Ayatollah Khu ī's Method in Interaction with Rijālī Primary Principles

In Ayatollah Khu’ī’s view, the basis for the authenticity and validity of the opinions of rijālīs (biographers of ḥadīth trasmitters) is the tradition with a single transmitter. Consequently, his method in enjoyment of special authentications (tawthīq) is restricted to the rijālīs’ sensible reports, the most valid of which are issued by the earlier rijālīs, especially the authorities in early rijālī primary principles. With respect to this basis and the assessment of various examples in narrators of traditions’ biographical lexicons, it would be clarified that Ayatollah Khu’ī has maintained the sayings of the early scholars (of ḥadīth) and the rijālī reports presented by them as the basis of the sanads for issuance of rijālī opinion only in case they have enjoyed authenticity, have had sound evidences on the rijālī opinion and be compatible with other rijālī data. Sometimes, by taking these conditions into consideration, he has proceeded to explain these reports or critically reviewed them, and in case of discrepancies, has judged among them.