Analyzing the Relationship between Rationalism and Literary Interpretation in Abu Muslim Isfahani and Zamakhshari's Commentaries

In the second century AH, the Mu'tazilites turned to rationalism in religion, especially in the interpretation of the Qur'an and Hadith, so as to confront Ahl al-Hadith and extremist narrativism. That resulted in the emergence of literary interpretation and its gradual evolution. In order to show the role of rationalism in the tendency of Mu'tazilite commentators towards literary interpretation, the present article, using the analytical method, examines the place of rationalism in Quranic interpretation and its effect on the emergence and expansion of literary interpretation. It also compares some of the rationalist viewpoints, particularly those of of Abu Muslim and Zamakhshari, two Mu'tazilite rationalist commentators, with those of the narrative commentaries of Ahl al-Hadith and Ash'arites. The result of this research is that the Mu'tazilites' rationalism has an obvious role in the emergence and expansion of literary interpretation and also there is mutual influence between these two approaches to interpretation. However, these two literary interpretations have resulted in wrong understanig of some verses.