The Epistemic Sources of the Exegesis of the Quran as Compared according to the Two Branches of Faith in Rereading the Verses of "Men of Heights

The Quran being the most important source of religious understanding and knowledge needs to be explained and clarified. The different cognitive sources of interpretation of the Quran according to both Shia and Sunni branches of faith have led to different opinions in respect of the interpretation of verses. Apart from the Quran and traditions, the sayings of the companions of the Prophet (S) and their disciples as well as the interpretations based on one's own selfformed opinions are the main sources of knowledge and understanding according to Ahl-e Sunnah. For instance, the Quran has reported of a place between Paradise and Hell called Araf (heights) which is the place of people whose names have not been mentioned anywhere. There are as many as twenty different viewpoints in the interpretation of this verse which have proliferated due, largely, to the fact that they believe in the authoritativeness of the sayings of the companions and their disciples as those of the exegetes of the early period of Islam. However, Imamiyah (i.e. the Shia branch of faith) which believes in the Quran and traditions of the Prophet (S) and Pure Imams (AS) as the most important sources of knowledge has made use of the sayings of the Imams (AS) to interpret these verses and there are proofs and evidence in the Quran and traditions which substantiate the Shia point of view. The conclusion is that in order to iron out the differences and have a common ground, it is necessary to reread the cognitive sources.