A Comparative Historical Study of the Verses on the "Creation of Actions" from the Perspectives of Kalabadhi and Allameh Tabatabʿi with Emphasis on the Books "Al-Taʿarof" and "Al-Mizān"

Document Type : Academicm and Research

Author

دانشیار دانشگاه پیام نور

10.22091/ptt.2026.10433.2315

Abstract

Abstract:

The topic of "creation of actions" (khalq al-afʿāl) has long been a subject of interest for exegetes and theologians within the Imāmiyya, Muʿtazila, Ashʿarī, and Sufi traditions. This study analyzes the theory of Kulābādhī, a Sunni Sufi-oriented exegete and theologian (4th century AH), as presented in his work al-Taʿaruf, in comparison with the perspective of the contemporary Shia scholar and exegete ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī in al-Mīzān, on the question of whether humans are absolutely the creators of their good and evil actions. Using an analytical, descriptive, and comparative approach, the study examines their views in light of Qur'anic evidence. The findings reveal that Kulābādhī, citing Qur'anic verses, considers God as the creator of all human actions—both good and evil—an interpretation that leads to a deterministic perspective for him and his followers. In contrast, ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī, in al-Mīzān, refutes Kulābādhī’s view by reinterpreting the verses used by Kulābādhī and introducing other Qur'anic passages. He engages with concepts such as the philosophy of reward and punishment, divine questioning about human actions, the existence of paradise and hell, and accountability on the Day of Judgment. Ultimately, ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī advocates for the doctrine of al-amr bayn al-amrayn ("the position between two extremes"), which negates the attribution of evil actions to God while affirming that good actions originate from God.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Send comment about this article
CAPTCHA Image
Comparative Interpretation Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 13 July 2026

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics