Seraje Monir

A Study of Ruzbihan Baqli's Interpretive Approach (Ta'wil) Regarding the Verse of Light (With an Emphasis on the Commentary Ara'is al-Bayan fi Haqa'iq al-Quran)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Sayed Amir Jahadi Hoseyni

Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature , Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22054/ajsm.2026.85448.2124
Abstract
Among the prominent mystical commentaries written in Arabic by an eminent Sufi of the sixth century, 'Ara'is al-Bayan fi Haqayeq al-Quran by Ruzbihan Baqli stands out as a significant work falling within the category of faydi-ishari (effusive-allusive) interpretations. Although Ruzbihan was influenced by luminaries like Qushayri in this exegesis, his unique interpretive approach—shaped by his aesthetic-centric philosophy—is also evident. The "Verse of Light" (Ayat al-Nur) is one of the most symbolic and, at the same time, most debated verses in the Holy Quran among commentators and mystics. In his interpretation of this blessed verse, Ruzbihan engages in a precise and extensive discussion, employing mystical intuition and a unique classification system to delve into its hermeneutical layers. Ruzbihan's approach is based on two perspectives: literalism and analogy (tashbih). Within the latter, we also observe his sub-approaches, including the Divine Attributes, the Macrocosm (Alam al-Akbar), and the Microcosm (Alam al-Asghar). At the conclusion of his interpretation of the verse, Ruzbihan, in line with the tradition of ma'thur (transmitted) and narrative exegesis, also cites the sayings of earlier mystics. The author of this research has analyzed and discussed the research problem using a qualitative content analysis method, focusing on the principles of mystical interpretation.

Keywords

Quran
Interpretation
Hermeneutics
Verse of Light
Ara'is al-Bayan
Subjects
Seraje Monir

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 04 January 2026

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