Methods, Tendencies, and Interpretive Foundations in Najm al-Din Razi’s Exegesis of Al-Tawilat al-Najmiyyah

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy and Theology, University of Isfahan

2 PhD student in the field of religions and mysticism, Mashhad, Ferdowsi University

Abstract

An analytical-descriptive methodology was employed to achieve the objectives of the present study, involving a thorough examination of Najm al-Din Razi’s exegetical work Al-Tawilat al-Najmiyyah, supplemented by an analysis of his other writings and relevant library sources. The findings reveal that Razi’s interpretive approach exhibits a degree of ijtihadi engagement, characterized by the utilization of an extensive array of scholarly resources. Notwithstanding this, the predominant emphasis lies in the application of the Quran-to-Quran method alongside narrative interpretive techniques. Within his narrative exegesis, Razi draws extensively upon divine verses, prophetic traditions, narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt, the companions, and successors, as well as the perspectives of other interpreters and mystics. Razi’s hermeneutical orientation is principally mystical, rooted in the foundational principle of tawhid (the oneness of God), yet articulated without resorting to the intricate and voluminous discourses typical of theoretical mysticism. Affiliated with the Khorasan mystical tradition, his interpretations predominantly foreground themes of practical spirituality. He posits that variations in individuals’ understanding of divine verses correlate with their respective levels of mystical and spiritual development. The interpretive framework underpinning Razi’s exegesis encompasses a belief in the dual outer and inner meanings of the Quran, an acknowledgement of the divergence in comprehension between laypersons and the scholarly elite, a delineation between interpretation (tafsir) and exegesis (ta’wil), an affirmation of the authority of the apparent meanings of Quranic verses, and an emphasis on harmonizing shari‘a (Islamic law) with tariqa (the spiritual path).

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References

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Biannual Journal of research in the interpretation of Quran
Volume 11, Issue 22
March 2025
Pages 361-394

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History

  • Receive Date: 20 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 20 July 2025

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