CRITICISM OF THE ARTICLE OF "ALI BIN ABI TALIB" IN THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF OLIVER LEAMAN

This study introduces and criticizes the article of Ali bin Abi Talibah from the encyclopedia of the Holy Quran by Oliver Leaman. The author of the paper, the translation of the cited article, and the strengths and weaknesses of the article are reviewed. The research method is analytical - descriptive using library resources.The author of this article, although is not a Muslim, specializes in the field of research and is familiar with some of the views of Shiites, Sunnis and Sufis about Imam Ali (a.s), avoiding unilateralism, narrates many of the virtues of Imam Ali (a.s). The most important drawbacks of this entry are the following: Incompleteness; although the relation between Imam Ali (a.s) and the Qur'an is partially mentioned, but the relation of the Qur'an to Imam Ali is not clear at all; the difference among the scriptures while the principle of the Qur'an is unified and there is not a dispute about it; It is said that the Quran has been compiled after the Prophet, but there are two different views among the Shiite scholars; and lacking complete documentation is another drawback of this entry; the sources cited in this article are all references of Ismailis and Sunnis while non of the twelve Shiite sources has been referred to.