MOATAZALITES, or SEPARATISTS, a religious sect among the Turks, who deny all forms and qualities in the Divine Being; or who divest God of his attributes.
There are two opinions among the Turkish divines concerning God. The first admits metaphysical forms or attributes; as, that God has wisdom, by which he is wise; power, by which he is powerful; eternity, by which he is eternal, &c. The second allows God to be wise, powerful, eternal; but will not allow any form or quality in God, for fear of admitting a multiplicity. Those who follow this latter opinion are called Moatazalites; they who follow the former, Sephalites.
The Moatazalites also believed that the word of God was created in subiecto, as the schoolmen term it; and to consist of letters and sounds; copies thereof being written in books to express or imitate the original: they denied absolute predestination, and affirmed that man is a free agent. This sect is said to have first invented the scholastic divinity, and is subdivided into no less than 20 inferior sects, which mutually brand one another with infidelity.