Analysis of the Indication of the Rule “Opposing the Sunnite Consensus” in Shi'ite Jurisprudence and Principles

Conflict of evidence is a challenge against the religious traditions and proofs, the way out of which is to express and utilize the preponderators quoted by the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them) in the language of Islamic traditions. One of these preponderators is opposing the Sunnite Consensus, following which jurisprudents prefer the opposing tradition to the supporting evidence. There are a lot of functions for this preference in the Islamic jurisprudence and principles. However, it has rarely been dealt with such issues as the meaning of the term opposing the Sunnite in the traditions, the domain of the usage of the rule, the channel of the rule, its difference with dissimulation, the criterion for the opposition to the Sunnite, reasons for its preference, and the relevance or appropriateness of the rule. This research, analyzing the indication of the aforesaid rule, tries to find the answers to the questions posed, and to scrutinize some of the wrong analyses and misunderstandings of the rule “Opposing the Sunnite Consensus”.