An Analysis of Narrations Forbidding Quranic Argumentation against the Kharijites

According to a well-known narration, Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (A.S) sent Ibn Abbas to the Kharijites during the time of Safin and the course of arbitration, forbidding him from “controversy” or “conflict” with them through the Quran. In the beginning, it seems that the Imam, by arguing that the Quran accepts various aspects and has multiple possible meanings, forbade relying on the Quran in debating and puts the argument or conflict with the assistance of the Prophet’s tradition (sunnah) as an effective solution for Ibn Abbas. The most important question here is that given the emphasis of the Quran and the Prophet’s tradition (sunnah) on the need to refer to and rely on the Quran in all circumstances, especially in trials, why he has in the events like Siffin, proscribed to protest by the Quran and rely on verses of revelation against the Kharijites’ stand? In this research, it was identified by descriptive-analytical method and in a research perspective; First: The relation of transferring from the Quran to the Prophet’s tradition (sunnah) is the relation of referring the example to the parable (embodied truth). It seems that the ground of Quranic verses are alike concept and concept can accept several interpretations (ta’wil) but the Prophet’s tradition (sunnah) as being embodied reality and meaning is alike the instance and there is no possibility of change and transformation in it and according to Imam, there is no escape from it. Second: The Amir al-Mu’minin (A.S) has not been in the position of an absolute and universal prohibition against arguing with the Quran, and this special prohibition has been due to the characteristics of the intellectual system and the moral system of its special audience i.e. the Kharijites.