تفسیرِ کبیر میں اشاری و باطنی تفسیر کا منہج: صوفیانہ رجحانات کے تناظر میں ایک تجزیاتی مطالعہ

Abstract

This study examines the methodology of Ishārī (allusive) and Bāṭinī (esoteric) interpretation in Tafsīr al-Kabīr (Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb) of Imam Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, with particular emphasis on its Sufi tendencies. Although Imam al-Rāzī is primarily recognized as a theologian, philosopher, and rational exegete, his Qur’ānic exegesis also incorporates profound spiritual insights that reflect a balanced engagement with Sufi thought. The article explores how al-Rāzī harmonizes the outward (ẓāhir) meanings of the Qur’ān with inward (bāṭin) dimensions while maintaining strict adherence to the Qur’ān, Sunnah, and orthodox theological principles. It analyzes his treatment of concepts such as divine knowledge (maʿrifah), purification of the soul (tazkiyat al-nafs), divine love (maḥabbat Allāh), and spiritual states (aḥwāl al-qalb), demonstrating that these concepts are presented as complementary rather than alternative interpretations of the Qur’ānic text. The study further argues that al-Rāzī neither rejects Sufi interpretations altogether nor accepts unrestricted esoteric exegesis; instead, he adopts a critical and moderate methodology that evaluates mystical interpretations through the criteria of revelation, reason, and established Islamic doctrine. Employing qualitative and analytical methods, this research concludes that Tafsīr al-Kabīr represents a unique synthesis of rational inquiry, theological discourse, and spiritual reflection, making it one of the most comprehensive models of balanced Qur’ānic interpretation in the classical Islamic tradition.