مجله پژوهش های قرآن و حدیث
سال پنجاه و چهارم شماره 2 (پاییز و زمستان 1400)

The book al-Mustarshid, which has been published in recent decades and referred in researches, has an unclear state. This paper concerns its ambiguous state, resulting that: Shiite hadith sanads (chains of transmitters) attributed to “Muhammad ibn Jarīr Tabarī” are often referred to Tabarī, the famous Sunni historian; i.e. the name “Rostam Tabarī” has not been traced in the hadiths until the sixth century. Also, there is no hadith related to “Ibn Rostam” in this book. The book has been cited since the mid-seventh century, and now has ten manuscripts which are all late belonging to the post-eleventh century with a single origin. For some reason, the author of this book neither is Ibn Rostam nor Tabarī. In addition, this book indeed is not al-Mustarshid. That is, the sanad phrase in the first hadith of the book has misled some that this book belongs to Shiite Tabarī, while it refers to Sunni historian Tabarī. Also, the Shiite Tabarī is unknown in the rijālī sources and there is no biography about him.

Identifying what was scarified by the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) is a serious issue in monotheistic religions. The Testaments apparently consider Isaac (AS) to be the sacrificed (zhabīh), while Muslims differ in defining it due to the ambiguity of the verses related to the story of the sacrifice (zhibh) in the Qur’an. The scope of this disagreement is even greater in the Shiite and Sunni narrations; Some Shiite and Sunni narrations introduce Ishmael (AS) as the sacrificed and another group as Isaac (AS). This research assesses the texts related to this issue in Islamic and Biblical sources, including those are directly or indirectly related to determining the sacrificed, with an analytical-critical approach through the sanad and textual analysis of the Islamic narrations and Biblical texts. Findings show that despite the Biblical explicit statements in determining the sacrificed, the in-text evidences suggest that the phrases referring to the name of the sacrificed are the interpretive additions of the commentators of the Bible. Additionally, despite the disagreement between Islamic narrations in determining the sacrificed, analyzing the sanads of narrations and considering the in-text evidences of the verses of the Qur’an and Islamic narrations prove that Ismael (AS) was the candidate for the Ibrahim’s sacrifice.

One of the most challenging issues in Qur’anic and hadith studies is concerned with the narrations that refer to the distortion of Qur’anic verses. Among them one may points to the famous narrations speaking of the Qur’anic “Rajm (shooting)” verse. Reporting and accepting these narrations, many Sunni exegetes proposed the theory of Naskh al-Talāwah (abrogation of reading). Findings of this research show that: 1) Among 58 Sunni exegeses that have reported the narrations there are three approaches: a- abrogation of reading and non-abrogation of the command: 40 exegeses, b- reporting narrations without comments: 12 ones, c- doubt in the authenticity of the narrations: 6 ones. 2) The common feature of the sanads of all narrations is that they end with Companions, i.e. there is a possibility of applying Companions’ opinions. 3) The content of the narrations of the Rajm verse is criticized by Qur’anic, narrative, jurisprudential, intellectual and literary arguments. 4) It seems that the narrations of the verse are rooted in the Torah, which have found their way to Islamic sources as well.

Although various theories have been developed about the dimensions of the Qur’anic Language in last two decades, the most significant methodological challenge of these theories is one-dimensional aspect of studying the Qur’an. Using analytical and systematic approach, this article tries to conceptualize a new form for studying “Qur’anic language” as a “system” that is an inevitable necessity. Having regard to conceptual distinguish between systems and subsystems from one hand, and different objective relationships from another hand, systematic studying of Qur’anic language can be extended to “macro texts”, “surahs”, “verses”, “sentences” and “vocabularies”. The combination of different elements and linguistic methods in Qur’anic contexts basically indicates “an intellectual networking-systemic” as well as its components’ interrelationships that at the same time maintains its systematic unity. Promoting the study of Qur’anic language to a system, with regard to interpreting concepts and Qur’anic verses, not only make its correct and comprehensive understanding systematic, but also can create flexibility as well as new meaning from its own linguistic context.

In addition to teaching divine guides in religious teachings to human beings, the Holy Qur’an also reveals the truths and secrets of the Universe. This forms the “scientific miracle of the Qur’an” and is a sign of its revelation. Surah Al-Takwīr is one of the first revealed surahs in which a sphere towards the enlightenment at the Ignorance Age along with explaining the Resurrection and Reckoning Day are referred. It speaks of cosmic affairs and depicts the events of the end of the Universe too. These verses are illustrative and glorious examples of the mystery of the Qur’an, while the adaptability of these verses to the modern phenomena has been led to misinterpretations. Applying the descriptive-analytical method based on the views of Qur’anic scholars, lexicographers and the context of the surah, this paper expresses the correct interpretations of the scientific verses of this surah and then criticizes misinterpretations. It proves that such interpretations are not compatible with the dignity and the context of the Holy Qur’an and the statements in the verses.

One of the most fundamental questions in Usūl al-Fiqh is if it is possible to exert taqīya in making religious laws from Infallible imams (AS). Usūlī scholars are different concerning this matter. Here, two hadiths that refer to the exertion of taqīya in making religious laws, which have been used as the most important documents by the advocates of such exertion from the Infallible Imams (AS), are analyzed while using the method of dating source and text. Dating the source and the text of these two hadiths and comparing them with a related detailed hadith indicate that the exaggerators (ghulāt) inserted their ideas into these hadiths for distributing libertinism (ibāhah). The historical etymology of the terms, 'iftā', taqīya, mustarshid and shakk proves that the interpolated (mudarraj) part of two hadiths are connected to the ideas of Iraqi exaggerators during the 3rd century AH. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of these two hadiths as well as a more detailed hadith, which in fact explains the interpolated part of two hadiths, indicate that the main purpose of these three hadiths was not to express a religious law, but to show the secret nature of the process, its contradiction with the appearance of religious laws, and instability of the religious laws as the very structure of libertinism in the 3rd century AH.

One of the main methods in the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an, being discussed and analyzed by Muslim commentators throughout history, is exploring the texts of chapters to discover their main theme. This paper aims to explore the main theme of Surah Al-Ahzāb for revealing its intra- textual context. Based on the descriptive-analytical method and as a library research, the paper clarifies and analyzes the context, the content structure, the internal motifs, and the main parts of the Surah to discover its practical aim. Findings show that Surah Al-Ahzāb cognitively and functionally has a particular purpose, due to its being Madanī. The reason is that in the civilized stage, Islam reached a position where people needed to strengthen their faith and manifested it in their actions. That is, they sought to find a solution to a particular issue. Therefore, the fundamental and cognitive purpose is “theology in the light of firm faith and piety” and the practical and functional purpose is “obeying God and His Messenger (doing righteous deeds) and not following the evil”.

Muqātil ibn Sulaymān (d. 2nd century AH) is the oldest commentator who extensively quoted exceptional verses, so that he became known as one of the main narrators of such verses in next centuries. He did not mention his exegetical masters while living in different cities such as Marv and Basra. As a result, his interpretive school, masters, and method of learning are ambiguous. Based on various evidence, this research proves that his original interpretive school was in Iraq, especially Basra. Moreover, he did not learn interpretations from his masters in an auricular way; therefore, he did not mention their names. In addition, among the Iraqi and Hejazi masters, he mostly was influenced by Qatada and then Kalbī in his commentary, and so he received the idea of excepting verses from them. The discovery of Muqātil’s method shows that he always issued fatwā on the exception of many verses, relying on external evidence, especially the causes of revelation in which he had great confidence, and incorrect historical presuppositions. According to the evidence, the idea of   denying any connection between the Prophet (PBUH) and the People of the Book during Mecca era, the migration of the Prophet (PBUH) to Medina before Muslims, the occurrence of jihad only in Medina, and the tolerant dealing with polytheists only before the migration were the most important hypotheses of Muqātil, through which he excepted many verses.

Belief in the Purgatory is one of the accepted principles of most Muslims. Some Qur’anic verses such as Surah Al-Ghāfir/11 and Surah Al-Baqarah/154 deal with this issue. Also, the Infallible Imams (AS) mentioned this important matter in their sayings. However, some Islamic sects have cast doubt on it; The Qur’anists of the Indian Continent are among those who denied the existence of the Purgatory. They proved their idea of the non-existence of Purgatory through rational arguments of “1. uncertainty of the nature of the human soul, 2. the lack of torment’s signs on the body laid in the grave” and narrative evidences of the verses “Surah Al-Ghāfir/11 and 46 and Surah Al-Baqarah/154" with an unusual exegetical method, including self-idea, interpretation (ta’wīl), and scientism. This paper intends to evaluate the views of the subcontinental Qur’anists based on a descriptive-critical method, as much as possible.

Sunni Rijālīes sometimes refer to some Shiite narrators whom Shiite Rijālīes do not know or have not taken seriously. In other words, they are ambiguous or unknown in Shiite sources. Sunni sources have identified some of them as Shiite leaders who played an important role in historical events. In Sunni hadith sources and Imami or Zaydi hadith sources, these Shiite narrators narrate about the virtues of Ali (AS) and other Imams (AS) and sometimes on jurisprudential issues. Having identified these narrators in Rijāl and hadith sources, this research has recognized their common personality and ideological characteristics, including belief in Kufī general Shiism, dependence on exaggeration (ghuluw) and political Shiism, and connection to Kaysānīs. It is possible that the lack of an independent hadith book, the lack of quotations from the Imams, and their Zaidi tendencies have caused the Imamī Rijālī sources not to pay attention to them.

Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Kulthūm is a common master of Ayāshī and Kashshī and an accused narrator of exaggeration (ghuluw) about whom there are different rijāl opinions. He was accused of exaggeration by Sheikh Tūsī, while was authenticated by Kashshī. Examining of Rijāli scholars’ views about Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Kulthūm and analyzing the sands and the content of his narrations, this study concludes that the available evidence strengthen the accusation of Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Kulthūm of exaggeration. In addition, the meaning of the word “Al-Qawm” in the phrase of Sheikh Kashshī about Ibn Kulthūm (kān min al-qawm), according to the evidence in Kashshī’s saying, means exaggerators. Also, a reflection on the narrations of Ibn Kulthūm points out that there is no word in his narrations that indicates to the exaggeration belief, and even it should be said that his exaggerated narrations, assuming his true attribution to exaggeration, have been well selected and refined. Moreover, among the narrations attributed to Ahmad ibn Ali ibn ibn Kulthūm, only 3 ones have confirmations that indicate to the accurate content of his news. The rest of his narrations are single (mufrad). These narrations are not acceptable, considering that all masters of Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Kulthūm have been weakened or unknown due to their accusation of exaggeration or confusion.

Self-consciousness is a phenomenon that has a long history. Some believe that man is nothing but this mere visible appearance while the others consider the basic truth of man to be an indivisible abstract essence of which the body plays the role of a carrier. In the context of the immaterial dimension of man, Islamic scholars use the words “nafs” (self), “rūh” (soul) and “qalb” (heart). In the Qur’an, the term ‘nafs’ does not refer only to the human immaterial dimension but rather it encompasses the totality of man, i.e. both material and immaterial. ‘Rūh’ also doesn’t denote to its modern usage but its occurrence beside the word “amr” (command) shows that rūh is the executive mechanism, regulates and directs the affairs of the universe in creatures and is in fact the link between the command and the creation. Carefully examining all the Qur’anic verses related to qalb, it is concluded that qalb represents the immaterial dimension of man and controls his powers.