Commentators

Verse 172 of Surah al-Aʻrāf , known as the Verse of Dharr , expresses a covenant between God and humanity. The wisdom behind this covenant is the completion of God's argument against His servants on the Resurrection, countering the excuses of heedlessness or of having had polytheistic forefathers. This verse has been a focus for Qur'anic commentators since the era of the Imams, and due to disagreements regarding the modality by which the covenant was taken; it has led to numerous viewpoints. Accordingly, the present study, using a descriptive-analytical method, aims to answer the fundamental question: ‘What is the evolutionary trajectory of the commentators' views regarding the Verse of Dharr ?’ The research findings indicate that throughout history, various views have been proposed concerning the "World of Dharr ," including: the view based on narrations, the view of the covenant being taken through the prophets, the view of innate potentials, the view of the spiritual covenant, the view of the realm of dominion and sovereignty, and the view of innate disposition. Each of these proposed views is incomplete. The view of acknowledgment emerges as the most complete perspective regarding the World of Dharr .