Doctrinal Issues Related to the Obligatory Acts

Abstract

Abstract:

This study explores doctrinal issues related to obligatory (farḍ) acts in Islamic theology. Its primary aims are threefold: first, to highlight the connection between the outward and inward dimensions of religion—between Sharīʿah and ʿAqīdah; second, to demonstrate the relationship between the principles of jurisprudence (uṣūl al-fiqh) and Islamic creed, noting that many jurisprudential principles originate in theological foundations—misunderstanding the latter often leads to errors in the former, a point frequently overlooked by specialists in legal theory; and third, to fill a gap in the literature, as this topic has not previously been addressed in a dedicated study.

The research is structured into an introduction and three main sections. The introduction defines the term wājib (obligation) and its categories.

• The first section addresses theological issues concerning the nature of obligation, covering five topics: the gradation of obligations, prioritizing obligations over avoiding prohibitions, divine imposition of obligations, the possibility of being tasked with the impossible, and the theological implications of attributing obligation to God Himself.
• The second section examines the relationship between obligation and divine decree (qaḍāʾ wa qadar), discussing: the role of causality in obligations, whether the legal charge is imposed before or during the act, and the theological status of human actions in relation to obligations.
• The third section investigates the reward for fulfilling obligations through three questions: Is reward a matter of entitlement or causality? How is divine love related to obligation? And how does obligation intersect with sin, particularly in regard to the impossibility of divine threat failing to materialize?

The study concludes with key findings, recommendations, and indexes of major sources and themes.