aql and think is nothing but a demonic specter. However, the purpose of such an act, which can be expected from the devil, is to prevent the person from collecting the fruition of the ‘aql and make them fear from using their mind –a divine trust given to them. For this ‘aql, he thinks that the ‘aql that is not used in accordance with its purpose will cause satire, not praise, because the ‘aql he draws attention is the functional and all-duty, namely that is the ‘aql that is used by the owner as a means of information and mediates the achievement of the human by obtaining the information. Nevertheless, Māturīdī also takes into account the possibility of the mistake of the ‘aql, and argues that several human vulnerabilities may cause inaccuracy in determining wisdom. Likewise, according to him, lust, hope, intensity of pleasure, pain and suffering, and many other reasons may prevent the mind from making the right decision. One of the reasons why Allah sent prophets is to direct people to raise doubt for such reasons. Māturīdī does not see human as a pure good being or accept that human has an absolute good nature. According to him, man is born with a nature that is prone to good and evil, with the possibility of choosing either of them. In this sense, Māturīdī is of the opinion that human has a given nature and that he has a dual nature structure. Accordingly, human has a nature that desires some things, finds them nice and attractive, and sees them well. At the same time, human has been created with a nature that hates, fears, runs away, abhors, and perceives them as cheesy, evil, and ugly. On the other hand, according to Māturīdī, human nature is not constant or unchangeable. In this context, Māturīdī thinks that human nature may change under the guidance ofreligion. because according to him, it is possible for human nature to change through education, ascetism, abstinence and the abandonment of habits, and undergo a change in a positive or negative way. As a matter of course, conflicts occur between this given nature and mind of human from time to time, who can grasp everything by their own being and evaluate the affairs according to their results. In this ongoing conflict between human nature and mind, humankind is subject to not their nature but their mind. In this context, the following expressions of Imam al-Māturīdī in Kitāb al-Tawhid indicate the conflict of mind and nature as well as how to resolve this conflict: “Human was created by possessing nature and ‘aql. Nature may not want something as it considers it ugly and abhors it. There may be sometimes an agreement between mind and nature, and opposition at others. In this case in order for truth to come to light, it is necessary to reason (evil eye) and contemplate (deliberation) as a matter of course.” The fitrah in the thought of Māturīdī is that all beings testify tawhid by their fitrah. Because Allah has put traces for beings to bear witness to the existence and unity of Himself in everything He has created. So to speak, the Creator has stamped the existence and unity seal of Himself on every creature. However, the ignorant and stubborn people cannot realize that the creation witness to the existence and unity of Allah because they do not contemplate on their own creation.

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