The Epistemology in the Sciences of Hadith and Kalam From the Perspective of Socio-Cultural Context

Abstract

The reason is an important source of information in the science of Kalam while the report (khabar) is an important source in the science of Hadith. The nature of these sciences is the main reason of this dichotomy. While Kalam defends and promotes Islamic doctrine, Hadith interests locating the deeds of the prophet (sunnah). Therefore, the sciences of Kalam and Hadith had been perceived as alternative or opponent disciplines to each other through the Muslim history. This study examines determining factors of epistemological approach of Kalam and Hadith by considering socio-cultural dynamics and educational policies of Muslim societies. The article consists of three chapters. The first chapter deals with the Islamic education and institutes. The second chapter handles educational issues related with the sciences of hadith and kalam. The last chapter examines the topic of "khabar (report)" in the sciences of Hadith and Kalam with an epistemological point of view.