بررسي و نقد چهار رويكرد در الاهيات سلبي

A Critical Study on Four Approaches in Negative Theology

As one of the significant theories concerning the Semantics of Allahʹs names and attributes, the theory of negative theology has been brought up amongst the Islamic thinkers from long ago. In this regard, there are two extremes: one accepts it absolutely and the other rejects it totally. In this paper, two questions are raised: 1) How the scholars of the field have given consideration to such a theory and what problem has been solved by it? 2) What is the correct approach with regard to this theory? Answering the first, it should be stated that negative theology is composed of four subsidiary theories, being of the same origin but of different purposes and consequences. Laboriousness of positive reasoning on Divine attributes, denial of Divine essential attributes, a logical statement of the uniqueness of Divine attributes and essence and finally denial of any resemblance derived from traditions respectively have caused the four. The first three have been criticized and the last one is accepted as the most advisable one, but not necessarily.