Jurisprudential - legal studies of woman and family

Jurisprudential - legal studies of woman and family

A New Interpretation of the Variance in the Recitation of Verse 222 of Sura al-Baqara and Its Jurisprudential-Legal Implications for Women, with Emphasis on Imam Khomeini's Perspective

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
ali karshenas 1
hamid negaresh 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Jurisprudence and Law, Imam Sadiq Research Institute, Qom, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Islamic Sciences, Imam Sadiq Research Institute, Qom, Iran
Abstract
The discussion on the variance in Quranic recitations dates back to the era of revelation. These differences play a significant role in the derivation of jurisprudential rulings and, consequently, in legal matters. Verse 222 of Sura al-Baqara has been the subject of considerable scholarly debate due to its two distinct recitations. This study, employing a descriptive-analytical method and drawing on library sources, seeks to answer the question: What is the jurisprudential-legal interpretation of Imam Khomeini regarding the variance in the recitation of Verse 222 and the rulings derived from it? The study finds that, based on authentic and reliable hadiths, as well as the principles of precaution (iḥtiyāṭ) and continuity (istiṣḥāb), the prohibition of marital intimacy after the cessation of menstrual blood but before ritual bath (ghusl) is established. Imam Khomeini asserts that a plausible reconciliation of the two recitations necessitates preferring the lighter (takhfīf) recitation over the intensified (tashdīd) one, in accordance with the principle of self-evidence (bidāha). To harmonize conflicting hadiths, he suggests that the ruling prohibiting intimacy before ghusl should be interpreted as dislikedness (karāha) rather than absolute prohibition, given its inconsistency with the apparent meaning of the verse and certain hadiths from the Imams. Additionally, the study highlights key legal implications derived from Verse 222, including the prohibition of divorce during menstruation and the invalidity of divorce during a non-intimate ṭuhr (period of purity). The contribution of this research lies in its analysis of the two different recitations of Verse 222 with a focus on Imam Khomeini’s perspective, as well as its argument in favor of the superiority of the lighter recitation based on the evidence of hadiths and plausible reconciliation of differing hadiths. Moreover, the study provides a detailed exposition of the legal rulings inferred from this verse, contributing to a deeper understanding of its jurisprudential significance.
Keywords
iʿtizāl (keeping away)
variance in Quranic recitations
lighter recitation
intensified recitation
Imam Khomeini
Subjects
The Noble Quran.
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  • Receive Date 03 May 2023
  • Revise Date 08 August 2024
  • Accept Date 08 November 2024