Document Type : Original

Authors

• mina shamkhi ¹
• Zohreh Babaahmadi Milani ²
• Aref Masoudian ³

¹ Associate Professor in Qur’anic and Hadith Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Department of Quranic and Hadith, shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

³ Master’s Student in Qur’anic and Hadith Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, , Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

One of the most challenging issues in Quranic interpretation is understanding the verses related to divine attributes, especially those that seemingly resemble human physical characteristics. The concept of "ʿAyn" (eye) is among such terms that appear in several Quranic verses and may suggest a corporeal understanding. This study aims to analyze exegetical views on "ʿAyn Allah," trace the historical development of these interpretations, and explain the role of theological tendencies in shaping them. Using a descriptive-analytical and comparative method, the research examines Shiite and Sunni commentaries through a library-based approach. Interpretations are categorized into three groups: literal-affirmative, allegorical (taʾwīlī), and other approaches. Diagrams and tables illustrate the interpretive shifts across periods. Findings reveal that exegetical orientations play a decisive role in shaping commentators’ understandings of such verses. In the classical period, a wide range of interpretations—especially allegorical ones like bi-marʾā min-nā (under Our watch), bi-ḥifẓinā (under Our protection), and bi-ʿilminā (with Our knowledge)—are prominent. Both Shiite and Sunni commentators of this era display efforts to avoid attributing physicality to God. Depending on their narrative, theological, literary, or mystical inclinations, they offer diverse and sometimes multiple meanings. In contrast, the contemporary period is marked by reduced interpretive variety and a predominant focus on the meaning bi-ḥifẓinā, which is especially common in social, rational, literary, and pedagogical commentaries. This interpretive convergence reflects the exegetes' attempt to articulate Quranic meanings in light of modern religious thought and contemporary intellectual needs.

Keywords

• Historical Development
• Qur’anic Exegesis
• ʿAyn Allāh
• Early and Contemporary Commentators
• Literalism
• statistical analysis

Main Subjects

• Exegesis