Recitation of Imam Ali's (a.s) Codex in Light of the Theory of Wise Tawqif: A Narrative and Historical Analysis

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Malayer University, Malayer, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Quranic Sciences and Hadith, Faculty of Letters and Foreign Languages, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Quranic Sciences and Hadith, University of Quranic Sciences and Knowledge, Iran.

Abstract

This study investigates the historical claim regarding a Qur'anic codex (muṣḥaf) compiled by Imam Ali (AS), reportedly arranged in the chronological order of revelation, and its apparent contradiction with the established Islamic doctrine of the divinely ordained (tawqīfī) nature of the Qur'an's canonical structure. Employing an analytical-critical methodology, the research systematically evaluates and filters the chain of narrations and historical reports attributed to this specific compilation. The textual and historical analysis concludes that the claim of a strictly revelational sequence cannot be reliably substantiated. As a resolution, the study advances the theory of "wise ordainment" (al-tawqīf al-ḥakīm) as a fourth, mediating hypothesis. This framework posits that the canonical order is not the product of mere companionly ijtihād nor of purely verbal, phrase-by-phrase revelation (tawqīf lafẓī), but rather the result of a gradual, wisdom-based divine guidance. It underscores the supervisory roles of the Prophet (PBUH) and Gabriel in the process, alongside the inherent thematic coherence (nazm) of the surahs, as providing a divine-logical basis for the arrangement. The findings indicate that binary theories of absolute tawqīfī or mere ijtihād are narratively and intellectually insufficient. The most coherent analysis synthesizes the concepts of the "comprehensive content of Ali's muṣḥaf" and "wise ordainment." This synthesis preserves the scripture's sanctity and structural integrity while offering a rational explanation for documented historical variations. Therefore, the alleged contradiction is resolved: Imam Ali's (AS) muṣḥaf is reinterpreted not as a rival structure but as a complementary, pedagogically focused effort to elucidate the Qur'an's interpretative depth, thereby opening productive avenues for future exegetical and historical research.

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Biannual Journal of research in the interpretation of Quran
Volume 12, Issue 23
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Pages 343-384

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History

  • Receive Date: 08 November 2025
  • Revise Date: 29 December 2025
  • Accept Date: 07 February 2026

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