Examining the Rules of Distinguishing Historical Interpretation

Some contemporary Qurʾān scholars consider it important to reach the understanding of the primary audience of the verses of the Qurʾān in the matter of interpretation and consider it as the key to solving interpretation disputes. This Qurʾānic scholars have called the interpretation based on the understanding of the Arabs of the descent era as "historical interpretation". Although limiting to the understanding of the primary audience in interpreting the Qurʾān has disadvantages, but knowing their understanding also has advantages; and commentators of the Qurʾān have paid attention to the understanding of the Arabs in the era of descent in the interpretation of some verses. Due to the long time interval from the beginning of Islam, the interpretations about the verses of the Qurʾān have increased, so it has become difficult to reach the understanding of the primary audience. It seems that the first step to discover the understanding of the primary audience is to examine the rules and criteria based on which interpretations that were formed after the beginning of Islam can be separated from the interpretations and understandings related to the beginning of Islam. For this purpose, in this research, we investigated such criteria using a descriptive-analytical method and based on library sources. The most important of these criteria are as follows: A) The absence of interpretation of sectarian-belief opinions. B) Not removing the verses from their original meaning. C) Precedence of Qurʾānic verses over literary rules. D) The absence of interpretation from scientific and philosophical points of view.