Symmetric Validation of Exegetical Narrations from the Viewpoint of Sayyid al-Murtaḍā ‘Alam al Hudá

The validation of exegetical narrations has long been discussed. Sayyid al-Murtaḍā ‘Alam al Hudá, as a prominent Shiite scholar in the fifth century, is one of the Qur'anic scholars whose views on this issue are of particular importance. This article, which is organized in a descriptive-analytical method by referring to the works of Sayyid al-Murtaḍā, has examined his approach in validating exegetical narrations. It seems at first glance, that since exegetical narrations are considered as traditions with a single narrator (Arabic: اخبار آحاد, Romanized: Akhbār Aḥād) and Sayyid al-Murtaḍā does not consider tradition with a single narrator which causes conjecture for knowledge and action. He should not give credit for exegetical narrations, but the findings of this article indicate that Sayyid al-Murtaḍā’s view can also be cited in exegesis; if the tradition with a single narrator is accompanied by conjectures that excludes (removes) it from being suspicious. Conjectures such as: the existence of traditions in ḥadīth works and Shi'a (Shiite) principles, knowledge providing of the content of the tradition, conformity with the apparent of the Qur'an, conformity with the ruling (verdict) of reason, conformity with the principle of the Justice of God, and Imami consensus can remove the narration from being conjecture. In fact, Sayyid al-Murtaḍā believes in a symmetrical validation approach in evaluating ḥadīths in contrast to the narrator validation approach.