The Role and the Function of Muhaqqeq Ardabili's Intellectual Circle in Emergence of Traditionalism in Shi'ism (Investigating the Performance of the Followers of 'Reliable Chain Of Authority' and its Consequences)

When Allamah Helli selected the theory of 'authority of individual hadiths', he set the criteria of authority chain and the characteristics of the transmitter as the bases for evaluation of hadith. In this way, the legitimacy of a hadith was focused on the conditions of the transmitter. However, he did not reject the evidences for accepting a hadith (especially the practical fame). Indeed, he did not ignore the evidences for accepting a hadith, but this approach lost its effect and popularity among the scholars after him, especially in the jurisprudence of Muhaqqeq Ardabili and his disciples. Muhaqqeq Ardabili's intellectual circle had a critical approach to the theory of injibār and, on the other hand, by mentioning 'faith' as a condition in accepting the transmitter's tradition, they had restricted authority to ṣaḥīḥ (right) and ṣaḥīḥ aʿlāʾī (sublime right) hadiths. This rigidity in accepting traditions prepared the ground for reinforcing the rational aspects of the jurisprudence of Muhaqqeq Ardabili's intellectual circle and diffusing resort to the generalities and specificities of the verses on precepts and the definite tradition as well as extracting fatwas accordingly. In such an atmosphere, it is quite normal that, by putting aside a large body of traditions, some would not accept such as approach and rise against it. In this way, the Ḥilla school prepared the ground for its own decline and emergence of traditionalism.