Response from Chatgpt (after obtaining subtitles from notegpt)

1. Selective Interpretation of Anthropomorphic Language

The argument assumes that descriptions of God’s hands, face, and movement must be taken literally rather than metaphorically or analogically. However, Islamic theological traditions have long recognized that such descriptions are metaphorical, pointing to God’s attributes rather than physical form.

The Quran itself states in Surah Ash-Shura 42:11, لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ (There is nothing like unto Him), which directly negates the idea of a physical, human-like body.

2. Ignoring the Classical Islamic Interpretation (Tafsir & Aqeedah)

Classical Islamic scholars, including those from the Ash‘ari, Maturidi, and Mu‘tazili traditions, interpreted anthropomorphic verses in a manner that does not ascribe a physical body to God.

The Quran states in Surah Al-An’am 6:103, لَا تُدْرِكُهُ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ (Vision does not perceive Him), which suggests that God is beyond human perception and form.

If God were embodied, then He would be limited to space and time, contradicting Surah Al-Hadid 57:3, which describes God as الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ (the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden), implying transcendence beyond physical constraints.

3. Misinterpretation of Quranic Cosmology

The argument claims that the Quran presents a unified cosmos where all beings, including God, exist within space. However, the Quran repeatedly emphasizes God’s absolute sovereignty over the universe:

Surah Al-Ikhlas 112:4: وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (And there is none comparable to Him).

Surah Taha 20:5: ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱسْتَوَىٰ (The Most Merciful rose over the Throne). Many scholars interpret istawa as a metaphor for divine authority rather than physical enthronement.

4. Lack of Quranic Support for an Embodied God

The argument relies on absence rather than presence—it claims that since the Quran does not explicitly deny God’s physical form, it must assume one. However, the Quran also does not affirm such an idea, making it a weak argument from silence.

Instead, the Quran consistently uses negations regarding God’s likeness to creation, which suggests a theological framework against embodiment rather than supporting it.

5. Overlooking the Quranic Concept of Transcendence

The Quran describes God as beyond human comprehension (Surah Al-Baqara 2:255) and beyond limitations of time and space. Any attempt to ascribe a body would impose human-like attributes, contradicting Quranic descriptions of His uniqueness.

Conclusion

The argument that the Quran supports an embodied notion of God is weak because it selectively interprets verses, ignores well-established theological discourse, and neglects direct Quranic statements that emphasize God’s transcendence. A more comprehensive reading of the Quran suggests that anthropomorphic descriptions serve metaphorical or symbolic purposes rather than implying a literal, physical form.