پژوهش نامه قرآن و حدیث
پیاپی 6 (بهار و تابستان 1388)

God’s accompanying the universe is among the controversial issues in theosophy, theology and Islamic gnosticism. This issue has been pointed out in different ways in various verses of the Quran and narrations. The important point here is not the sheer fact that God as mabd’a-ol-mabädi (the origin of origins) accompanies the creation and the universe, since every cause is necessarily in contact with its effect and an effect can never get separated from its absolute cause even for a moment. The central point here is that theosophists, theologians and Islamic gnostics ponder upon this issue and present some kind of justification for it so that they may not give explanations incompatible with the true Unity of God, on the one hand, and with the domains of multiplicity of the universe, on the other, and in one way or another they may free themselves from being caught in a morass of purification and anthropomorphism. Our assumption is that without philosophical principles, it is not possible to give logical and acceptable justification in explication of these issues in Quranic verses and narrations, since the verses dealing with developmental issues require philosophical and worldview principles taken from the Quran itself and narrations. Accordingly, this article, first, deals with types of Unity, and, then, types of companionship, and finally provides a philosophical analysis on companionship concurrent with Unity using Quranic verses and narrations from the Infallibles (as).

This article examines the method of the thematic studies of the Quran called thematic interpretation. The background of this issue has been traced in hadiths from the Prophet (p.b..u.h.) and Ahl al-Beit (the Prophet’s family) (a.s.) and Allämeh Majlesi’s Bahär al-Anvär. Thematic interpretation of the Quran has been divided into three categories: (1) thematic interpretation of the inside of the Quran, (2) thematic, comparative interpretation (between Shiite and Sunnite and between the Quran and the Bible), and (3) interdisciplinary thematic interpretation which has been carried out during the recent decades in order to compare the Quran and modern sciences in the fields of politics, economics, education, etc.

Although Sheikh Mortazä Ansäri, the eminent Shiite jurisprudent and theologian, has not left behind an independent work on the interpretation of the Quran, he has interpreted a large number of Quranic verses in his jurisprudential and theological deliberations from which his interpretation method can be extracted and introduced. He has mainly interpreted verses of the revealed rules; hence, he has utilized the narrative interpretation method more than others. Of course, depending on the issues under deliberation, he has employed other interpretation methods too: ijtihadi (exerting oneself to deduce facts) method, the Quran by the Quran interpretation method, and rational interpretation method. In other words, it can be said that Sheikh Ansäri has utilized a variety of interpretation methods.

Two periods are of special prominence in the history of the interpretation of the Quran. This article deals with the interpretation features of these periods and compares them. One of these periods is the time when interpretation found its way into the realm of science in the 4th and 5th centuries, and another is the period of transformation of the science of interpretation in the 14th and 15th centuries. Here, we attempt to explicate the interpretation approaches, interpretation methods, the instruments employed by the interpreters, and the requirements and the motives leading them towards these approaches and methods in both periods and examine the differences between the two periods.

Contrary to the common understanding, the word ta’mmoq has a reprehensive meaning in old vocabulary and narration sources and lexicologists believe it has connotations of ‘excessiveness’ and ‘exaggeration’. Hence, it has been discredited and considered a sign of disbelief in narrations from the infallible Imams (as). Even a group of hadith scholars have associated it with ‘excessiveness’ and ‘exaggeration’. However, some scholars have gained an incorrect understanding out of some narrations due to their negligence of the real meaning of ta’mmoq and its reprehensibility.

Seyyed Heidar Ämoli’s al-Mohit al-A’zam Interpretation is a work of interpretation along with ta’vil which is based on peculiar, gnostic principles and approaches. Veläyat (guardianship of the saints), anfosi (microcosmic) interpretation or gnostic ta’vil, a comprehensive outlook – including shariah, spiritual discipline and truth – and tohide samadi (impermeability unity) are among the interpretation principles and approaches of this eminent interpreter of the Quran. This research work has taken tohide samadi approach as the dominant character of Seyyed Heidar’s interpretation and seeks to introduce this approach explaining the interpretation principles and sources of Seyyed Heidar Ämoli.

Context is considered the most important factor in understanding and interpretation of the Quranic verses. Allameh Tabätabäee has recurrently utilized this technique in his interpretations. Some of the most important cases in which he has utilized context are: exploration of the meanings of the vocabulary items and the purport the verses, recognition of the arrangement of the verses, acceptance or denial of the narrations related to the interpretation of verses, criticism and/or verification of the opinions of interpreters, identification of the Meccan and Medinite verses and chapters, giving legal judgments, interpretation of the preceding verses on the basis of the following verses or vice versa, interpretation of one statement on the basis of another statement in a given verse, and understanding and exploration of the motive and purpose of verses.

Invoking some evidence, this article will prove that Mirzä Mohammad Isfahäni’s school of thought has the features of an independent interpretation school. Äyatollah Maleki Miyänaji’s work of interpretation, Manähej al-Bayän, is the most outstanding work of interpretation in Tafkik school (the school which separates intellect and tradition). Relying on his master’s teachings, Maleki Miyänaji has attempted to establish the Interpretation School of Khoräsän Seminary.