Analyzing Ibn ʿĀdil’s Critiques of Zamakhsharī in Theological and Literary Interpretations of the Qur’anic Verses

Ibn-ʿĀdil Dimashqī is a nineth-century Interpreter of the Qur’an and an expert scholar in various scientific fields, including Arabic literature, Islamic jurisprudence, principles of Islamic jurisprudence, as well as Islamic Hadith and narrations. Benefiting the viewpoints of dozens of the Qur’anic interpreters and other Islamic scholars, in some cases, he has criticized or refuted them in his own interpretation, namely al-Lubāb fī ʿUlūm al-Kitāb, which should be considered as a large encyclopedia of various Islamic sciences. One of the most famous Qur’anic interpreters who has been criticized by Ibn-ʿĀdil is Zamakhsharī, the early sixth-century author of a prominent Qur’anic interpretation, namely al-Kashshāf. Despite acknowledging the importance and prominence of the work and referring it widely and frequently, Ibn-ʿĀdil has emerged notable controversies over it in terms of theological thoughts based on his Ash’arite presuppositions. One can consider in this regard, for example, their contradictory interpretations concerning some divine attributes that have been mentioned by the Qur’an, such as deceive, anger, mock, arrogance, as well as other Islamic conceptions including intercession and human free will. Using a speculative approach and desk research method, as well as introducing both interpretative works, the present article suggests some examples of Ibn-ʿĀdil’s theological and literary critiques of Zamakhsharī and analyzes the effects of his preferred religious beliefs on his perceptions of the Qur’anic verses, especially in the field of their conflict points.