Critical Studies on the Quranic Exegesis

Critical Studies on the Quranic Exegesis

Assessing the Authenticity of Exegetical Narrations: A Reappraisal of Muḥammad Izzat Darwazah’s Foundations

Document Type : Original article

Authors
Reza Hajian Hosein Abadi 1
Morteza Saghini 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Quranic Sciences and Hadith, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Master’s Graduate in Quranic Sciences and Hadith, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/naghdeara.2026.549952.1349
Abstract
Muhammad ʿIzzat Darwazah (1888–1984), in his Quranic commentary al-Tafsīr al-Ḥadīth, proposed a systematic method for validating exegetical narrations. Moving beyond the traditional emphasis on chain of transmission (isnād of ḥadīths) alone, Darwazah developed a three-tiered model: isnād criticism, textual criticism, and content criticism. This study, using a descriptive-critical method and direct analysis of Darwazah’s own writings, extracts and examines these three criteria. The first level requires that a narration be established (thābit) from the Prophet or Companions. The second level examines linguistic coherence, stylistic harmony with the Qurʾān, and freedom from exaggeration or distortion. The third and deepest level measures the narration against three interconnected standards: the Qurʾān itself, sound reason (ʿaql salīm), and established historical facts (tārīkh). Darwazah explicitly states that any narration lacking witness from these three sources is invalid. Compared to classical exegetes such as al-Ṭabarī and al-Suyūṭī, Darwazah replaces cumulative transmission with critical evaluation. Compared to modern reformers such as Rashīd Riḍā, he maintains a balanced synthesis between transmitted heritage and rationality. The study concludes that Darwazah’s model provides a theoretical foundation for refining exegetical sources and bridging traditional and contemporary approaches to Quranic interpretation.
Keywords
Isnād Criticism
Textual Criticism
Content Criticism
Validation of Exegetical Narrations
Subjects
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Critical Studies on the Quranic Exegesis
Volume 7, Issue 1 - Serial Number 13
September 2026
Pages 11-34

  • Receive Date 29 September 2025
  • Revise Date 22 February 2026
  • Accept Date 23 February 2026