To understand the conceptual framework of classical Muslim theologians, we must be mindful of both God and the world. Although God, in His self-sufficiency, does not depend on this world, the latter is the necessary point of departure for our knowledge of Him, be it of His existence or His other attributes. But to perfect our knowledge of the whole religious experience, a return to the world is needed once the reasoning about God has been completed; this reasoning allows us to understand how He manages the affairs of this world, of paramount importance among them the salvation of the human being.

With this consideration in mind, this chapter examines the major premises of Murtaḍā's theological system. It opens with a brief inventory to take stock of his terms, definitions and argumentative methods. This is followed by a discussion of the proof for the existence of God, inseparable from subsequently learning of His attributes and acts. These were topics of heated debate in Islamic history, and the very involvement in such discussions brought the wrath of traditionalists upon theologians, regardless of their affiliation. But even among theologians themselves, much ink was spilt on merciless accusations; a label no less grave than that of polytheism always loomed over the discussion of the relationship between divine essence and attributes, given the danger of accepting real multiplicity in the divine; talk of God's corporeality was closely associated with the slander of anthropomorphism, whereas that of His speech led to the famous inquisition (miḥna) instituted by the caliph al-Maʾmūn.

In these discussions Murtaḍā comes very close to the teachings of the Basran Muʿtazili school, to the point of endorsing most of its positions. This agreement is occasioned by the fact that these debates do not involve concepts that contradict staple Imami doctrines – in contrast to discussions of divine justice (in connection with which the Basran Muʿtazili understanding of intercession can pose a real problem), the Imama (on which both the historical/political and theological aspects of the common Muʿtazili position are incompatible with Imami doctrine) and prophethood (regarding which the Muʿtazili view of religious law may dispense with the necessity of the Imama).