A Study on the (Ahadith) Narrations of the Chronological Order of Revelation by Ibn Abbas through Abu Salih: Nature and Authenticity

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Quran and Hadith Sciences, Faculty of Theology and Ahl-al-Bayt (AS) Studies, University of Isfahan

2 Assistant Professor of Quran and Hadith Department, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

3 Professor, Department of Science and Quran, University of Tehran, Qom Campus, Qom, Iran

Abstract

The chronological order of the surahs of the Holy Qur’an has been transmitted in various Ahadith (narrations) from the companions and followers of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The multiplicity and divergence of these Ahadith, along with the manner of their transmission across different sources, have caused confusion for Quranic scholars, particularly in studies related to chronological arrangement, Meccan and Medinan distinctions, and its interpretation. A significant number of these Ahadith have been reported by Ibn Abbas. One of the routes for transmitting Ibn Abbas's chronological order is through Abu Salih, which has garnered attention and citation due to its unique characteristics and various renditions in Quranic sources. This research seeks to explore the oldest available manuscripts, conducting a genealogical analysis and comparison of the lists of Ahadith, specifically those attributed to Ibn Abbas through Abu Salih, as well as the arrangements derived from them. The findings indicate that, in addition to Musnad Ahadith from Abu Salih, two lists of al-Kalbi attributed from Ibn Abbas and and Muqatil ibn Sulaiman, which are mentioned without a chain or source of hadith in al-Shahristani's tafsir, fall under the category of Abu Salih's list based on shared textual characteristics and their Mashaayigh (respective teachers). The great similarity in the texts and the backgrounds of the narrators of this group of Ahadith suggest a common origin for these lists and its Kufic origin. Certain peculiar features in Abu Salih's list, as well as minor discrepancies within this collection, stem from errors in transmission or transcription; however, some differences, such as the omission and addition of Surah Al-Fatiha and the repositioning of Surahs Al-Hajj, Al-Sajda, and Al-Insan between the Meccan and Medinan sections, cannot be justified by mere oversight. These types of discrepancies may only arise from the ijtihad (independent reasoning) of the narrators and deliberate alterations in the foundational list due to the preference for alternative opinions

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Main Subjects

References

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The Manuscripts

  1. al-Mabanī li-niz̤m al-ma‘ānī, a unique manuscript on microfilm in Berlin.
  2. Zayn al-fattā fī sharḥ sūrat Hal āta, image of the first manuscript, the oldest extant copy (copied in 1114 AH).
  3. Zayn al-fattā fī sharḥ sūrat Hal āta, image of the second manuscript, referenced by Muḥammad Bāqir Maḥmūdī for his book "al-‘Asal al-muṣaffā...".
  4. Andrābī, Aḥmad ibn Abī ‘Umar, al-Īḍāḥ fī al-qirā’āt al- ‘ashar, a unique manuscript on microfilm in Istanbul.
  5. Shahrastānī, Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd al-Karīm (1368 SH), Mafātīḥ al-asrār wa maṣābīḥ al-abrār, a photographic reproduction of a unique Iranian manuscript, introduced by ‘Abd al-Ḥusayn Ḥā’irī, Tehran: Manuscript Publishing Center - in cooperation with the Library of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles-e Shūrā-ye Islāmī).
  6. Nöldeke, Theodor (2013), The History of The Qur’ān, Adited and Translated by: Wolfgang H.Behn, Boston, Leiden,. [In Engljsh]

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History

  • Receive Date: 27 October 2023
  • Revise Date: 28 January 2024
  • Accept Date: 17 April 2024
  • Publish Date: 21 November 2024

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