A Survey of the Exchange of Views between the Twelver Shia and Asharites in Baghdad, under the Buwayhids

The city of Baghdad, under the Buwayhids (the fourth and fifth centuries A.H.), witnessed the exchange of views between the Twelver Shia and various other Muslim schools of thought, including the Asharite school. Such exchanges resulted in either similarity or differences of viewpoints. In this paper, it is explored how the issues of collaborating with an illegitimate ruler, waging a war against a Muslim ruler, war among Muslims and the holy war (or jihad) were discussed among such various schools. The gradual domination of Asharites over other schools led to the demise of rationalism, philosophy and ijtihad within the Muslim community, bolstering the institution of Caliphate, and weakening the Hanbalite school of thought. The Twelver Shia and Asharites had opposing views on the issues of legitimate political and religious leadership, the position of rationality in understanding religion, and the legitimacy of ijtihad. Theoretical differences between the Shia and Asharites resulted in the weakening of the Bwayhids and the Hanbalites, as well as the strengthening of the Caliphs and their support for the Asharites.