Houston, al-Rāzī Has a Problem: Are Humans (Really) the Best of Creation?

This article explores Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī’s (d. 1210) theological insights on the metaphysical hierarchy of creation to address the question: Can there be extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) superior to human intelligence? By revisiting a long-standing debate in the Islamic tradition concerning the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Zygon
Main Author: Malik, Shoaib
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Open Library of Humanities 08.08.2025
Subjects:
Habitability for Your Cosmic Future: AstroAnthropology Meets AstroEthics
Extraterrestrial Intelligence; Islamic Theology; Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī; Angelic Superiority; Human Superiority; Theological Anthropology; Islamic Cosmology; Anthropocentrism
ISSN:1467-9744, 1467-9744
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This article explores Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī’s (d. 1210) theological insights on the metaphysical hierarchy of creation to address the question: Can there be extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) superior to human intelligence? By revisiting a long-standing debate in the Islamic tradition concerning the superiority (afḍaliyyah) of angels versus humans, this article positions al-Rāzī as a pivotal case who diverges from the majority Ashʿarī stance by advocating for angelic superiority. Through a detailed analysis of al-Rāzī’s deconstruction of pro-human superiority arguments and his construction of arguments favoring angels, the article demonstrates how his framework challenges anthropocentric assumptions and broadens theological possibilities. If al-Rāzī’s arguments are deemed successful, his scripturally and rationally grounded framework provides a foundation for envisioning ETI that may surpass humanity in spiritual or intellectual rank. This article contributes uniquely by unveiling al-Rāzī’s underexplored ideas on angelic superiority and integrating them into the context of Islam and ETI, thereby advancing modern discourse on Islamic theological anthropology.
ISSN:1467-9744
1467-9744
DOI:10.16995/zygon.18951