Shi`a Pajoohi

Shi`a Pajoohi

Validation of Sayyid Abu-l-Fadl Burqi‘i’s Attribution of the Distortion of the Qur’an to the Shi‘a

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Sayyid Majid nabavi 1
Ali Hasanbagi 2
majid maaref 3
Kayvan Ihsani 4
1 PhD student of theology, the Qur’an and hadiths subdiscipline, University of Arak, Arak, Iran
2 Associate professor, Department of Theology, the Qur’an and hadiths subdiscipline, University of Arak, Arak, Iran
3 Professor, Department of Theology, the Qur’an and hadith subdiscipline, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
4 Assistant professor, Department of Theology, the Qur’an and hadith subdiscipline, University of Arak, Arak, Iran
Abstract
Burqi‘ī (1908-1993) was a Qur’anist clergy who criticized Shiite beliefs. He cites unreliable hadiths to argue that al-Kulaynī, some other Shiite scholars of hadiths, and the Shi‘a in general believe in “distortion of the Qur’an.” In this paper, we consider Sayyid Abu-l-Faḍl al-Burqui‘ī’s views of the distortion of the Qur’an, appraising its accuracy or inaccuracy. In this paper, the data are collected through a library method and have been processed via a descriptive-analytic method. The Shi‘a have numerous reasons to believe in the Qur’an’s immunity from distortion. In addition to many prominent Shiite figures who have pointed to its protection from distortion, impartial Sunni scholars have rejected accusations of Qur’anic distortion against the Shi‘a. Burqi‘ī cites the book, Faṣl al-Khiṭāb, as evidence for his accusation of Quranic distortion against the Shi‘a, while many Shiite scholars have written books in rejection of Faṣl al-Khiṭāb. One problem with Burqui‘ī is his lack of historical view of the issue and his failure to consider the main motivation of authors of hadith books, that is, collection of hadiths and prevention of their destruction.
Keywords
Burqui‘ī
Quranic distortion
Shi‘a
al-Kulaynī
Faṣl al-Khiṭāb
Ibn Abi Dawud al-Sijistani, ‘Abd Allah ibn Sulayman. 2002 (1423 AH). Al-Masahif [The Books]. Cairo: al-Faruq al-Haditha li-l-Tiba‘a wa-l-Nashr. [In Arabic]
Ibn Babwayh al-Qumi (al-Saduq), Muhammad ibn ‘Ali. 1992 (1413 AH). Al-I‘tiqadat [The Beliefs]. Edited by ‘Isam ‘Abd al-Sayyid. N.p.: n.p. [In Arabic]
Ibn ‘Atiyya, ‘Abd al-Haqq ibn Ghalib. 2001 (1422 AH). Al-Muharrar al-Wajiz fi Tafsir al-Kitab al-‘Aziz [The Brief Monograph in Exegesis of the Exalted Book]. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya, Manshurat Muhammad ‘Ali Baydun. [In Arabic]
Abu Hayyan, Muhammad ibn Yusuf. 1999 (1420 AH). Al-Bahr al-Muhit fi-l-Tafsir [The Surrounding Sea in the Exegesis]. Beirut: Dar al-Fikr. First edition. [In Arabic]
Abu ‘Ubayd, Qasim ibn Salam. 2005 (1426 AH). Fada’il al-Qur’an [The Qur’an’s Virtues]. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya. [In Arabic]
Ustadi, Kazim. 2015 (1394 SH). “Irtibat-i Ikhtilaf-i Qira’at ba Tahrif-i Qur’an” [The Relation between Differences in Qur’anic Recitations and Qur’anic Distortion]. In Pazhuhish-ha-yi Qur’ani [Qur’anic Research]. No. 74: 146-171. [In Arabic]
Akbari, Muhammad. 2013 (1392 SH). Masuniyyat-i Qur’an az Tahrif nazd-i Shi‘ih va Ahl-i Sunnat [The Qur’an’s Immunity from Distortion in the View of the Shi‘a and the Sunnis]. Tehran: Publications of Sciences and Teachings of the Noble Qur’an University. [In Persian]
Al-Baqilani, Muhammad ibn Tayyib. 1946 (1366 AH). Al-Tamhid [The Prolegomenon]. Edited by Mahmud Muhammad Khudayri and Muhammad ‘Abd al-Hadi Abu Rayda. Cairo: n.p. [In Arabic]
Burqui‘i, Abu-l-Fadl. 2013 (1392 SH). ‘Arz-i Akhbar-i Usul bar Qur’an va ‘Uqul [Presentation of Hadiths of Principles to the Qur’an and Reason]. In http://borqei.com. [In Persian]
Burqui‘i, Abu-l-Fadl. 2015 (1394 SH). Qur’an barayi Hamih [The Qur’an for Everyone]. In http://borqei.com. [In Persian]
Burqui‘i, Abu-l-Fadl. 2016 (1395 SH). Tabishi az Qur’an [A Ray from the Qur’an]. In http://borqei.com. [In Persian]
Burqui‘i, Abu-l-Fadl. N.d.(a). Barrasi-yi ‘Ilmi dar Ahadith-i Mahdi [A Scholarly Study of Hadiths concerning al-Mahdi]. In http://borqei.com. [In Persian]
Burqui‘i, Abu-l-Fadl. N.d.(b). Khurafat-i Vufur dar Ziyarat-i Qubur [Multitude of Superstitions in Visiting the Graves]. In http://borqei.com. [In Persian]
Tihrani, Aqa Buzurg. 1982 (1403 AH). Al-Dhari‘a ila Tasanif al-Shi‘a [The Means to the Writings of the Shi‘a]. Beirut: Dar al-Adwa’. [In Arabic]
Husayni Milani, Sayyid ‘Ali. 2015 (1394 SH). Tahrif-i Qur’an: Barrasi va Naqd [Distortion of the Qur’an: Consideration and Critique]. Qom: al-Haqa’iq. [In Persian]
Khurramshahi, Baha’ al-Din. 2000 (1379 SH). “Mushaf Imam ‘Ali” [Imam ‘Ali’s Codex of the Qur’an]. In Bayyinat, no. 28: 184-190. [In Persian]
Khu’i, Sayyid Abu-l-Qasim. 1985 (1364 SH). Al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an [The Clarification in Exegesis of the Qur’an]. Tehran: Marvi. [In Arabic]
 Rashid, Maryam. 2014 (1393 SH). “Barrasi-yi Ijmali-yi ‘Mushaf’ va ‘Visaqat’-i ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud” [A Brief Consideration of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud’s “Codex of the Qur’an” and his “Reliability”]. In Miras-i Taha [Taha’s Heritage]. no. 4: 101-112. [In Persian]
Al-Suyuti, Jalal al-Din. 1995 (1416 AH). Al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an [Perfection on Sciences of the Qur’an]. Edited by Sa‘id al-Mandub. Lebanon: Dar al-Fikr. [In Arabic]
Shahpasand, Ilahih. 2014 (1393 SH). “Dilalat va Misdaq-i Rivayat-i ‘Iqra’ Ka-ma Yaqra’ al-Nas’” [The Significance and Instance of the Hadith “Recite the Qur’an just as People Do”]. In Pazhuhish-ha-yi Qur’an va Hadith [The Qur’an and Hadith Research] 47, no. 2: 221-246. [In Persian]
Tabataba’i, Muhammad Husayn. 1970 (1390 AH). Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an [The Balance in Exegesis of the Qur’an]. Beirut: Mu’assisat al-A‘lami li-l-Matbu‘at. [In Arabic]
Al-Tabarsi al-Nuri, Husayn ibn Muhammad Taqi. N.d. Mustadrak al-Wasa’il [Supplements of the Means]. Qom: Isma‘iliyan Institute. [In Arabic]
Al-Tabarsi, Fadl ibn al-Hasan. 1993 (1372 SH). Majma‘ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an (The Junction of Articulation in Exegesis of the Qur’an). Tehran: Nasir Khusrow Publications. [In Arabic]
Al-Tusi, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan. 1984 (1363 SH). Al-Istibsar fi-ma Ikhtalaf min al-Akhbar [The Insight into that in which the Hadiths Differ]. Tehran: Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya. [In Arabic]
Al-Tusi, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan. n.d. al-Tibyan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an [The Clarification in Exegesis of the Qur’an]. Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-‘Arabi. [In Arabic]
‘Askari, Murtada. 1995 (1374 SH). Al-Qur’an al-Karim wa Riwayat al-Madrasatayn [The Noble Qur’an and Hadiths of the Two Schools]. Qom: Usul al-Din University. [In Arabic]
Al-Farra’, Yahya ibn Ziyad. 1980. Ma‘ani al-Qur’an [Meanings of the Qur’an]. Egypt: al-Hay’at al-Misriyyat al-‘Amma li-l-Kitab. [In Arabic]
Al-Fayd al-Kashani, Mulla Muhsin. 1985 (1406 AH). Al-Wafi [The Adequate]. Isfahan: Amir al-Mu’minin Library. Vol. 9. [In Arabic]
Al-Qurtubi, Muhammad ibn Ahmad. 1985 (1364 SH). Al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an [Comprehensive Rulings of the Qur’an]. Tehran: Nasir Khusrow. First edition. [In Arabic]
Qanbari, Muhammad. 2008 (1387 SH). Shinakhtnami-yi Kulayni va al-Kafi [A Study of Kulayni and al-Kafi]. Qom: Dar al-Hadith. [In Persian]
Al-Kulayni, Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub ibn Ishaq. 1986 (1407 AH). Al-Kafi [The Sufficient]. Tehran: Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya. [In Arabic]
Mazandarani, Muhammad Salih. 2003 (1382 SH). Sharh al-Kafi: al-Usul wa-l-Rawda [Elaboration of the Sufficient: the Principles and the Garden]. Tehran: al-Maktabat al-Islamiyya. [In Arabic]
Center for Qur’anic Culture and Doctrines. 1996 (1417 AH). ‘Ulum al-Qur’an ‘ind al-Mufassirin [Sciences of the Qur’an according to the Exegetes]. Qom: Islamic Propagation Office. [In Arabic]
Al-Mufid, Muhammad ibn Muhammad. 1992 (1413 AH). Al-Masa’il al-Sarviyya [Sarvi Problems]. Qom: Global Conference for al-Shaykh al-Mufid’s Millennium. [In Arabic]
Nabavi, Sayyid Majid. 2020 (1399 SH). I‘tibarsanji-yi Mabani va Ravish-ha-yi Naqd-i Hadith-i Sayyid Abu-l-Fadl Burqi‘i [Validation of Sayyid Abu-l-Fadl Burqi‘i’s Foundations and Methods of Hadith Criticism]. PhD dissertation in theology, the Qur’an and haidths subdiscipline. Supervisor: ‘Ali Hasanbagi; advisors: Majid Ma‘arif and Kayvan Ihsani. University of Arak, Arak, Iran. [In Persian]
Najjarzadigan, Fath Allah. 2005 (1384 SH). Tahrifnapaziri-yi Qur’an [Impossibility of Distortions in the Qur’an]. Tehran: Mash‘ar. [In Persian]
Al-Najjashi, Ahmad ibn ‘Ali. 1986 (1365 SH). Rijal al-Najjashi [al-Najjashi’s Figures of Hadiths]. Qom: Jami‘at Mudarrisin fi-l-Hawzat al-‘Ilmiyya bi-Qum, Islamic Publication Institute. [In Arabic]
Nowruzi, Mujtaba; Naqizadih, Hasan; Murtazavi, Sayyid Muhammad. 2014 (1393 SH). “Barrasi-yi Didgah-i Mukhalifan-i Ahadithi-i ‘Arz dar Ahl-i Sunnat” [Consideration of the View of Opponents of Presentation Hadiths among Sunnis]. In ‘Ulum-i Qur’an va Hadith [Qur’an and Hadith Sciences] 46, no. 92: 131-159. [In Persian]