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Glite Dictionary
Ash'arism

Ash'arism

9.9
A Muslim way of thinking about God that uses reason and tradition
  • noun
  • /ˈæʃ.ɑː.rɪ.zəm/
  • Formal
: ash'arismo
  • Many Sunni Muslims adhere to Ash'arism as the foundation of their theological beliefs.

Examples

  • The spread of Ash'arism influenced Islamic thought in the medieval period.

  • The principles of Ash'arism are widely discussed in Islamic philosophy.

  • He studied Ash'arism to better understand classical debates in Islamic philosophy.

  • Many scholars identify as Ash'aris today.

  • Many Sunni Muslims adhere to Ash'arism as the foundation of their theological beliefs.

  • The principles of Ash'arism are widely discussed in Islamic philosophy.

  • He studied Ash'arism to better understand classical debates in Islamic philosophy.

Surface Forms

Ash'arism singular
Ash'arisms plural

Morphology

Ash'arism = Ash'ari (semi-transparent) = Ash'ari + ism

The formation 'name + -ism' predictably signals a doctrine or school, but the base is a specific proper name unfamiliar to most learners, so the theological content is not inferable from the base alone.

Etymology

Ash'arism comes from the Arabic name al-Ash'ari plus the English ending -ism. It means 'the school or teachings of al-Ash'ari', which is why the word refers to his way of Islamic theology that tries to balance reason and tradition.