Between the God of the Prophets and the God of the Philosophers: Reflections of an Athari on the Divine Attributes

BETWEEN THE GOD OF THE PROPHETS AND THE GOD OF THE PHILOSOPHERS
Introduction
Where Do We Get Our Belief From? Our Epistemological Position
	The Role of Truthful Reports
	The Role of Reason
	Reason as an independent source of metaphysical knowledge
	The Place of Kalâm: Reason as a Tool of Understanding and Armor for Defense
	What If There Is a Conflict Between Reason and Revelation?
	Egalitarian Epistemology
A Typology of Islamic Positions on the Attributes of God
What Do We Believe In?
Our Tanzeeh
	Strict adherence to the text of Revelation with complete rejection of concomitants (lawâzim) that are not revealed
	Rejection of the ẓâhir that comes to the minds of anthropomorphists
	A nominalist approach to language
	The style of presentation and its effect on the audience
Our Affirmation
	What Are the Ẓawâhir We Believe In?
	What Is the Common Degree/Overlap (al-Qadr al-Mushtarak)?
Why Do We Believe in Amodal Affirmation and Why Do We Believe It Is Important?
	Because the Ẓâhir Is What Should Be Believed Until Proven Otherwise
	Because the Revelation Should Be Hermeneutically Self-Sufficient
	Because This Is What the First Community Believed In
	Because, to Us, the Alternatives of Ta’weel and Tafweeḍ of Meaning Are Not Valid
	Because It Is Important to Know God and Speak Correctly about Him
	Because the Epistemic Value of the Revelation Is at Stake
	The Impact on Our Faith and Relationship with Allah
What Are the Counter Arguments?
	Reports from the Salaf
	Conflict with Reason
	1.The Perfect Does Not Change
	2.The Composite god and Divisibility
	Anthropomorphism and Assimilation
Conclusion
Bibliography and Works Cited
Glossary of Arabic Terms
Notes in Arabic