Āyatollāh Muḥammadī Riyshahrī, Maʿrifat-shināsī-yi Qurʾānī (Qurʾānic Epistemology), 1st ed., 2 vols., Qom: Dār al-Ḥadīth Publications, 1402 SH (2023 CE), 1000 pp.
The relationship between reason, revelation, and knowledge has occupied a central place in Islamic intellectual history. As contemporary Muslim societies grapple with epistemological challenges posed by secular modernity, there has been a revived interest in grounding human knowledge in divine sources, particularly the Qurʾān. Maʿrifat-shināsī-yi Qurʾānī (Qurʾānic Epistemology) by the late Āyatollāh Muḥammadī Riyshahrī offers a timely and deeply reflective contribution to this discourse. This two-volume work, published by Dār al-Ḥadīth in 1402 SH (2023 CE), systematizes a series of lectures originally delivered on Radio Qurʾān and transforms them into a coherent scholarly treatise. Drawing on approximately seventy Ayahs from the Qurʾān, Āyatollāh Riyshahrī provides a distinctly Qurʾānic framework for epistemology that integrates reason, revelation, and spiritual purification.
Muḥammad Muḥammadī Nīk, widely known as Āyatollāh Riyshahrī (1946–2022), was a prominent Shīʿī scholar, ḥadīth expert, and a leading religious authority in post-revolutionary Iran. He held numerous important positions including the Custodian of the Shrine of ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīm al-Ḥasanī, representative of Tehran in the Assembly of Experts, and the head of Iranian pilgrims to Ḥajj. He was also the founder and president of the University of the Qurʾān and Ḥadīth. Āyatollāh Riyshahrī’s intellectual legacy is most vividly captured in his encyclopedic and ḥadīth-based works, such as Mīzān al-Ḥikma, and the comprehensive encyclopedias of Imām ʿAlī (a), Imām Ḥusayn (a), and Imām Mahdī (a). Maʿrifat-shināsī-yi Qurʾānī is a testament to his vision of a deeply rooted, yet spiritually open, Islamic epistemology.
At its core, Maʿrifat-shināsī-yi Qurʾānī explores the question: How does the Qurʾān conceptualize human knowledge and the means of acquiring it? Āyatollāh Riyshahrī argues that Qurʾānic epistemology is neither confined to empirical observation nor limited to rational deduction; rather, it is a holistic system that incorporates external and internal faculties—ranging from sensory perception and reason to the heart, divine revelation, and spiritual unveiling (shuhūd). This model challenges reductionist epistemologies that isolate either the intellect or empirical experience from spiritual receptivity.
The author presents epistemology not merely as a technical philosophical discipline but as a practical, existential pursuit aimed at uncovering truth, recognizing God, and ultimately attaining salvation. Knowledge in the Qurʾānic sense is intrinsically valuable and morally consequential. Conversely, ignorance is depicted as a spiritual ailment with ethical ramifications. Āyatollāh Riyshahrī’s thesis holds that the pursuit of knowledge is both an obligation and a path to divine proximity, provided one removes internal barriers that obstruct epistemic clarity.
The work is divided into two volumes comprising four main chapters. Though rooted in radio lectures, the content has been carefully edited and expanded by scholars at the Research Center for the Qurʾān and Ḥadīth to form a structured treatise.
Volume 1:
- Chapter 1: “The Value and Role of Knowledge”
This chapter examines the existential and moral significance of knowledge in the Qurʾān. Drawing on scriptural evidence, Āyatollāh Riyshahrī emphasizes how awareness and understanding elevate human dignity, guide ethical behavior, and are indispensable for a flourishing life. In contrast, ignorance and foolishness are shown to correlate with moral corruption and spiritual downfall.
- Chapter 2: “The Necessity of Acquiring Knowledge”
Here, the author discusses the imperative nature of seeking knowledge and the dangers of intellectual complacency. Citing Ayahs that warn against willful ignorance, he positions the pursuit of knowledge as a religious duty and a precondition for accountability in the Hereafter.
Volume 2:
- Chapter 3: “Sources and Instruments of Knowledge”
This is perhaps the most philosophically rich chapter. Āyatollāh Riyshahrī challenges epistemologies that reduce knowledge to either empirical data (ḥiss and tajriba) or reason (ʿaql). He instead advocates for a Qurʾānic model that includes the heart (qalb), divine revelation (waḥy), and spiritual intuition (shuhūd). He classifies sources of knowledge into external and internal faculties, all of which can serve as valid epistemic tools if certain spiritual and ethical conditions are met.
- Chapter 4: “Obstacles to Knowledge”
The final chapter explores psychological, ethical, and spiritual hindrances to true understanding. Drawing on Qurʾānic Ayahs and supporting ḥadīths, Āyatollāh Riyshahrī identifies arrogance, bias, sin, and worldly attachment as key epistemic barriers. These “epistemic illnesses” cloud the soul’s capacity to perceive reality and must be actively treated through repentance, humility, and purification of the heart. The Qurʾān, he argues, not only diagnoses these obstacles but also offers methods for overcoming them.
Maʿrifat-shināsī-yi Qurʾānī is a profound and much-needed contribution to both Qurʾānic studies and Islamic philosophy. Its strengths are numerous:
- Qurʾān-Centered Methodology: By grounding his arguments in Qurʾānic Ayahs rather than abstract speculation, Āyatollāh Riyshahrī offers a refreshing return to the textual foundations of Islamic thought.
- Holistic Epistemology: The integration of external and internal faculties—sensory, rational, and spiritual—reflects a nuanced understanding of human cognition that avoids modern bifurcations between faith and reason.
- Practical Orientation: The book is not just theoretical but offers ethical and spiritual insights on how to purify one’s soul to become receptive to divine knowledge. This renders it especially valuable for scholars, students, and religious educators alike.
- Clarity and Accessibility: Though rich in content, the work is written in a relatively accessible style due to its oral origins, making it approachable for readers beyond the academic elite.
- Scholarly Integrity: The editing team has preserved the intellectual clarity and scriptural precision of Āyatollāh Riyshahrī’s discourse, while organizing the content into a polished, readable structure.
In an era where epistemological relativism and materialist reductionism dominate much of modern discourse, Maʿrifat-shināsī-yi Qurʾānī reasserts the spiritual and moral dimensions of knowledge as envisioned by Islam. It invites the reader to see knowledge not merely as information but as illumination—an unveiling of truth that transforms the knower.
In Maʿrifat-shināsī-yi Qurʾānī, Āyatollāh Riyshahrī offers more than an epistemological treatise; he presents a spiritual roadmap for seekers of truth. By weaving together Qurʾānic exegesis, ḥadīth traditions, and ethical insights, this two-volume work stands as a beacon for those who wish to engage with knowledge in a manner that is both intellectually rigorous and spiritually uplifting. For anyone interested in Qurʾānic thought, Islamic philosophy, or religious epistemology, this book is an essential resource.
