Evaluating the Allameh Ṭabāṭabāī’s Critiques on the Indication of the Pact Verse to Dhar World

This article aims to evaluate the critiques raised by Allameh Ṭabāṭabāī to the application of the pact (mīthāq) verse for Dhar world. Islamic thinkers have different views on the indication of the verses 172-173 of surah al-'A'rāf, known as "Pact Verse", to Dhar world. Some Islamic exegetes and thinkers denied the meaning of the Pact verse on the existence of Dhar world. The basis of their denial is a series of quotations concerning the use of this verse for Dhar world. Among them may be mentioned of Allameh Ṭabāṭabāī who has made various concerns to it. In his interpretation of Al-Mīzān, he criticized the existence of Dhar world based on the Pact verse. His comments are not seen in the works of other scholars. Allameh denied this theory about Dhar world that all human beings had been created before this world in a previous world and Allah the almighty has made a covenant with them to confess His Lordship, while having a material body and soul and consequently intellect and consciousness. He justified the Pact verse in another way. In this article, his critiques are discussed and answered in detail, and it is concluded that his comments cannot prevent the application of this verse for Dhar world.