The Method of Interaction of Shaykh Ṭūsī with the Interpretative Narrations of the Companions in Tafsīr al-Tibyān

Hadian Rasanani, Elahe; Asghari, Zeynab; Bashizadeh Moghaddam, Mehrnaz

doi:10.22034/hsr.2025.51880.1074

The Method of Interaction of Shaykh Ṭūsī with the Interpretative Narrations of the Companions in Tafsīr al-Tibyān

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Associate Professor, Qur'anic Studies, University of Quran and Hadith, ز, Iran.

² PhD Candidate, Teaching Islamic Studies, Qur'an and Islamic Texts Track, University of Quran and Hadith, Tehran, Iran.

³ Assistant Professor, Sciences and Knowledge of the Quran, University of Quran and Hadith, Qom, Iran.

10.22034/hsr.2025.51880.1074

Abstract

The present study examines the status of the Companions and their interpretative narrations in Tafsīr al-Tibyān, the seminal exegetical work of Shaykh Ṭūsī. As the first comprehensive Shiʿi exegesis, Tafsīr al-Tibyān adopts a critical and selective approach toward the interpretative narrations of the Companions. Shaykh Ṭūsī, adhering to the principles of Ijtihād and rationalism, compares these narrations with Qur’anic verses and the ḥadīths of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS). In cases of contradiction, he critiques and sometimes rejects the narrations of the Companions. He exercises caution in accepting these reports, only considering them valid if they align with Shiʿi exegetical foundations and rational principles. One of his motivations for utilizing these narrations is to address Sunni objections and strengthen the theological foundations of Shiʿi belief. Moreover, Shaykh Ṭūsī employs both Rijāl and analytical methods to assess these narrations, transmitting only those deemed reliable in both chain of transmission and content. The findings of this research indicate that his approach to the interpretative narrations of the Companions is not only influenced by scholarly and rational considerations but is also deeply rooted in Shiʿi theological principles, applying these narrations methodically within a specific framework.

Keywords