The Meaning and Causality of the Concepts Adatullah and Sunnatullah, and Causality According to al-Ghazali
Loading...
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Anadolu Ilahiyat Akademisi
Access Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Abstract
One gets the impression that there is a contradiction between the meanings that al- Ghazali attributes to the concepts of adatullah and sunnatullah and what he says about causality in his book Tahafut al-falasifah and his statements in the Ihya and some of his other books. In the article, first of all, the meanings of the concepts of adatullah and sunnatullah were tried to be explained. The meanings attributed to these concepts by theology and tafsir scholars who lived in the periods before al-Ghazali were examined. The meanings of the concept of sunnatullah in the Quran are briefly discussed. Later, the meanings that al-Ghazali attributed to the concepts of adetullah and sunnatullah in his works were grouped and analyzed. His thoughts on the relationship between cause and effect, absolute causality and the immutability of the sunnatullah have been tried to be conveyed. His views on the immutability of the sunnatullah are discussed. During the research, studies which focused on al-Ghazali's ideas on causality were examined and it was seen that these studies focused on what he said in Tahafut and rarely touched on his statements in Ihya. For this reason, in this research, the author's thoughts on causality were tried to be explained by taking into account all his works. al-Ghazali's thoughts on miracles, which were at the center of his debate with philosophers, were conveyed. As a result of the study, it was understood that the term sunnatullah was mentioned in the Quran to express social laws and laws of nature. It has been determined that al-Ghazali used the concepts of adatullah and sunnatullah in his works in the sense of biology, physics, natural laws and laws related to human nature and social order. It has been seen that he accepts that there is a relationship between cause and effect, but unlike philosophers, he holds the opinion that it is not necessary for certain causes to produce certain results, and he opposes an understanding that would exclude God, the doer, from being the power behind the causes. In addition, it was understood that he argued that consequences cannot occur without a reason, that God will not change the laws, that people should live their lives and seek sustenance by acting in accordance with them, and that behavior contrary to the law cannot be considered tawakkul.
Description
Keywords
Tafsir, Kalam, al-Ghazali, Adatullah, Sunnatullah, Causality, Determinism
Journal or Series
Eskiyeni
WoS Q Value
N/A
Scopus Q Value
Volume
Issue
52
