A Critical Analysis of the Views which Consider Ziyarat-e Jame’-e Kabirah Apocryphal

Ziyarat-e Jame’-e Kabirah is one of the most popular prayers with observable effects that can be recited in honor of the infallible Imams. One of its significant features is that it includes statements from the Prophet’s (p.b.u.h.) Ahl al-Bayt. This prayer has been described by some revisionist Shiites as exaggerative as some special and extraordinary qualities have been attributed to the Ahl al-Bayt in it. Among the most important criticisms expressed about the contents of this prayer is the claim that some of its themes are in contradiction to some Quranic verses. In this study, the textual criticisms expressed about this prayer, that have led to considering it fictitious, have been examined and proven to be unjustified on the basis of Quranic evidence, interpretive criteria, and hadith appreciation. Incomplete understanding of the verses of the holy Quran and being dogmatic about the meaning perceived for each verse, the lack of reference to the authentic hadith commentary, the lack of attention to the linguistic features of the Quran and narrations and the lack of attention to hadith appreciation have caused this problem.