The intellectual mainstreaming of Imamyya from decline of Kūfa theologian school (The late second century) to Sheikh Mufid In Baghdad, Baṣra, Khurasan, Transoxiania

This thesis studies the Imami intellectual trends in the period between the decline of the School of Kufa in the years around 180 and the rise of the school of Baghdad with the centrality of al-Shaykh al-Mufid around the year 360. The main question is that which intellectual trends were active in this period of time among the Imamiyya; whether the trends which are connected to their roots in the School of Kufa or those which were influenced by external trends and schools. The aim of this thesis is to recognize Imami intellectual trends and shed light on the hidden aspects of the history of Imami thought in the aforementioned period of time. This historical and traditional study is conducted using classic method (not statistical method) and the level of analysis is descriptive-analytic. This study shows that four leading trends were always present in all geographical regions discussed in this thesis – namely, Baghdad, Basra, and east part of Islamic world including Khurasan and Transoxiana. Three of these four trends traced their roots back to the Kufian School of thought: the followers of Hisham ibn al-Hakam; the traditionalist (Hadith-gara) trend which was the opposite of liberal trend of Hisham ibn al-Hakam; and the trend of those who were accused of exaggeration (ghuluw). The historical trajectory of all these three trends was the same: from Kufa to Baghdad, then to Basra and then to Kurasan and Transoxiana. The fourth trend were the Imamies with Mu’tazili inclination. This group which was under the influence of Mu’tazili School of thought, emerged in the mid third century in ‘Askar Mukram and shortly after in Baghdad. They diverged partially from traditional and original Imami trends. Besides Iraq, this trend also can be seen in Khurasan. Nonetheless it was unpopular among Shiite populace. At last, if we want to mention the trends that were only active in one geographical region, we should refer to two trends in Basra: the powerful trend of historians of Basra and the trend of Imami poets with approach.