Methodological Pathology of Validating the Interpretive Hadiths of Imams (AS)

The hadiths of Imams (AS) are the most important source for understanding the meaning and purpose of the verses of the Qur’an. An important part of the hadiths is devoted to the inner expression and interpretation of verses. Undoubtedly, accurate validation of these hadiths is necessary to examine their attribution to the Imams (AS) and to explain the esoteric meaning and interpret the verses. Experts validate this reports in a variety of ways; Some have simply and optimistically criticized, selected and accepted them, while others, based on the phenomenon of forgery and exaggeration, have pessimistically criticized and rejected the interpretive (esoteric) hadiths. This study aims to answer the question of “what matter in the field of critique method dose distort the realism of the evolutional result?” Assuming that the category of validation or critique of interpretive hadiths is a kind of judgment that may be realistic and of scientific value or otherwise described, this article identifies the harms and expresses incorrect methods in evaluating these hadiths to prevent misjudgment of interpretive hadiths. Ignorance of defining exaggeration, failure to measure the data of rijāl scholars, indifference to opposing sayings and reports, incomplete understanding of the text of the interpretive narrations, disregard of the rule of “stopping and rejecting knowledge” in the study of interpretive narrations, citing some principles of difference, supposing the interpretation and commentary as similar, and relying only on “theological-principle interpretation,” are among the methodological defects of the validation of interpretive hadiths that are explained in this article.