Although the philosophical kalām (Islamic theology) has a long history in the Islamic intellectual tradition, its precise nature has not yet been adequately clarified. Contrary to those who attempt to minimize the role of philosophy within kalām, I, the author, argue that once kalām became philosophically oriented, all of its core components underwent such a profound transformation that it is difficult to equate it with classical or pre-philosophical kalām. Given the fundamental role that philosophy plays in shaping kalām—and in light of the significant disagreements that exist regarding these philosophical foundations—it is necessary for kalām theologians, before engaging in issues of ilāhiyyāt bi‑maʿnā al‑akhṣṣ (metaphysics (theology) in its particular sense), to first determine their position within ilāhiyyāt bi‑maʿnā al‑aʿamm (metaphysics (theology) in its general sense). This study seeks to explain the elements of kalām that have been transformed by philosophy and, in light of these changes, to offer a precise definition of philosophical kalām. It also examines the distinguishing features of philosophical kalām in comparison with other cognate disciplines, thereby clarifying its intellectual relationship to them.