(Al-Muhkam and Al-Mutashabih According to Allama Abdullah Jawadi Amoli) An Objective Study

Abstract

This study examines the methodology of Shaykh ʿAbd Allah Jawadi Amuli (may his shadow endure) in his Qur’anic exegesis. He is regarded as one of the most prominent contemporary scholars of the Twelver Shiʿi school, particularly in the fields of tafsir and philosophy. His intellectual and mystical background enabled him to compose his monumental work Tafsir al-Tasnīm, which is considered among the most significant rational and mystical commentaries on the Qur’an. The findings of the research indicate that Shaykh Jawadi Amuli did not confine the discussion of muhkam (clear) and mutashabih (ambiguous) verses to their apparent meaning. Rather, he expanded the concept to encompass an ontological dimension, grounding it in a method that is both rational and mystical. In this regard, Amuli emphasized the authority of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), identifying them as “those firmly rooted in knowledge.” In his exegesis, he systematically integrated verses and narrations related to the interpretation of ambiguous verses and their return to the clear ones, linking the levels of Qur’anic expression with the levels of rational cognition. Consequently, his tafsir is replete with profound hermeneutical and mystical dimensions.