Rational Interpretation and Criticism of Zahabi's Viewpoints

The present article studies the words, "interpretation" and "reason" from an epistemological and terminological point of view. The position and significance of reason has also been discussed from the perspective of Quran and hadith. The concept, "rational interpretation" and other related concepts have been studied thoroughly, along with the pros and cons. The article compares the rational method with the other interpretation methods (deductive, verbal, self-interpretation…). The etymological and terminological concept of allegorical interpretation is explained, considering its relation with the rational interpretation. The other part of the article demonstrates Zahabi's viewpoints on allegorical and rational interpretation and his blending them with the other methods, such as rational interpretation method, deductive interpretation method and self-interpretation method.