The semantic change of Mercy and its hermeneutical potential in the classical Islamic theological context

Abstract

The concept of mercy is heavily present in Qurʾān and Hadiths, but given the many cultural and political factors, it was not enough to make Mercy the basis of religious consideration, particularly in Islamic theological traditions. The Mu‘tazila concentrated on the value of justice al-‘adl and based most of their doctrinal system on it, and mercy in this context has no value other than its slight links with the rule of divine providence; While mercy is present in the Ash‘arī theology as a will for good that can be activated by God according to His will without the restrictions of al-‘adl; The interaction of islamic theology with Sufism led to the presence of the concept of mercy in certain theological and Sufi schools, in which mercy played a fundamental role to deal with a number of sensitive theological issues, such as the eschatological destiny of humankind. This study aims to trace the semantic development of the concept of mercy by dealing with the following issues: the meaning of the concept of mercy in the Islamic theological context; the reasons for the infrequent presence of mercy in the early debates of Islamic theologians; how to interpret its presence in later theological schools during the 11th and 12th centuries CE?