The rules of preference in interpretation related to the Qur’anic readings according to Al-Hakim Al-Jushami (d. 494 AH) in his book Al-Tahdhib fi Al-Tafsir

Abstract

The research addressed the rules of preference related to the Quranic readings according to Al-Hakim Al-Jashmi, due to their great importance in preferring between the different interpretations of the commentators on a single verse, using the inductive, comparative, and historical method.

The aim of this research is to demonstrate Al-Hakim Al-Jashmi’s approach to weighing up conflicting interpretive opinions, by reviewing five diverse rules of weighing up, and to determine the extent to which he agrees or disagrees with other interpreters, both ancient and modern.

The most important finding of the researcher was that Al-Hakim Al-Jashmi had a great position among the men of the Mu'tazila classes as a great interpreter, and this is evident from his great interest in the various Quranic readings in his interpretation and his reasoning with them, and his guidance of them. The Quranic readings in Al-Hakim Al-Jashmi's interpretation represented one of the rules of preference between the different sayings of the people of interpretation in some verses in which the sayings of the interpreters varied.