Developments of Imamiyyah Theology in the Baghdad (From the Beginning of Minor Occultation to the Decline of Buyid Dynasty)

After the decline of the theological school of Kufa in the end of second century and after decades of interregnum, Imamiyyah theology slowly regained its dynamism and alacrity in the early years of Minor Occultation. By composing structured theological works, training pupils and advancing a new theological system, famous Nawbakhtī theologians, Mu’tazilites who became shi’a such as Ibn Qiba Rāzī and Ibn Mamlak, and also less known Imami theologians like Abu al-Ḥawṣ Baṣrī and Ibn Jabrawayh established a new theological school. At the time of Shaykh Mufid and Sayyid Murtada, this theological school reached its climax and for centuries maintained its hegemony on Imamiyyah theology. The theological school of Baghdad can be divided into two separate historical periods: the first part lasted for about one century from the second half of the third century (nearly before the beginning of Minor Occultation) to the end of the first half of the fourth century; and the second part also lasted for near one century from the time of Shaykh Mufid to the decline of Buyid dynasty. Each period has its own characteristics. Several roughly parallel streams represented the first period, such as Mu’tazilite who became Shi’a, Nawbakhties with their pupils, and also less known Imamiyyah theologians like Ibn Jabrawayh, abu al-Ḥawṣ and Thubayt ibn Muhammad. In this period, other groups, especially Mu’tazilite who became shi’a, also were playing an active role in Imamiyyah theology. In the second period and by the emergence of Shaykh Mufid and Sayyid Murtaḍa,these two scholars became the exclusive representative of Imamiyyah theology and thus different streams of thought lost their influence and disagreements faded. The main common feature of different streams in theological school of Baghdad was their divergence from theological school of Kufa both in content and method, and their nearness to the Mu’tazilite theological system. In this thesis, the streams, figures and the heritage of the theological school of Baghdad is studied. In this study, the most important teachings of theologians of each stream of the Baghdad School is compared with the teachings of Imamiyyah in the era of the presence of Imams (a), and also the causes of the divergence of this school from the theology of the era of the presence of Imams (a) and its nearness to the Mu’tazilite theological system are analyzed and explained. This research shows that after the era of the presence of Imams (a), the Imamiyyah theology became passive. This was not, however, because of disability but was the result of innovation and awareness; that is, the Imami theologian feels that in this special period, he needs to draw up a new intellectual strategy, therefore he tries to refer to the teachings of the majority. This movement which began from the fourth century and was the strategy of minority for presence in the community of majority, evokes the Imami theologian to present his theological system in terms of established Mu’tazilite theology.