A Comparative Analytical Study of the Exegetical Method in Al-Burhan and Nur al-Thaqalayn

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Corresponding Author, Associate Professor, Department of Quran and Hadith Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Quran and Hadith Sciences, International University of Islamic Denominations, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Narrative-based exegesis (al-tafsīr al-riwāyī) is one of the oldest forms of Qur'anic interpretation and witnessed significant development in the 11th century AH, coinciding with the spread of Akhbārī thought. Tafsīr al-Burhān by al-ʿAllāmah al-Sayyid Hāshim al-Baḥrānī and Tafsīr Nūr al-Thaqalayn by Shaykh ʿAbd ʿAlī al-Ḥuwayzī are among the most important Imāmī narrative exegeses. Both were composed in the first half of the 11th century AH and cover all chapters of the Qur'an, presenting narrations transmitted from the Imams (peace be upon them) without the authors' personal opinions or commentary. Their primary motivation was to highlight the elevated status of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) in understanding the verses.
Although both are considered pure transmitted sources and were compiled around the same time, they differ in content, writing style, and exegetical methodology, leading to divergent outcomes. Using a descriptive-analytical method, this study conducts a comparative analysis of their exegetical methodologies to answer the question: What factors led to the differences in the outputs of these two exegeses? Content analysis reveals that the most significant similarities lie in content and style. Both works similarly emphasize narrations concerning the status of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and present defensive arguments on Shiʿi doctrines. On the other hand, traditions apparent in [discussions of] textual alteration (taḥrīf) and variant readings (qirāʾāt), in addition to Akhbārī tendencies, are among the most prominent factors contributing to this stylistic and content-based similarity. As for differences, these are attributed to cognitive factors such as religious beliefs, personal opinions, and the role of reason in interpreting the Qur'an, as well as non-cognitive factors including meticulousness in transmitting narrations in full or abridged form, scrutiny of chains of transmission (asānīd), caution regarding Israelite narratives (isrāʾīliyyāt), careful handling of conflicting narrations, and the influence of the exegete's geographical context

Keywords

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11- Pajooheshname Hadith Tatbighee
Volume 12, Issue 22 - Serial Number 22
September 2025
Pages 283-312

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History

  • Receive Date: 15 March 2025
  • Revise Date: 15 April 2025
  • Accept Date: 07 May 2025

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