Document Type : Academicm and Research
Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Quran and Hadith Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Highlights
The narrative of Adam’s (AS) vicegerency and the teaching of the Names to him is mentioned only once in the Holy Quran (al-Baqarah: 30-33). However, related elements of this story—such as the prostration of the angels, the rebellion of Satan, as well as the deception of Adam and Eve by Satan, and their descent to earthly life—have been addressed in various other passages, either briefly or in detail (al-Baqarah: 34-39; al-Aʿraaf: 19-25; Taha: 115-123). Naturally, uncovering the different dimensions of such topics proves more challenging and requires deeper and more serious research.
This study seeks to conduct a comparative analysis of the relevant verses in Tafsīr al-Manār and Tafsīr al-Mīzān to examine and compare the perspectives of Rashid Rida and Tabatabai regarding the interpretation of the stages of Adam’s creation as preparatory steps for humanity’s entry into social life. Note that Rashid Rida, following in the footsteps of his teacher Abdoh, as a prominent social reformer in Sunni Islam, and Tabatabai, as a leading social reformer in Shia Islam, both placed special emphasis on a social approach in the interpretation of the Quran in hopes to show the Quran’s central role in resolving issues and advancing affairs in human society.
While Rashid Rida, like Tabatabai, considers that the descendants of Adam’s (AS) share in vicegerency, however, since he views this participation as actualized (bi-l-fiʿl), his explanation faces a serious challenge: If the most significant domain of the manifestation of this earthly being’s vicegerency lies in realms beyond the material world, this explanation cannot justify the actualized authority of all the children of Adam over the inhabitants of those realms—namely, the angels. Rather, despite each angel having a designated rank, their station is so exalted that it lies beyond the reach of ordinary humans. In contrast, Tabatabai maintains that what has been actualized is the bestowal of the comprehensive truth of vicegerency upon human reality and the teaching of names refers to entrusting this truth within humanity’s essence in such a way that its manifestations gradually and continually emerge. These manifestations only become apparent when individuals follow the path of guidance and actualize this trust from potentiality to actuality.
Rashid Rida, while correctly emphasizing that angels and jinn belong to realms beyond the material world and are distinct from the physical bodies of humans, interacting with them through the spirit, however, he errs in distinguishing between these two groups and considers the difference between angels and jinn as merely that of two classes within the same type. In contrast, Tabatabai relates the commonality between angels and jinn to their station in the realm of holiness (maqām al-quds), as it is evident that there is a clear distinction of essence between them: angels being purely immaterial, while jinn are of fire.
Rashid Rida acknowledges the occurrence of multiple descents (hubūt) but in explaining the difference between them, he merely states that the first descent refers to the expulsion of Adam and his spouse along with Iblis from Paradise—an event that necessitates enmity and the second descent occurs when Adam and his wife settle on earth and divine law is revealed to them. Consequently, their state is measured by their obedience or disobedience to the commandments of divine law. While Rashid Rida correctly distinguishes between the two descents, he fails to address a crucial question: What is the place of the second descent in the process of human creation? Tabatabai, however, addresses this issue and asserts that unlike the first descent—which marked a decline from the human station—the second descent serves as a prelude to humanity’s attainment of complete perfection. This is because the second descent occurred after Adam’s (AS) repentance and its acceptance by God Almighty. With this explanation, the role of Satan’s temptation in humanity’s attainment of lofty spiritual stations becomes even more apparent.
Rashid Rida’s analysis of the key aspects of the story of Adam (AS) does not lead to a sociological perspective on humanity, whereas Tabatabai presents an interpretation of this story that offers a comprehensive and convergent view of human beings across all realms of existence. For instance, Rashid Rida accepts the notion of Paradise being worldly and earthly to avoid the difficulties posed by the opposing view and to align his interpretation more closely with the apparent meaning of the verses. However, he overlooks the fact that believing in an earthly Paradise also presents its own difficulties, which he is unable to resolve. However, Tabatabai, recognizing the difficulties of both views, proposes a third perspective and accepts an intermediate position, that of an intermediary/imaginal (barzakhī) Paradise. Similarly, in analyzing the reality of the descent, while Rashid Rida correctly distinguishes between the two descents, however, he leaves a crucial question unanswered: Why, after their repentance, did Adam and his wife experience another descent instead of returning to their original station?! Tabatabai, however, explains the first descent as a decline from the divine station and the second as a prelude to attaining ultimate perfection. He further emphasizes that the occurrence of the initial error and descent was itself part of humanity’s journey of perfection, without which human beings can never attain the highest stages of perfection.
Holy Quran. (2019). (M. Fouladmand, Trans.). Payam-i Adalat.
Ahmad, K. (1990). Al-ʿAyn. Muassasat Dar al-Hijrah. [In Arabic].
Akbari, M. A., & Fayyazbakhsh, N. (2019). The epistemic exploration of Adam’s residence in the intermediate-world Paradise and his fall from it from the viewpoint of Neo-Sadrian hilosophers. Philosophy of Religion, 16(3), 459-477. https://doi.org/10.22059/jpht.2019.277589.1005645. [In Persian].
Ragheb Isfahani, H. (1984). Al-Mufradat fi gharib al-Qurʾan. Taliat Nur. [In Arabic].
Rashid Rida, M. (1993). Tafsir al-Qurʾan al-hakim al-shahir bi-tafsir al-manar. Dar al-Marefah. [In Arabic].
Rouhi Barandagh, K. (2018). Bazkhani-yi Qurʾani-ʿirfani-yi gunah-i nakarde-yi Adam: Didgah-i no dar sazegari-yi didgah-i Sadr al-Mutaʾallihin va ʿAllameh Tabatabai. Andisheh Allameh, 5(8), 30-7. https://doi.org/10.22054/tat.2019.47726.85. [In Persian].
Sajjadi, S. I. (1999). Ruykard-i taʾwili beh dastan-I Adam. Qur’anic Researches, 4(13-14), 126-149. https://doi.org/10.22081/jqr.1999.22583. [In Persian].
Shamkhi, M., & Najafi, M. J. (2021). A study and critique of the narrations of Adam’s story with the theme of Israʾiliyyat in the interpretive approach of the Monhaj al-Sadeqin. Quranic Studies Quarterly, 12(48), 211-238. https://doi.org/10.30495/qsf.2021.687507. [In Persian].
Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Al-Mizan fi tafsir al-Qurʾan. Jamiat al-Modarresin-i Hawza-yi Ilmiyyah-i Qom Publications. [In Arabic].
Tabatabai, M. H. (2018). Nihayat al-hikmah. Muassasat al-Nashr al-Islami. [In Arabic].
Keywords
Main Subjects
)
Send comment about this article