Critique of Rational and Narrative Reasons for Denying Purgatory from the Perspective of the Indian Subcontinental Qur’anists (focusing on the views of Jiraj Puri)

Belief in the Purgatory is one of the accepted principles of most Muslims. Some Qur’anic verses such as Surah Al-Ghāfir/11 and Surah Al-Baqarah/154 deal with this issue. Also, the Infallible Imams (AS) mentioned this important matter in their sayings. However, some Islamic sects have cast doubt on it; The Qur’anists of the Indian Continent are among those who denied the existence of the Purgatory. They proved their idea of the non-existence of Purgatory through rational arguments of “1. uncertainty of the nature of the human soul, 2. the lack of torment’s signs on the body laid in the grave” and narrative evidences of the verses “Surah Al-Ghāfir/11 and 46 and Surah Al-Baqarah/154" with an unusual exegetical method, including self-idea, interpretation (ta’wīl), and scientism. This paper intends to evaluate the views of the subcontinental Qur’anists based on a descriptive-critical method, as much as possible.