Examining the instances of the criteria of the phrase "besides Allah" in the Holy Quran

Abstract

A correct understanding of the phrases and verses of the Quran for the practical implementation of its rulings in life is essential for everyone, especially for Islamic scholars, due to their contemplation and deep thinking on it, and in order to guide and instruct people in its teachings from these scholars. Among these, the phrase "min duni Allah" and its relation to important discussions of monotheism and polytheism is not exempt from this principle, but rather holds significant importance in this matter. The application of this phrase in the Quran, along with its various derivatives, has led to differing and contradictory opinions among religious scholars regarding its meanings, resulting in various ambiguities among different segments of monotheistic and Islamic societies. Therefore, the present research has been written using a descriptive-analytical method, with the aim of correctly examining and proving the misinterpretation of the Wahhabi sect regarding the meanings, criteria, and standards of this Quranic phrase. Consequently, according to the findings, it is acknowledged that through research in the texts of interpretations and theological books of both parties, it can be inferred that contrary to the claims of Wahhabi scholars, the absolute meanings and criteria of this Quranic term are not limited to the meaning of "min ghayri Allah." Rather, this term has various implications in terms of theological, jurisprudential, and contextual aspects, and also encompasses different meanings based on the context of the verses. Therefore, the phrases "min duni Allah" and "min ghayri Allah" are semantically two distinct and different concepts; according to the context of the speech, in some cases, they may have the same meaning, while in many situations and topics, contradictory meanings are evident between them. Thus, the compilation of this article is necessary to prevent the creation of ambiguities in the minds of superficial thinkers and also to avoid creating division among monotheistic communities in this regard