A Review of the Meaning of Verse 115 of Surah al-Nisa' (But Whoever Defies the Apostle) in the Authority of the Predecessors’ Perceptions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Reza Hajji Shamsaie 1
Sayyed Jalal Mahdizadeh 2
Sayyid Hasan Aal Mujadid Shirazi 3
1 Researcher, Level 3, The Professional Center for Comparative Studies of Islamic Religions (Corresponding Author)
2 ** Researcher, Level 4 of Contemporary Theology, The Professional Center for Comparative Studies of Islamic Religions (Corresponding Author),
3 Lecturer in the Islamic Seminary of Qom and university professor
Abstract
Citing various arguments, including verse 115 of Surah al-Nisa', Wahhabis claim that God Almighty approves all predecessors’ deeds and beliefs. Wahhabis believe that the predecessors’ perceptions have authority over those of the successors; so that in understanding religious issues, the successors should abandon their perceptions and refer to those of the predecessors. Wahhabis also believe that the meaning of verse 115 of al-Nisa' refers only to the following of the way of the believers, the predecessors, and not anyone else. According to the principled and interpretive rules for understanding verses, the triple arguments of Wahhabis against the proposed claim are distorted because this verse is not in the position of confirming the deeds and beliefs of the believers, although the meaning of the word “believers” in this verse includes all believers until the Day of Judgment. There is even no connection between confirming man’s deeds and beliefs with his religious understanding.
Keywords
Wahhabism
predecessors’ perceptions
following
believers’