Critical Studies on the Quranic Exegesis

Critical Studies on the Quranic Exegesis

Angelology in Discourse: Comparative Analysis of Al-Manār and Jawāhir al-Tafsīr

Document Type : Original article

Authors
Batool Bagheri 1
Hoseyn KhoshdelMofrad 2
Mohammad Nasehi 2
1 PhD graduated of Quranic Sciences and Hadith, Kashan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kashan, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Theology, Kashan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kashan, Iran.
10.22034/naghdeara.2024.187558
Abstract
This study delves into the critical analysis of angelic nature presented in Jawāhir al-Tafsir by Aḥmad Khalīlī, juxtaposed against Muhammad ʿAbduh's interpretations in Tafsir al-Manār. Khalīlī, writing in the wake of ʿAbduh and within the intellectual milieu of Ibāḍīyya, not only eschews the influence of al-Manār but also endeavors to expose its interpretative inaccuracies through a critical lens. The discourse centers on Al-Khalīlī's critique of ʿAbduh's angelological perspectives, drawing upon both Ibāḍī and Sunni exegeses as benchmarks for authentic interpretation. While there is a consensus between the two scholars on the ethereal and radiant essence of angels, Al-Khalīlī systematically addresses and refutes ʿAbduh's assertions, attributing them to the latter's contemporary intellectual and ideological influences. ʿAbduh's portrayal of angels as benign spirits, akin to covert natural forces fostering growth and motion, is challenged by Al-Khalīlī. He dismisses such notions as reductionist, materialistic, and incongruent with scriptural depictions. Al-Khalīlī posits that, unlike angels, natural forces are devoid of sentience, rendering ʿAbduh's correlation with angels and Satan as exegetically tenuous. Ultimately, Al-Khalīlī advocates for a hermeneutic that honors the Quranic portrayal of angels and Satan, offering an interpretative framework free from predispositions.
Keywords
Tafsīr al-Manār
Muḥammad ʿAbduh
Jawāhir al-Tafsīr
Al-Khalīlī
Taʾwīl
Angels

Subjects

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  • Receive Date 28 September 2023
  • Revise Date 24 November 2023
  • Accept Date 14 January 2024