Journal of Researches of Quran and Hadith Sciences
Year:2009 | Volume:6 | Issue:1 (11)|Papers Count:7

It could be said that the social exegesis is one of the most important results of the contemporary exegetical school. The basic characteristics of this new approach-that can be also called as tenets- are as follows: a comprehensive look to the Quran, rationalistic approach to interpreting it, emphasis on the guiding role of the Quran and simple writing style of the commentary. the foretold features caused directly and indirectly the development of some other characteristics in this genre of commentaries of which the following are most prominent; the priority of Quran comparing to other canonical sources, rejection of following and submission to others particularly in interpreting Quran, decreasing from the status and volume of traditional exegesis, observing the needs of society, using the simple and general language in the exegesis and avoiding detailed discussions of literal, juristical and theological Issues.

“Men Wahy al-Quran” exegesis written by Seyyed Muhammad Hosein Fazlollah, an intellectual Shiite jurisprudent, is one of the contemporary rationalistic interpretations of Quran. Having a rationalistic and analytic approach are of the most important characteristics of this commentary. Fazlollah has intellectually criticized a great number of interpretive hadithes to the point where at times his criticisms and comments of the matter reach as much as six points. He emphasizes on criticizing the hadith text and confirming it by comparing with Quran. Alike Allameh Tabatabaee, he does not consider hadith authorized in interpreting Quran, inharmonious though this assumption of Fazlollah may seem with a number of his other assumptions. His avoiding israilliyat and poor and faked hadithes is detected everywhere in his exegesis. His odd viewpoints deserve reflection and his innovative interpretations can put forth a way to get through much of the existing problems within Islamic Communities.

From the early days of Islam on, the Muslims and the Islamic Community had a very close relation with other groups and religions in various forms and each has affected the others. being the representative of the guiding role of religion in all affairs of life and the answer to all the fundamental human desires in individual and social life in all ages and decades, the Holy Quran has dealt with the issue of religious minorities, Jews and Christians in particular, and the proper way of communicating with them. Today, considering the particular circumstances of the world which is the result of fundamental changes in various fields, including that of the governments' relations and the correlation of cultures, the way to treat and communicate with religious minorities in Islamic Countries has doubled in significance.Being very effective in the present era to get familiarized with the Islamic Instructions concerning interaction with religious minorities, particularly Jews and Christians, this articles has focused on this issue. with a short introductory on Islam and its effective role regarding the rights of religions and reserving the nobility of humankind, this study examins the relative terminology, Quran's stance concerning the Jews and Christians and its instructions regarding the way to communicate with Them.

Traditions enjoy a high status from different aspects, particularly due to their elucidating role for Quranic teachings. However one of the issues concerning these traditions is the contradictions that is seen between different sets of hadiths. this deficiency is the result of many events in the history of hadith narration of which the following can be mentioned: hadith forgery, narrating the meaning of the hadith, loss of its context, weakness of memories and perception of some of the narrators, alteration and distortion and dissimulation. Dealing with these contradictions have always been of great concern to eminent traditionists, classifying them in two groups: real and ostensible. For the former they tried to find a solution and for the latter they gave a comprehensive meaning comprising both sides.Muhammad Baqer Majlesi in Behar while encountering real contradictions has chosen different approaches: when the two sides were of equal value, he either chose to suspend judgment (tawaquf) or have option between the two sides (takhyir). Although not indicating his criteria for choosing one of these solutions, in the field of juridical traditions, he usually chooses the second soltution while in that of dogmatic traditions, his choice is the first one. In other fields, he has favored one of the two sides considering evidences from Quran, traditions, traditional fame and some features in the chain of narrators such as weakness and personal motives of the narrators. He rarely-not finding any reason for preference- has discarded both sides. However almost in all the cases, his precision in avoiding discard is significant. ActuaIIy, by deniying the existence of real contradiction he tries to accept both sides and consider their meaning and when rarely accepting its occurance acts with great caution.

The Tebyan exegesis is one the fifth century commentaries, written with a theological approach. Tusi's endeavour for strengthening Shiite tenets in it, verifies his focus on this issue. The rather priority of theology compared to other sciences in Tusi's era and current dogmatic debates, along with the authoritative status of prominent Shiite scholars such as Sheikh Mufid, Seyyed Murteza and SheikhTusi himself all had great influence on this commentary. The vast narration of the Mutazili views such as those of Abu Ali Jubayi, Rummani, Balkhi, Ka' bi and Muhammad Bahr Isfahani fulfilled this end. Both for the rational methodology of Muhammad Bahr Isfahani and Rummani and for the dogmatic principles common with Mutazila, Tusi has preferred the Mutazili's opinions and narrated them. Although in quite a few occasions has also criticized their believes and negated them.

Elucidating the extremists' beliefs and showing their heretical nature, this article tries to demonstrate Extremism, despite it's apparent claim for 0verstate love of Imams, as an instrument in the hand of Imams' enemies specially Wahhabites. Referring to historical evidences, the author tries to prove that the leaders of Extremism didn' t love Imams but rather were their enemies and just made pretenses in order to achieve their worldly aims and to discredit Shi' a. in this study the major differences between extremism and Shi' ite beliefs has been mentioned, proving that while imams are creatures, they own all divine perfections as manifestations of God's attributes according to Quranic and traditional arguments, denying the underscored beliefs of some Shias about imams as a response to the exaggerating beliefs of extremists.Having understood the correct meaning of God's manifestation in imam and his being a full mirror of all divine names and attributes, we can be safe from agnosticism and anthropomorphism and surely extremism.