Aql

Aql means intellect, reason, or rational faculty. In Islamic thought, especially Ismaili philosophy, aql is highly valued as a gift from God enabling humans to understand divine truth. The balance between reason (aql) and revelation (naql) has been a central theme in Islamic intellectual history. In Ismaili cosmology, al-ʿAql al-Awwal (Universal Intellect) is the first creation.