Narrative Investigation of God's Spatiality from the Perspective of Imamiyyah and Salafiyyah

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student in Theological Denominations, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Philosophy and Theology, University of Qom, Qom, Iran,

Abstract

This research aims to explain the issue of "God's spatiality", and by examining Imami and Salafi traditions, it seeks to find the answer to the questions: What do the Salafi traditions prove in this regard? And how did the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (AS) react to them? Using the descriptive approach i.e. explaining and analyzing the traditions and views of Salafi scholars and comparing them with the traditions of Shiite Imams, the article concludes that the traditions accepted by Salafis generally prove God's spatiality and ultimately end up with incarnation and anthropomorphism. But the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (AS) have always criticized and rejected these traditions. However, there are some traditions in Shiite sources that Salafis have used to confirm their own views. Yet, they are either weak in terms of narration transmission or unreliable for Salafis in terms of connotation and meaning. This is because, according to the intellectual basis of the Shiite Imams regarding the necessity of allegorical interpretation of texts, all of them are taken as figurative, metaphorical, and ironic meanings, just like the verses of narrative attributes. Consequently, this criterion is also obtained that any narration in the Imami sources that agrees with the Salafi view on God's spatiality, is not valid and cannot support the Salafis' point of view.

Keywords

References

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www.fnoor.com/main/articles.aspx?article_no=12548
Journal Of Islamic Denominations
Volume 9, Issue 17 - Serial Number 17
September 2022
Pages 63-95

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