Anthropomorphism according to Al-Ghazali (d. 1111) and Maimonides (d. 1204)
A comparative discourse
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21493532 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nurhanisah Senin (0000-0002-2747-6450), Khadijah Mohd Khambali Hambali (0000-0002-5445-1929), Wan Adli Wan Ramli (0000-0001-5795-7717), Mustafa Kamal Amat Misra (0000-0003-1557-7243), Nazneen Ismail (0009-0001-2291-0959) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 79 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication date | 2023-05-22 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0259-9422 • E-ISSN: 2072-8050 |
| Publisher | AOSIS (PUBLISHER • ZA) |
| DOI | 10.4102/hts.v79i1.8264 |
| OpenAlex | W4376137644 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 13 |
The existence of ‘human-like’ attributes and actions in the Qur’an and Hebrew Bible entails to various interpretations towards anthropomorphic verses among the Muslim and Jewish counterparts. Al-Ghazali and Maimonides in their discourses strongly affirmed the unity of God and refuted anthropomorphism. Therefore, this study expounded al-Ghazali and Maimonides’ methods in affirming the incorporeality of God through outlining the similarities and differences in their interpretation. This study was qualitative in nature which analyses writings of al-Ghazali and Maimonides in encountering anthropomorphism. It can be deduced that both scholars were found to be employing allegorical interpretation with different level of interpretations in their attempts to repudiate the corporeal form of God. Alternatively, they both agree on the literalist’s approach with conditions that one must not perceive God’s essence in a bodily figure. Consequently, believing so will lead one to heresy. In sum, their emphasis on an incorporeal God brought them to similar interpretation despite their different religion and theological or philosophical orientation.Contribution: This article contributed to comparative theological study in understanding anthropomorphic verses through the discourse of al-Ghazali and Maimonides in Islam and Judaism, respectively
Biblical studies · Epistemology · Hebrew · Hebrew Bible · Heresy · Islam · Judaism · Linguistics · Theology · Families in Therapy and Culture · Islamic Thought and Society Studies · Medieval and Classical Philosophy · Philosophy · Religious studies
The Amphibolous Terms in Aristotle, Arabic Philosophy and Maimonides
Aspects of the Creed of Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
Anthropomorphism or Preparedness? Exploring Children's God Concepts
Why Did Fourteenth-Century Jews Turn to Alghazali's Account of Natural Science
Maimonides on the Unity and Incorporeality of God
| Highly cited | No |
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