Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

The Primacy of Sensory Beliefs over Apparent Meanings of Religious Texts in Imami Theology, Focusing on the Works of al-Shaykh al-Ṣadūq, al-Shaykh al-Mufīd, and al-Sharīf al-Murtaḍā

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Hamed Fayazi 1
Reza Berenjkar 2
1 PhD student, Imami Theology, University of Tehran (College of Farabi), Qom, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, University of Tehran (College of Farabi), Qom, Iran
10.22034/jis.2024.319258.1755
Abstract
There are many cases where religious scholars, including Imami theologians, have opted for non-literal interpretation of religious texts. This practice occurs when scholars perceive a conflict between the literal meaning of a Quranic verse or hadith and one of their beliefs—whether rooted in revealed doctrines, judgments of theoretical or practical reason, or sensory and experimental knowledge—and then prioritize their beliefs over the literal meaning of the verse or hadith. This article analyzes and compares the interpretations in the works of al-Shaykh al-Ṣadūq, al-Shaykh al-Mufīd, and al-Sayyid al-Murtaḍā where sensory and experimental beliefs take precedence over the literal meaning of religious texts. The analysis and comparison aim to reveal the similarities and differences in interpretation among these theologians, providing a clearer picture of their theological approaches and the extent of their commitment to the literal meanings of religious texts.
Keywords
taʾwīl
sense
experience
literal meaning
scripturalism
rationalism
Subjects
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