An Analysis of the Role of Persian Vocabulary in the Commentary of Ḥadīths in Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl by ʿAllāma Majlisī

Document Type : علمیه تحقیقیه

Authors

1 Tafsir Department - Faculty of Quranic Sciences and Education - University of Quran and Hadith

2 University of Quran and Hadith

10.22034/uh.2025.51985.3607

Abstract

Abstract:

In Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl, ʿAllāma Muḥammad Bāqir al-Majlisī devotes special attention to the explanation of words and terms used in the Kāfī narrations. In doing so, he occasionally utilizes the Persian language to clarify hadith vocabulary. This usage extends beyond mere lexical equivalence and often involves a deeper linguistic etymology and semantic analysis of Arabized and loanwords to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the ḥadīths. This article identifies the Persian-derived terms employed in Majlisī’s commentary and categorizes them based on how he uses them. Through an examination of all 26 volumes of Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl, 62 Arabized and borrowed words were identified. In some cases, Majlisī merely notes their Arabized form, while in others, he explicitly states their Persian origin. He also occasionally offers Persian equivalents in his explanations. For this purpose, Majlisī draws on classical and authoritative linguistic sources such as al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ by Fayrūzābādī, Ṣiḥāḥ al-Lughah by Jawharī, al-Muʿarrab min al-Kalām al-Aʿjamī by Jawālīqī, and several works on gharīb al-ḥadīth. Overall, Majlisī’s use of Persian linguistic resources and reliance on classical lexicons significantly contributes to the clarification and understanding of complex hadith terminology in Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Ulum-i Hadith

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 10 July 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 04 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 10 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 10 July 2025

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