نشریه پژوهش دینی
سال پانزدهم شماره 32 (بهار و تابستان 1395)

The hadiths referring to women's deficiency of wisdom and faith have been mentioned in the first-hand resources of both Shiites and Sunnis. These narrations are attributed to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and Iman Ali (a.s.) and inspection of the documents of these hadiths reveal that their chain of transmitters is not complete and some of them have been transmitted without any document. Thus, there is not sufficient certainty that they have originated from the Infallibles. This issue has caused some scholars to declare them to be apocryphal. Due to their inclusion in such reliable books as al-Kafi and Nahj al-Balaghah, some other scholars have found no reason for their documentational inspection and have only dealt with their content and textual analysis and, hence, various views have been shaped in this field. The results of the analyses conducted on these views in this study reveal that if we ignore the documentational weakness of these narrations and if we are required to justify them, the best resolution is to accept that, in the segmentation process of the words of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and Iman Ali (a.s.), hadith collectors have cut and removed some parts of these narrations which may have had a decisive role in explaining the intention and purpose of the original Infallible.

Considering the appearance of some Quranic verses from which the impurity of the Divine messengers can be inferred, the restriction and expansion of the infallibility of prophets is a new outlook on the innocence of the Divine prophets. This theory aims at safeguarding the boundary of infallibility and rejecting the arguments which result in considering prophets sinner and fallible. In this theory, purity of prophets is accepted without a show of a doubt and their behavioral conducts are analyzed assuming that they are infallible. If such structural indicators of infallibility as the infallible’s Divine inspiration, willpower, and eschatological understanding are dynamic and hence there is a good background for practicing infallibility, prophets will be in a state of expansion of infallibility, otherwise a state of restriction of infallibility will govern their lives. A restricted sate of infallibility is a condition in which prophets face some limitations in enjoying conveniences of infallibility and it does not denote they are sinner and fallible. This state may turn to an expanded state of infallibility through repentance. If a prophet takes a stance or carries out an action in a restricted sate of infallibility, this action is ‘the best choice’ as it is conducted in a state of infallibility and God’s expostulation in such situations can be interpreted esoterically. In fact, prophets’ seeking God’s forgiveness following such events is aimed at achieving a high degree of infallibility and an expanded state of infallibility.

The vast majority of Muslims believe that, after the Quran, sunnah is the most important source of knowledge about Islam. Wrong interpretation of the concept of Islam's universality, maximum expectation of fiqh and limitation of religious guidance to following jurisprudential rules have enhanced the importance of this source. Considering the Quran and sunnah authoritative, especially in religious principles, does not imply that these two are comprehensive and sufficient to satisfy all needs and be independent of human intellect and experience. Some questions and doubts have been raised about the authority and origin of sunnah, its coverage and permanence, its relation to the Quran, and its role in fulfilling the goals of religion and guiding people, which are analyzed cogently, convincingly and intensively in this paper. In this regard, most researchers believe that the authority of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), the ahl al-bayt (a.s.) and the Companions’s words must be derived from the Quran and sunnah cannot be used as a legislation source independently of the Quran. The Prophet’s (p.b.u.h.) speech is a manifestation of his pure Quranic character and his ijtihad and it can have religious authority, at least, if the Quran is silent about it. His practical way of life is based on the guidance of revelation and revival of Abrahamic traditions which were known to the Quraysh and a community known as Hanefa or Saebi practiced them. Contrary to the hadiths from the Prophet, there is less apprehension about disremembering his practical way of life, distorting it or mingling it with Quran; hence, the prohibition of recording it during the Divine legislation era was unnecessary. Nevertheless, aside from the documentational weakness of the narrations prohibiting hadith recording, this prohibition cannot be considered general and permanent. However, it should be noted that there is no definite authenticity about the origin of hadiths and yet, in contrast to ideological dogmas, absolute certainty and cognizance of subordinate principles and rules is not necessary.

Sheikh Abd al-Qahir Jurjani (400 – 471 A.H.), the renown Iranian rhetorician, grammarian and linguist, is among the few Muslim Iranian scientists who was ahead of his scientific community and his progressive, outstanding thoughts are of more use to modern literary men and linguists than fifth century (A.H.) literary men and grammarians. Most of the works he has left behind are in the fields of syntax and rhetoric. However, an interpretation of the Quran by Jurjani with two different rectifications has been published in recent years, which has raised serious doubts about its true ascription to him. In the present article, following an analysis of various extratextual and intratextual evidence and indications, it is concluded that this interpretation cannot be the work of Abd al-Qahir Jurjani and its attribution to him is not acceptable.

Hilla was established by the Shiite Banu Mazid Dynasty in the fifth century (A.H.) and before long it became one of the official footholds and educational circles of Twelver Shiites. Presence of such renowned figures as Ibn Idris Hilli, Allamah Hilli, Mohaqeq Hilli and Fakhr al-Mohaqeqin in this city brought it great fame, attracted many famous scholars from all over the world to Hilla, and paved the way for the outmost scientific prosperity of the seminary of this Shiite city. Establishment of an atmosphere for scientific debate and dialogue in this city led to the growth of Islamic sciences, especially in the fields of hadith, Islamic jurisprudence and principles of Islamic jurisprudence. Such noteworthy achievements as hadith manuscripts with diverse styles and approaches, revival of jurisprudential thinking, categorization of hadiths on the basis of documentation and compilation of books on hadith narrators, upholding comparative Islamic jurisprudence and modernism, and jurisprudential indexing are among the accomplishments of the activities of the eminent Shi’ite scholars from the sixth century to the ninth century (A.H.) in this center.

Shiites believe that construction of shrines on graves not only isn’t illicit, but it also is an indication of reverence for religious rituals and respect and affection for the owner of the shrine. Contrary to this perspective, Salafists disallow construction of shrines on graves referring to a narration from Imam Ali (a.s.), narrated from Abu al-Hayyaj in Moslem Nishaburi’s book. In this paper, following an exploration on this hadith based on the Quranic verses, life story of the Infallible and the conducts of the Companions, the claim of Salafists is probed into and finally it is concluded that Muslims have customarily constructed shrines on the graves of eminent figures during the history.