Investigating  a single report (khabar al-wāhid) in the jurisprudence of Ibn Idrīs

Belief in the lack of authority of ‘a single report’ is one of the most basic doctrines of Ibn Idrīs in the Principles of Jurisprudence, and this same issue has caused his ideas and methods of jurisprudence to be different from those of other jurists, and even in some cases has led to irregularity and scarcity. He does not consider as authentic those traditions that have not reached frequency (tawātur) or those lacking evidence; since he believes that such reports do not bring about knowledge. He defines this thesis as an essential element within Imamiyya jurisprudence. The thesis has caused some to ascribe to him the failure to follow the reports of the Ahlul Bayt. But according to the study, this attribution is not right because Ibn Idrīs has referred to many non-frequent (āhād) reports as well as frequent ones (the mutawātir). It can be said that in his view ‘single reports’ are divided into two types: a single report which is confirmed by other evidences, and such a report is certain and can be practiced; and a single report without confirmation and cannot be practiced, even if its narrator is reliable. As a result, according to his theory, the truth and accuracy of a single report must be measured in its relationship with other reasons and arguments.