An Investigation of the Difference among Mysticism,Philosophy, and Theology

In the three sciences of mysticism, divine wisdom (philosophy), and kalām (theology), “existence” is said to server as the subject-matter. Given the majority view that sciences are distinguished from one another in virtue of their subject-matters, the question arises of how these three sciences are distinguished given that they have the same subject-matter. This research seeks to answer this question, drawing on a descriptive-analytic method. It will turn out that the subject-matter of mysticism is pure existence or reality and the exemplification of existence and that of divine philosophy and kalām is absolute existence or the concept of existence. Thus, contrary to the majority view, divine philosophy and kalām do not differ over their subject-matters, their difference boiling down to sources of their assent preliminaries. Assent sources of philosophy are derived from intellect without being constrained by conformity to appearances of the religion, while kalām derives its preliminaries from appearances of the religion, and if religious appearances are acquired with sufficient care, then they will lead to conclusions consonant with intellectual preliminaries without a need for exotic interpretations.