Takwil Tajsim Verses (Study of Lafaz Yad and 'Ain in the Tafsir al-Mizan by Muhammad Husayn al-Tabataba'i)

Abstract

Tajsim verses are verses in the Qur'an that explicitly describe the physical attributes of God. In response to this, in Indonesia, there are two theological schools of thought, Aswaja an-Nahdliyyah and Salafi Wahhabi, that passionately debate these tajsim verses, particularly regarding the terms yad (hand) and 'ain (eye). However, in Surah Ali Imran [3]: 7, Allah (Swt) indicates that some parts of the Qur'an are muhkam (clear and precise), while others are mutashabih (ambiguous). Based on this, the author believes that verses categorized as mutashabih, such as tajsim verses, should not be understood literally, as this may lead to theological consequences that could diminish the sovereignty and majesty of Allah (Swt). Therefore, the researcher finds it necessary to conduct qualitative research using the thematic method of studying a figure. The figure highlighted is Muhammad Husein al-Tabatabai. The research findings indicate that in interpreting tajsim verses with the terms Yad and 'Ain, al-Tabatabai emphasizes the figurative (majazi) aspect as a representation of God's power and supervision. Based on this, the Tafsir al-Mizan has the potential to facilitate dialogue between Aswaja Nahdliyyah, who believe in the depth of the meaning of the Qur'anic text without compromising the belief in God's oneness, and the Salafi Wahhabi, who tend to use the al-Itsbat method in understanding tajsim verses, thus tending to leave the text as is.