Epistemological Authenticity of a Tradition with a Single Transmitter

Validity of a tradition about religious creeds which has a single transmitter is one of the most controversial issues in the philosophy of religion and religious epistemology. The main question concerning this issue is: "May be a tradition with a single transmitter regarded as one of the valid tools to acquire knowledge in the field of creedal issues?" Most methodologists, exegetes, and theologians think that a tradition with a single transmitter as such, has no validity, and some authority should be found for it. To find some authority and commit one's self to the content of such a tradition is reasonable and possible only in the field of obligations; thus, this kind of tradition has not validity concerning creeds. Opposing this point, 'Allamah Tabatabai thinks that such traditions do not need an authority to be found; and they are ways to acquire knowledge. The present article shows that, according to the two above bases, arguments posed against the validity of traditions with a single transmitter are not decisive. Demonstration of the epistemological validity of traditions with a single transmitter concerning religious creeds has opened a new chapter in methodology of creeds and establishment of the Islamic philosophy in its particular sense. In this way, the way is paved for Islamicization of humanities.