Quran, Culture And Civilization

Quran, Culture And Civilization

The Qur’an as the Ultimate Arbiter: An Analysis of Allama Hilli’s Qur’anic Argumentation Method in Nahj al-Haqq wa Kashf al-Sidq, with Emphasis on Its Identity-Forming and Legitimizing Function in the Ilkhanid Era

Author
Associate Professor of History, Hawza and University Research Institute, Qom, Iran.
10.22034/jksl.2026.568634.1566
Abstract
This study examines the method of Allama Hilli (648–726 AH) in citing Qur’anic verses in his book Nahj al-Haqq wa Kashf al-Sidq. The aim is to elucidate the mechanisms by which he transforms the Qur’an from a “contested text” into the “ultimate arbiter” in juridical-theological disputes, and to demonstrate how this method relates to the question of social identity and the religious legitimacy of the Imāmī Shiʿa during the Ilkhanid era.

Focusing on the juridical section of the book (pp. 408–573), which contains more than 230 direct citations of Qur’anic verses, the study analyzes Allama Hilli’s approach. The findings indicate that, within the competitive context of the Ilkhanid period and in response to the need for legitimization, he succeeded in producing a Qur’an-centered discourse through the design of a three-dimensional system. An analysis of this system at three interconnected levels shows that his method goes beyond merely confirmatory citation; rather, it constitutes “argumentative-critical citation.” In this section alone, by employing terms related to “opposition” on 204 occasions, he directly subjects the views of his opponents to discursive critique nd text-based delegitimization.

Within this framework, the Qur’an serves as the and foundation of argumentation, as well as the ultimate criterion of evaluation, while other sources derive their legitimacy through conformity with it. The study further demonstrates that Allama Hilli’s method played a significant role not only in the fields of jurisprudence and theology, but also in consolidating the social identity and religious legitimacy of Shiʿism in the Ilkhanid era.

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 25 May 2026

  • Receive Date 31 December 2025
  • Revise Date 16 February 2026
  • Accept Date 24 May 2026
  • Publish Date 25 May 2026