Comparative Evaluation of the Interpretive Approaches of Fakhruddin Razi, Allama Tabataba'i, and Ayatollah Javadi Amoli in the Interpretation of Verse 85 of Surah Al-Isra'

Document Type : Academicm and Research

Authors

1 PhD student in Islamic Theology, Faculty of Theology, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy and Islamic Theology, University of Qom, Faculty of Theology, Qom, Iran

10.22091/ptt.2026.15051.2574

Abstract

Verse 85 of Surah Al-Isra (“Say: The Spirit is by the command of my Lord, and you have been given nothing of knowledge except a little”) is an important verse in explaining the truth of the spirit and the limits of human knowledge. This study comparatively and critically analyzes the views of Fakhr al-Din Razi, Allama Tabataba’i, and Ayatollah Javadi Amoli regarding the concept of “spirit” and the meaning of “command.” Using an analytical-applicative method, it evaluates the explanatory capacity of their theological, philosophical-interpretive, and philosophical-mystical approaches. The findings indicate that all three commentators acknowledge the limitations of human knowledge concerning the truth of the spirit, but differ due to their methodological and epistemological foundations. Fakhr Razi, adopting a theological and probability-based approach, emphasizes the inability of reason to comprehend the essence of the spirit and the need for caution regarding the unseen, relationship between the spirit and the divine command. Allama Tabataba’i, by contrast, presents a coherent interpretation of the spirit as an immaterial reality associated with the realm of divine command. Ayatollah Javadi Amoli develops this foundation by emphasizing the epistemological and mystical dimensions of the spirit and its relation to the unseen. The study concludes that integrating Quranic, philosophical, and mystical approaches offers greater explanatory capacity for understanding the relationship between the spirit and divine command.

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Comparative Interpretation Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 05 September 2026

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