The Methods of Solving Apparent Incompatibility of Narrations in Masābih al-Anwār

Sayyid Abdollāh Shubbar in Masābih al-Anwār fi Hal Mushkilāt al-Akhbār argues that the reason of the difficulty of the meaning of some narrations is due to their incompatibility with others and he, therefore, endeavoures to explain away this incompatibility. Having mentioned different views on solving the incompatibility Shubbar sometimes explains the preponderant view, but sometimes mentions the view with no preponderance and suffices with offering different probabilities. In order to explain this incompatibility between narrations and other proofs he employs certain methods, such as manipulation and expanding the meaning of words, using the sciences of Arabic language, interpreting as an indication of allowance and recommendation, interpreting as indicating difference in ranks, interpreting as an explanation of instances, interpreting as indicating the dominant meaning and special time, interpreting as the particular that indicates the general and the absolute that refers to the limited, interpreting as a means to education or bounty and mercy or explaining the means and tools, mentioning the probability of text corruption, paying attention to the date and the occasion of the narration, and the situation of interlocutor. He employs this method to bring together the meanings of the apparently incompatible narrations.This article is an attempt to study and discuss these mentioned methods.