The Achievement of Some Companions in Confronting Isra'iliyyat: A Critique and Review

Aghapour, Reza; Ramyar, Fatemeh; Alinejad, Hojjat

doi:10.22034/hsr.2025.51939.1078

The Achievement of Some Companions in Confronting Isra'iliyyat: A Critique and Review

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Assistant Professor, Department of Quranic and Hadith Sciences, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

² Ph.D. Student, Department of Quranic and Hadith Sciences, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

10.22034/hsr.2025.51939.1078

Abstract

Despite the Prophet Muḥammad’s (PBUH) prohibition against referring to the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitāb), some Muslims did not refrain from narrating traditions or using their sources. This approach expanded significantly after the Prophet’s (PBUH) demise. Examining the conduct of his successors in dealing with Isra’iliyyat and their transmitters in Sunni and Shiʿi sources reveals contradictions that necessitate a thorough and comprehensive study. This research employs a library-based method and descriptive-analytical processing. Findings indicate that after the Prophet’s (PBUH) passing, some Companions not only failed to prevent recourse to the People of the Book or interactions with narrators of Isra’iliyyat but also promoted these fabrications among Muslims, advocating the idea of "Ḥasbunā Kitāb Allāh." Their aim was to reinforce the notion that the Quran alone suffices, rendering the Prophet’s (PBUH) Sunnah unnecessary, by comparing Israelite superstitions with Prophetic traditions. This move, ostensibly to preserve the political status of the Prophet’s (PBUH) successors, had severe negative consequences, including the proliferation of fabricated hadith and the infiltration of Isra’iliyyat into Quranic exegesis (Tafsir). The results demonstrate how political motivations influenced intellectual and doctrinal developments in Islamic society. This study also underscores the importance of critically re-examining hadith and historical sources in light of their political contexts. Its findings may pave the way for deeper investigations into the role of politico-intellectual currents in shaping Islamic foundations and help researchers adopt a more analytical approach to religious texts.

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