Indicative Attributes in Shī‘ī Persian Translations and Interpretations

Document Type : Research Article

Author

• Ḥusayn Ṣābirī

Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

10.22067/jfiqh.2020.61494.0

Abstract

Indicative attributes are those of the Divine attributes which intellect does not clearly signify and can simply be attributed to God to the effect that they are thus attributed in religious texts including both the Qur’an and ḥadīth. Apart from the possibility of this ascription, the interpretation of these attributes have since long been a matter of debates among theologians. In the present essay, the writer explains the concept and referents of indicative attributes and, at least primarily, gives a record of these attributes, then briefly examines the theologians’ stance in this respect. He goes on to report the Shī‘ī viewpoint and reviews the position of translation of major referents of indicative attributes in a number of Persian translations of the Qur’an as well as some Persian interpretations in order to clarify whether these translations are compatible with the Shī‘ī theological position. In conclusion, he makes some remarks concerning the above translations.

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