Abstract:

Râzî is known as the rationalist thinker in Islamıc thought. He criticizes especially the understandings based on narratives without  examining. The so-called Garânîk event is mentioned in the commentaries of Qur’an as the reason why God reveals the fifty second (LII.) verse of the surah Hacc. Razi also criticizes the problem of Garanik according to his Qur’anic understanding that it develops in the context of rationalism. In Razi’s opinion, accepting such an event does not agree with the spirit of Qur’an. For, Allah says in Qur’an: “Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than Inspiration sent down to him.” (Al-Najm: 2-4) Therefore, the Devil can not damage the originality of the revelation, and can not falsify it with his words and whispers. It is shown in this article how Razi defends his system and replaces it, criticizing this so called event. It is also scrutinized in this study how the understanding based on the narrative turns into literalism. It is remarkable how the epistemological and political projections of  such an understanding appear in the society. In this context, it is emphasized in this study that the literalist view excludes the individuality on behalf of the community, while the rationalist one enlarges the area of the freedom of the person, thanks to the interpretation.

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