Between Sunni and Shi’ite Narrations; A Critical-Comparative Study on (Q. 2:207)’s Occasion of the Revelation

As the worse of aftermaths of thaqīfa turmoil, the seeds of discord and disagreement were sown in all Islamic thoughts and teachings, even tawḥīd (monotheism), nubuwwa (prophecy), and maʿād (resurrection). There were serious differences, especially in the case of Imamate, which could guarantee the survival of Islam. It can be said that the controversy has escalated so much that both Sunni and Shi’ite scholars have never written about anything as much as the Imamate to reject each other. In such a way, the verses Wilaya (guardianship) have always been the most challenging issue between both Islamic schools throughout their history, which seems full of vicissitudes. (Q. 2:207) is one of the most famed Qur’anic verses that the Shi’ite exegetes, as well as some Sunni ones, emphasize that its occasion of the revelation concerns Imam ʿAlī b. Abī-Ṭālib (PBUH) and his self-devotion for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in layla al-mabīt) the night of asleep). Although some research has been organized about (Q. 2:207) so far, the present study, while respecting all, has studied and analyzed the occasion of the revelation of the mentioned verse only from the viewpoints of the narrations remained of the two major Islamic schools. While answering the doubts, the present study has concluded that the narrations of the revelation of the verse about ʿAlī (PBUH) in layla al-mabīt have a considerable frequency and have a definite indication of his absolute virtue and immediate succession. Hence, there is no place for doubt and suspicion concerning its historical implications.