batch.motif.islamic-koran-sale-gutenberg-l7426-l7480
---
record_id: batch.motif.islamic-koran-sale-gutenberg-l7426-l7480
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
passage_locator:
label: SECTION VI. / OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE KORAN IN CIVIL AFFAIRS. / SECTION
VII. / SECTION VIII.; lines 7426-7480
start: '7426'
end: '7480'
translation: The Koran (Al-Qur'an)
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The passage describes the emergence of heterodox Islamic theological opinions
about predestination, good and evil, and divine attributes. It recounts Wsel Ebn
At's withdrawal from Hasan of Basra's school after proposing that a grave sinner
occupied a middle state, leading to the name Mtazalites or Separatists. It then
lists four chief sects and summarizes several Mtazalite tenets concerning divine
attributes, the created word of God, and human free agency.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Johni, Ghailn of Damascus, and Jonas al Aswri are said to have introduced
heterodox opinions about predestination and the ascribing of good and evil to
God.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Wsel Ebn At followed these opinions and had been a scholar of Hasan of Basra.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: In Hasan of Basra's school, a question was raised about whether a person who
committed a grievous sin should be considered an infidel.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The Khrejites maintained that the grievous sinner should be deemed an infidel,
while the orthodox maintained the negative.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Wsel withdrew before his master's decision and taught that such a sinner was
in a middle state.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Wsel was expelled from the school, and he and his followers were thereafter
called Mtazalites or Separatists.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: 'The passage states that later sects were variously compounded from four chief
sects: the Mtazalites, Seftians, Khrejites, and Shiites.'
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: The Mtazalites are described as followers of Wsel Ebn At.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: The passage says the Mtazalites rejected all eternal attributes of God in
order to avoid the Christian distinction of persons.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: The passage says the Mtazalites held that affirming eternal attributes would
imply more eternals than one and conflict with divine unity.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:11
text: Wsel is reported to have declared that whoever asserted an eternal attribute
asserted there were two Gods.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:12
text: The passage says the point of speculation about divine attributes was developed
by Wsel's followers after they read books of the philosophers.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:13
text: The Mtazalites are said to have believed that the word of God was created
in subjecto, consisted of letters and sound, and was represented by written copies
in books.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:14
text: The Mtazalites are said to have denied absolute predestination, to have held
that God was the author of good only and not evil, and to have held that man was
a free agent.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Johni
description: A person named among those who broached heterodox opinions concerning
predestination and the ascribing of good and evil to God.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Ghailn of Damascus
description: A person named among those who broached heterodox opinions concerning
predestination and the ascribing of good and evil to God.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Jonas al Aswri
description: A person named among those who broached heterodox opinions concerning
predestination and the ascribing of good and evil to God.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Wsel Ebn At
description: A scholar of Hasan of Basra who taught a middle-state doctrine about
a grievous sinner, was expelled, and became the master associated with the Mtazalites.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Hasan of Basra
description: The master in whose school the question about the grievous sinner was
proposed.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Khrejites
description: A group said to dispute in Hasan's school and to maintain that a grievous
sinner should be deemed an infidel.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: orthodox
description: A group said to deny that a grievous sinner should be deemed an infidel.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Mtazalites
description: Followers of Wsel Ebn At, also called Separatists, whose tenets about
God, the word of God, predestination, good and evil, and free agency are summarized.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Seftians
description: One of the four chief sects from which later sects are said to be compounded.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Shiites
description: One of the four chief sects from which later sects are said to be compounded.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: GOD
description: The divine being whose attributes, word, relation to good and evil,
and relation to predestination are discussed in the summarized doctrines.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Christians
description: A group whose distinction of persons is mentioned as something the
Mtazalites sought to avoid when rejecting eternal attributes of God.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: philosophers
description: Authors or intellectual sources whose books are said to have influenced
the development of speculation on divine attributes among Wsel's followers.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Kadarians
description: A sect associated in the passage with the opinion that man is a free
agent and that God is not the author of evil.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
roles:
- id: role:1
label: introducer of heterodox opinions
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
basis: They are described as broaching heterodox opinions concerning predestination
and the ascribing of good and evil to God.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: student and doctrinal innovator
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Wsel is described as Hasan's scholar who withdrew and began publishing a
new opinion of his own.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: sectarian master
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The passage identifies Wsel as the master whose doctrine was followed by
the Mtazalites.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:4
label: school master
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The school is identified as Hasan of Basra's, and Wsel withdrew before his
master's decision.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: disputing doctrinal party
assigned_to:
- fig:6
- fig:7
basis: The Khrejites and the orthodox take opposed positions on the status of a
grievous sinner.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: sect with summarized tenets
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The passage lists the Mtazalites among chief sects and summarizes their general
tenets.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:7
label: named sect
assigned_to:
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:14
basis: These groups are named as sects or as a sect connected with a stated doctrine.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:9
- id: role:8
label: divine subject of doctrinal claims
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: The doctrines concern God's attributes, word, and authorship of good or evil.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:9
label: comparative religious reference
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: The passage states that the Mtazalites rejected eternal attributes to avoid
the Christian distinction of persons.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:10
label: philosophical textual source
assigned_to:
- fig:13
basis: The development of speculation is said to have occurred after Wsel's followers
read the books of the philosophers.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: word of God
literal_form: The word of God described as created, consisting of letters and sound,
with written copies in books expressing or imitating the original.
associated_figures:
- fig:8
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:2
label: middle state
literal_form: A doctrinal status assigned by Wsel to the grievous sinner, between
being treated as an infidel and not being so treated.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: divine attributes
literal_form: Eternal attributes of God discussed as rejected by the Mtazalites
and linked to divine unity.
associated_figures:
- fig:8
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Dispute in Hasan of Basra's school
summary: A question is raised about whether a grievous sinner should be considered
an infidel; the Khrejites answer affirmatively and the orthodox answer negatively.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Wsel's separation and new doctrine
summary: Wsel withdraws before his master's decision, teaches that the grievous
sinner is in a middle state, and is expelled; he and his followers are then called
Mtazalites or Separatists.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Enumeration of chief sects
summary: The passage identifies the Mtazalites, Seftians, Khrejites, and Shiites
as four chief sects from which later sects are said to be compounded.
figure_refs:
- fig:6
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: Summary of Mtazalite tenets
summary: The passage summarizes Mtazalite positions on divine attributes, divine
unity, the created word of God, predestination, good and evil, and human free
agency.
figure_refs:
- fig:8
- fig:11
- fig:12
- fig:13
- fig:14
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: divine judgment of the sinner's status
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: The passage centers one episode on competing determinations of whether a
grievous sinner should be classed as an infidel, with Wsel proposing a middle
state.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a doctrinal classification debate rather than a narrative scene
of divine judgment; the taxonomy fit is functional and should be reviewed.
- id: motif:2
label: unity of the divine against multiplicity
taxonomy_refs:
- duality
basis: The passage reports an argument that eternal attributes would make more eternals
than one and that Wsel said asserting an eternal attribute amounted to asserting
two Gods.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: low
cautions: The available taxonomy has no exact category for divine unity or attributes;
the duality reference is only a broad thematic fit.
- id: motif:3
label: created divine word in written copies
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage states that the Mtazalites believed the word of God to be created,
composed of letters and sound, and represented by written copies in books.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: No available taxonomy reference directly matches a created sacred word
or scripture doctrine.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage explicitly frames the Mtazalite rejection of eternal divine attributes
as avoiding the Christian distinction of persons.
claim_level: same_function
target: Christian distinction of persons
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The passage reports a polemical or doctrinal contrast, not shared mythic
narrative or historical influence beyond the stated rationale.
- id: claim:2
claim: The passage links the Mtazalite denial of absolute predestination and affirmation
of human free agency to the opinion of the Kadarians.
claim_level: same_function
target: Kadarian doctrine of free agency
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: The comparison is limited to the doctrinal position described in the
passage.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 7426-7429
quote_or_summary: Johni, Ghailn of Damascus, and Jonas al Aswri are described as
broaching heterodox opinions on predestination and on ascribing good and evil
to God; Wsel Ebn At followed these opinions.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 7429-7435
quote_or_summary: Wsel is described as Hasan of Basra's scholar; in Hasan's school
a question is posed about whether a grievous sinner is an infidel, with Khrejites
affirming and the orthodox denying it.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 7435-7440
quote_or_summary: Wsel withdraws before his master's decision, teaches that such
a sinner is in a middle state, is expelled, and he and his followers are called
Mtazalites or Separatists.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 7441-7444
quote_or_summary: 'Later sects are said to be compounded and decompounded from four
chief sects: the Mtazalites, Seftians, Khrejites, and Shiites.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 7445-7453
quote_or_summary: The Mtazalites are identified as followers of Wsel Ebn At and
are said to reject all eternal attributes of God to avoid the Christian distinction
of persons, saying eternity belongs properly to God's essence.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 7453-7459
quote_or_summary: The passage says the Mtazalites argued that affirming eternal
attributes makes more eternals than one and conflicts with God's unity; Wsel is
said to have declared that asserting an eternal attribute asserted two Gods.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 7459-7462
quote_or_summary: Speculation on divine attributes is said to have matured among
Wsel's followers after they read books of the philosophers.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 7462-7468
quote_or_summary: The Mtazalites are said to believe the word of God was created
in subjecto, consisted of letters and sound, and had written copies in books expressing
or imitating the original; they also called what was created in subjecto an accident
liable to perish.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: 7468-7474
quote_or_summary: The Mtazalites are said to deny absolute predestination, hold
that God is the author of good only and not evil, and hold that man is a free
agent; this is connected with the Kadarians.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage is doctrinal and historical rather than mythic narrative; extraction
of figures and doctrines is strong, while motif mapping is limited and requires
review.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Names and transliterations follow the supplied passage text, including archaic or corrupted forms from the edition.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:islamic-koran-sale-gutenberg__l7426-l7480
passage_sha256=9d3cbc6de0b4ce9da0adc2267a6bf9ef4214326af7a321f8b888c7065fc7d7e0