The Acceptable Function of Reason despite the Imam’s Authority from ʿAllāma Majlisī’s Perspective

The emphasis placed on Imamate in Shiism, coupled with the significant role of reason in Shiite sources of ijtihad and the acquisition of religious knowledge, has captivated scholars in the field of Shiite studies, leading them to ponder the intricate connection between the authority of the Imam and the authority of reason. Specifically, they seek to understand the nature of the relationship between these two sources of knowledge. In response, at least three general views have been put forth: closure of reason and its submission towards the Imam, minimal role of the Imam, or maximal rationalism and the authority of reason despite its need to the Imam. The present research employs a descriptive and analytical method, relying on library sources to collect data. The closure of reason in relation to the Imam is espoused by scholars of hadith such as ʿAllāma Majlisī, which is the focus of this article. While ʿAllāma Majlisī has utilized reasoning and reason in his understanding of hadiths, embracing reason as an instrument for inferences (which he calls “reasoning about religious amtters), he rejects reason when it comes to the principles of religion, dismissing its validity as a source of religious knowledge. By citing certain hadiths, he tries to establish that rational arguments cannot be relied on with respect to the principles of religion.
.