Narrations Interpreting Allah’s Names in “Ma'ani Al-Akhbar” by Sheikh Al-Sadouq

Abstract

This research deals with the interpretations of Allah’s Names (Glorified and Exalted He be) and it includes three sections, the first of which deals with the narrations that explain the name itself; the second deals with the interpretations of the narratives that explain the description given to the name and the third for the narrations that explain the additional provision. The value of this study is that it is a study of exegesis via narrations, according to the rule of interpreting the Qur’an with the narration of Prophet Muhmmad’s infallible progeny (peace be upon them). The research interprets the letters of Allah’s Names (Glorified and Exalted He be), and this type of interpretation is the specialty of the infallible (peace be upon him) and it is acceptable as long as there is no contradiction to it from the Holy Qur’an, on the level of the text (at the level of the explicit meaning) on the one hand, and there is nothing it is opposed to by the mind on the other hand. This study explains the meanings of Allah’s Names (Glorified and Exalted He be) which are of the same type of explicit interpretation. Though not comparative, the research is based on the sayings of the commentators to reveal the effect of narrative exegetes on their work. The research also takes care of how these narrations that interpret Allah’s Names (Glorified and Exalted He be) were transmitted from generation to generation.