Correlation between God’s essence and His attributes in the context of transcendence and eternity in Imam Mensur Al-Matuturidi’s thought

Abstract

UDK 28-1
         28:929 Maturadi A.M.

This article examines the key aspects of Al-Maturidi’s theology, including the conceptualization of God's eternity, His relationship to time, and the correlation between His essence and His attributes. Al-Maturidi's theological perspective about God's essence involves essential issues of the Islamic concept of God. His methodology, based on rational interpretation of the Revelation, represents a vital contribution to the Sunni kalam tradition. Al-Maturidi’s approach involves: 1. Concept of God’s essence (dhāt): God is Being-essence that includes attributes, but not as substrate. God’s essence is unique, eternal, and independent 2. God’s attributes (sifatu-dh-dhāt) are intrinsic to God’s essence, they are eternal and do not represent an addition to His essence; 3. Criticism of anthropomorphism and interpretation of attributes: Al-Maturidi rejects the idea of understanding God as a corporeal entity, and uses analogy to explain His attributes, avoiding direct comparison to the created world. Al-Maturidi attempts to clarify that God’s essence can be understood in relation to the created world, and at the same time preserve his absolute transcendence (tanzih). Al-Maturidi’s theology remains relevant in contemporary discourse; it offers a methodological framework for understanding God’s transcendence and His relation with the created world.