A Comparative Study of the Verse of Vilayat in Fariqain's Commentaries

Verse 55 of Al-Maidah is a challenging verse and subject to controversies among the Fariqain’s scholars, thinkers and commentators. The main reason of these controversies comes from the word “friend” (Vali) and the expression “those who believe” in this verse. The Sunnis’ commentators and scholars have had different inferences from the meaning of “friend” and finding examples for the expression “those who believe” with viewpoints of the Shiite scholars and commentators and they have criticized the viewpoints of the Shiite commentators. Some of the Sunnis’ commentators believe that in the verse of vilayat “vali” means friendship, help, kindness, etc. and they do not believe that the expression of “those who believe” is exclusive to Ali while for the Shiite scholars and commentators, “vali” means guardianship, vilayat in possession, vilayat in guardianship etc. which only implies to the person who gave charity while he was saying his daily prayers i.e. Imam Ali. These two different inferences from this verse have become the source of controversies among the Fariqain’s scholars. Adopting an analytico-documentary method, the paper deals with investigation and criticism of Shiite commentators and finally, relying on some reasons it proves the viewpoints of the Shiite commentators.