Alī Shāh ʿAlīzādah, Mīrāth-i Tafsīrī-yi Shīʿa; Sadah-yi Duvvom va Sivvom (Shiʿite Qurʾanic Exegetical Heritage in the Second and Third Centuries AH), 1st ed., 2 vols., Qom: Dār al-Ḥadīth Publications, 1402 SH / 2023 CE, 702 pp.
The reconstruction of early Shiʿite exegetical heritage from the formative centuries of Islam offers vital insights into the interpretive approaches, theological currents, and religious discourses that shaped Imāmī Qurʾanic thought. Mīrāth-i Tafsīrī-yi Shīʿa; Sadah-yi Duvvom va Sivvom (Shiʿite Qurʾanic Exegetical Heritage in the Second and Third Centuries AH) by Ḩujjat al-Islām ʿAlī Shāh ʿAlīzādah is a two-volume Persian-language work that seeks to recover and reconstruct the lost or obscured exegetical traditions of the Imāms (a) and their disciples. This scholarly endeavor serves not only as a philological reconstruction but also as a historical re-narration of early Imāmī interpretive efforts. Published in 1402 SH (2023 CE) by Dār al-Ḩadīth Publications, this work spans 702 pages across two volumes and contributes significantly to both Shiʿite intellectual history and Qurʾanic studies.
Ḩujjat al-Islām ʿAlī Shāh ʿAlīzādah, born in 1342 SH (1963 CE) in Tehran, is a seminary scholar who began his ḥawza studies in 1363 SH. He received his foundational training under Āyatollāh Sayyid Jawād ʿAlam al-Hudā and later continued advanced studies in Qom under prominent scholars including Āyatollāh Makārim Shīrāzī and Āyatollāh Jaʿfar Subḥānī. He also benefited from the teachings of Āyatollāh Miṣbāḥ Yazdī at the Institute “Dar Rāh-i Ḩaqq,” where he deepened his expertise in Qurʾanic sciences. Since 1376 SH, he has been affiliated with the Dār al-Ḩadīth Research and Educational Institute, contributing extensively to ḥadīth-related research and Qurʾanic commentary. His academic journey is distinguished by a firm integration of traditional seminary training with rigorous scholarly inquiry.
At the heart of this work lies the objective to revive and systematize the Shiʿite exegetical corpus of the second and third Islamic centuries. The book recognizes that during the Imāmsʾ lifetime, especially in the second century, a significant body of revelatory knowledge was transferred to their companions, leading to the compilation of many foundational exegetical and Qurʾanic works. Unfortunately, many of these early compilations have been lost over time. This project endeavors to recover those fragments scattered across ancient sources, offering scholars a rare glimpse into how the early Shiʿite community interpreted the Qurʾan.
The work argues that the proximity of these traditions to the period of revelation endows them with exceptional hermeneutic and doctrinal significance. Through a meticulous philological and historical method, the author traces chains of transmission, analyzes thematic trends, and reconstructs texts to the extent possible. This reconstruction not only revives textual fragments but also helps map the evolution of Imāmī interpretive theology.
The book is structured in two volumes and eleven thematic headings across 48 chapters:
Volume I: Shiʿite Exegetical Heritage – Second Century AH
This volume focuses on the recovered exegetical material from seven key figures:
- Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-Ḩalabī: Analysis of his tafsīr (exegesis), its isnāds (chains of narrations), typology, and content.
- ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Kathīr al-Hāshimī: Reconstruction of his work Faḍl Innā Anzalnāhu.
- ʿĪsā b. Dāwūd al-Najjār: Examination of his tafsīr and its transmission routes.
- Wuhayb b. Ḩafṣ: Discussion of his tafsīr, its narrative sources and content analysis.
- Munakhkhal b. Jamīl: Study of his tafsīr and interpretive typologies.
- Ḩuṣayn b. Mukhāriq: Tracing the Qurʾanic themes in his tafsīr.
- Hishām b. Sālim al-Jawālīqī: Overview of his interpretive contributions.
- ʿAlī b. Ḩassān b. Kathīr al-Hāshimī: Exploration of his Tafsīr al-Bāṭin and associated doctrines.
Each section includes a biographical sketch, a discussion of transmission routes, and an analytical overview of thematic content and methodology.
Volume II: Shiʿite Exegetical Heritage – Third Century AH
This volume expands the study to include:
- Ḩasan b. ʿAlī b. Abī Ḩamza al-Baṭāʾinī: Recovery of works like Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān and Kitāb al-Tafsīr, and discussion of Tafsīr al-Nuʿmānī.
- Ḩasan b. Maḥbūb: Examination of thematic and transmission aspects of his tafsīr.
- ʿAlī b. Mahziyār al-Ahwāzī: Focus on his tafsīr narratives and reconstruction of relevant texts.
Each chapter follows a systematic pattern: biographical outline, routes of transmission, text reconstruction (where possible), and content analysis. The final chapters of each volume synthesize statistical data and offer methodological reflections on the texts.
Mīrāth-i Tafsīrī-yi Shīʿa; Sadah-yi Duvvom va Sivvom stands out as a monumental effort in the historiography of Shiʿite tafsīr. Its strengths lie in several areas:
- Comprehensive Scope: The work manages to integrate biographical, textual, and thematic dimensions of exegetical heritage into a unified scholarly narrative.
- Rigorous Methodology: The reconstruction relies on careful isnād analysis, typological classification of ḥadīths, and comparative source criticism.
- Scholarly Originality: Few works attempt such a wide-ranging recovery of lost tafsīr traditions, particularly from the second and third centuries AH.
- Historical Significance: By contextualizing these works within the era of the Imāms (a), the book restores forgotten layers of theological and interpretive debate.
In conclusion, this work is a critical resource for scholars of Islamic exegesis, Shiʿite intellectual history, and early Islamic thought. It contributes to the revival of a nearly lost tradition and provides a foundation for further research in the field. Ḩujjat al-Islām ʿAlī Shāh ʿAlīzādah’s meticulous scholarship and dedication are evident throughout this exhaustive and illuminating study.
