Scientific Authority of Ahl Al-Bayṫ (Members of the Household) and Quran Interpretation Methods from the Viewpoint of Imam Reza (PBUH)

Abstract

One of the main missions of the innocent imams is scientific, intellectual and cultural direction of the human society. Omayyad and Abbasids caliphs faced this barrier since the early days of their government against this guidance and they knew that they would face main problems among people due to growth of Islamic culture and promotion of thought and culture of society. For this reason, they decided to try to make people unaware against real Quranic and Islamic culture. For this purpose, they promoted foreign cultures in Islamic society and instilled many doubts into mind of the people. Imam Reza (PBUH) who was in peak period of this false culture building and cultural invasion into Islamic and Shiite teachings struggled with this extensive invasion like other imams and trained and expanded Quranic and Islamic thoughts by negotiating with the religious authorities and speakers of religions. Imam Reza (PBUH) as one of the people of Islam’s prophet family interpreted verses of Holy Quran as interpreter of Quran as far as cultural and social ground and capacities have permitted. Of course, interpretation of Holy Quran practically started since Islam’s prophet and the first interpreter of Quran was Islam’s prophet (PBUH) and then members of his household. Attitude of Imam Reza (PBUH) to Quran has been derived from strong fundamentals such as comprehensiveness and apparent and inherent aspects of this divine book. Based on these essential principles, interpretive teachings of Imam Reza (PBUH) which are mostly included in content and conceptual interpretation rely on the methods and attempt has been made in this paper to analyze these methods.