A comparative study of the possibility of Satan's influence on the bodies of the prophets from the perspectives of Allamah Tabataba'i (may Allah have mercy on him) and Allamah Fazlullah (may Allah have mercy on him), with emphasis on verse 48 of Sura

Document Type : Academicm and Research

Authors

1 University of Qom

2 Qom Faculty of Theology

10.22091/ptt.2026.15354.2590

Abstract

The attribution of the suffering and illness of Prophet Ayyub (AS) to the “touch of Satan” in verse 41 of Surah S is one of the challenging theological and exegetical discussions about the sphere of Satan’s influence and its relation to the infallibility of the prophets. This study, using a descriptive-analytical method and a comparative approach, examines and evaluates the views of Allama Tabataba’i and Allama Seyyed Muhammad Hussein Fazlullah on the possibility and scope of Satan’s influence on the bodies of the prophets. The findings of the study show that Allama Tabataba’i, citing the apparent nature of the verse, the theory of longitudinal causes, and the distinction between Satan’s physical influence and the sphere of infallibility, explains the possibility of Satan’s limited and formative influence on the bodies of the prophets within the framework of divine permission. In his critique of Allama Tabataba’i’s view, Allama Fazlullah, in order to protect the status of infallibility, denies any direct influence of Satan on the bodies of the prophets and proposes the attribution of “the touch of Satan” to natural causes, including pathogenic factors, as an interpretative possibility. A comparative evaluation of the evidence of the two commentators shows that Allameh Tabataba'i's view has greater interpretative and theological strength due to its greater conformity with the apparent meaning of the verses,

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Comparative Interpretation Research

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

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