The Correction of a False Conceptualization: The Authenticity of the Kalām Imputation (original) (raw)

What are the sources of the naming of the 'ilm al-kalām? In the emergence of this term, is the external influences of Islāmic thought decisive than internal dynamics or not? Although it is not actually true, today there are many claims that link the naming of kalām to external influences. This problem of imputation is also the process of "self-fulfillment of a prophecy". So how did the issue come to this? In the beginning, the first group of orientalists exemplified the concept of 'kalām' through the word 'logos' to improve the understanding of their readers or explain what meaning of kalâm is. Subsequent orientalists have loaded a truth value on this view by way of using this information as a reference. Some Muslim scholars who wanted to support religious knowledge with the philosophical method encouraged this understanding or approaching even if they did not want to do this. Thus, the claim that the term 'kalām' was taken from the Greeks was gradually adopted. In fact, there is no evidence in Islāmic classical sources confirming this claim. In reality, those considerations are a result of the Greek Western-centered perspective. In our article prepared to draw attention to this view, the conceptual ground on which the imputation of the Kalām science is based on Islāmic thought has been investigated. The thesis of the word 'kalām' which namely consists of the ability of speech, the speech of God, the reading of the Qur'an, and the reason for defending the Islamic creed is belong to Islamic thought is encouraged, and also the similarity between 'kalām' and 'logos' are accepted only commonness of natural language and basic human experiences.