مجله مطالعات تطبیقی قرآن و حدیث
پیاپی 7 (پاییز و زمستان 1395)

In most commentary works, a hadith has been mentioned under "And proclaim among men the Pilgrimage" in which Prophet Ibrahim, after constructing the Kaaba, is divinly instructed to call on people to perform Hajj. All creatures of the world including those who were in the loin of their fathers and in the wombs of their mothers affirmed and accepted his proclamation. Thus, all of those who annually go to perform Hajj are the ones who affirm Ibrahim's proclamation and invitation to the pilgrimage. However, there are discrepancies surrounding this verse. Some especially Mutazilah including Hasan Basri and Jubani are of the view that this verse was addressed to the Prophet of Islam (S) who invited people to the Farewell Pilgrimage. After carefully studying various interpretations, it has been concluded that Ibrahim's proclamation and invitation to pilgrimage was public and that it emanaged from man's intrinsic and God-gifted nature which caused men to incline towards performing the pilgrimage. However, according to another verse which says, "and pilgrimage to the House is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, (upon) every one who is able to undertake the journey to it", pilgrimage of the House of Allah is obligatory only on those who can physically and financially afford it .

The present study seeks to examine the revelation of the first Surah (chapter) after the holy Prophet's migration to Medina with a view to the sources of the two major branches of faith. After discussing certain criteria about the Quranic chapter being either Makki (Sura revealed in Mecca) or Madani (Sura revealed in Medina) with reliance on the reseach works by both the major sects as well as evaluating the evidence and documents presented concerning the first Surah revealed in Medina, the writer endeavors to find out whether those documents and pieces of evidence match with the presented criteria. According to some of those criteria and narrations, Chapter Al-Baqarah and according to some others Chapter al-Mutaffifin is the first Surah after the Prophet's hegira (migration). Keeping this in view, the writer critically examines the viewpoints concerning the first Madani chapter of the Quran. Finally, according to a hadith-based approach, Chapter al-Mutaffifin is the first Madani verse whereas according to majority of Quran researchers from both the branches of faith and based on a meticulous assessment of their views, Chapter al-Baqara is the first Madani Surah .

Understanding is the key concept in hermeneutics and many a number of hermeneuticians such as Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Hirsch, Heidegger, Gadamer, etc have discussed it at length. When it comes to tafsir or interpretation of the Quran, the term 'understanding' is very often used alongside other key words. Allamah Tabatabai, for instanc, makes use of this term in different parts of Tafsir al-Mizan. He speaks of the definition of understanding, possibility of understanding, understanding and preunderstandings and their relationshp with the interpretation of the Quran. Given his meticulous use of these combinations and the expressions in the last divine Book, they are highly important and instrumental in interpretation . C
onsidering the comparative approach of this study, an attempt has been made to delve into and examine Allamah Tabatabai's words and those of Gadamer in respect of hermeneutical understnaing .

The verse 60 of Chapter al-Isra is among the ideological verses of the Quran with great relevance to Islamic unity and solidarity of the Islamic world. The exegetic views presented by the scholars of both major branches of Islam are critical to the convegence of the Muslim Ummah. This verse gives report on four things: God encompasses mankind; the Prophet's vision is an ordeal or trial, the cursed tree, and transgression of many of those who had been warned. The differences revolve mainly around the issue of ordeal and trial (fitna). As for vision, it has been used in two meanings, one relates to the sighting of scenes during the noctural journey (ascension), the other relates to seeing the accursed offspring of the Banu Umayyad family in a dream world. There are different interpretations for 'cursed tree'; it includes either the Zaqqum Tree or the Banu Umayyad family. Most of the exegetes have accepted the first meaning of both terms and most of the Shiite scholars and exponents have accepted the second meaning of each term. However, literary evidence and indications and the multiple reports confirm the Shia standpoint in this regard. An indepth study and knowledge of the Quran will definitely reveal the fact to the reader that the Banu Umayyads and their followers were far from the truth and the right path .

An important topic in exegesis and Quranic sciences is the comparative study of the revelation of verses concerning Jihad (war waged against the enemies of Islam). There are three major views among Muslim scholars about the revelation of verses on the legislation of Jihad. The term 'Jihad' has been mentioned in the Quran in Chapter al-Tawbah, verse 24, Chapter al-Furqan verse 53 and Chapter al-Mumtahinah verse 1. In some of these verses, Jihad is allowed and considered lawful only when the enemy wages a war while in some other verses, the validity of Jihad is not linked to an attack by the enemy. Rather, offensive Jihad or a war iniated by Muslims has been allowed. To reconcile between these sets of verses, it has been said that the verses which are absolute are restricted by the verses which instruct Muslims to defend themselves against the enemy attack. Some have reconciled the verses in a way such that the restricted verses are said to have been abrogated by the absolute verses. Thus, launching an attack on the enemy to spread and expand Islam is permissible. Some others are of the view that offensive Jihad and defensive Jihad are two types of Jihad that are obligatory at two different stages. To distinguish the chronology of revelation of these verses, several explanations have been given. Given the fact that Surah al-Hajj was revealed after Surah al-Baqarah, the first opinion is acceptable and verse 190 of Chapter al-Baqarah is the first verse that aims to legislate Jihad .

This study seeks to examine the reports of the two major branches of faith in regards to the initial revelation comparing relevant reports and documents and analyzing their contents based on the significations of certain Quranic verses and some indisputable historical facts. The article critically assesses the narrations which signify that the incident of the first revelation was characterized by perplexion, doubt, anxiety and fear on the part of the Prophet (S). These reports suffer from many difficulties because neither the narrators had been present on the scene of revelation nor these reports seem to be consistent with the Quran and some historical facts. Thus, the chain of transmission and content of the narrations are invalid. As for the narrations which have described the Prophet's condition as firm and strong in the first prophetic encounter, not only are they consistent with the Quran and the unquestionable historical facts but they have also proved and described the Prophet (S) as the strongest and most steadfast person in thought, values and mannerisms.