A Comparative Analysis of the Exegetical Function of Fakhr Rāzi and Ālousi on the Physicality of God

Making a general or particular comparison between two exegeses is among Qur’anic research criticisms in the contemporary era. Regarding the fact that Tafsir Rouh ol-Ma’āni from Ālousi, the acclaimed commentator of the 13th century is recognized as the 2nd version of Tafsir Kabir from Fakhr Rāzi, the eminent theologian of the 6th century, the present study using a descriptive-analytical approach, attempts to compare the issue of God’s physicality from the view of both above commentators. This research has concluded that both Rāzi and Ālousi acknowledge that God is free from physicality but there are 2 differences between their views: First, Rāzi has emphasized on the infeasibility of this issue and has presented some rational arguments to prove his view while Ālousi has accepted this issue because it is the method of many other outstanding Islamic scholars and does not refer to or emphasize on the infeasibility of God’s physicality. Second, Rāzi has raised this discussion in a way that denotes the preference of hermeneutics in the style of Mu’tazila whereas Ālousi accepts the things that are attributed to God in the Qur’anic verses as well but he delegates determination of meaning to God. He still has a tendency to hermeneutics in some cases though. Furthermore, it should be noted that Ālousi has also criticized the view favored by Rāzi in some places.