The Chain and Textual Analysis of Sunni Traditions about the Interpretation of the Phrase ''Sab'an minal-mathānī''(15: 87)

A notable number of Sunni exegetes of the Qur’an based on the prophetic traditions which introduce the Qur’anic chapter “Ḥamd</em>” as the example of the term “sab'an minal-mathānī</em>”, preferred this implication to other views. To assess this interpretation, the question arises as to whether the Prophetic narratives applied for Sunni exegetes in order to prove their claim have the capability to prove such a point, regarding their context (Matn</em>) and chains of transmitters (Sanad</em>). In this paper, prophetic narratives are categorized according to their chains of transmitters. Because of the similarity of the text of various narratives, it is concluded that all these narratives refer to one Prophet's speech while speaking with one of the Companions (most likely ‘Ubay</em> bin Ka'b</em> or Abu Sa'</em>ī</em>d</em> bin Mu'all</em>ā</em>). The denominator of all traditions introduces "S</em>ū</em>rah</em> al-Ḥamd</em>" as a s</em>ū</em>rah</em> that has been not existed in the previous revealed books and afterwards the recitation of the eighty seventh verse of S</em>ū</em>rah al-</em>Ḥ</em>ijr </em>ends the speech. Sunni exegetes argue that the verse “wa laqad </em>ā</em>tayn</em>ā</em>ka sab'an minalmath</em>ā</em>n</em>ī</em> wal-Qur’an al-‘A</em>ẓī</em>m</em>” which emphasizes on the virtue of S</em>ū</em>rah</em> al-Ḥamd</em>, points to the position of “sab'an minalmath</em>ā</em>n</em>ī</em>” for this S</em>ū</em>rah</em> as well. However, reviewing of these narratives indicates that possibly they suppose the word “al-math</em>ā</em>n</em>ī</em>” - as referring to the past - as part of the revelation of the Qur'an which is similarly existed in the previous revealed scriptures and then are repeated in the Qur’an, but the phrase “al-Qur’an al-‘A</em>ẓī</em>m</em>” refers to the part of the Qur’an that is not mentioned in previous scriptures and is specific to the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h)