The Importance of Qarīna (Evidence) in Understanding the Hadith and the Impact of Qarīna on the Prevention of Misunderstanding and Misapplication

This paper focuses on the methodology and how the concept of qarīna (circumstantial evidence) were used by the Muslim scholars in order to interpret hadith in the mushkil al-hadith and annotations to hadith works. In particular, the subjects of what the apparent meaning (？āhir) of the hadith text (na？？) or statement gives, the composition of the text (siyāq al-na？？), the contextual indications of the text (time frame and other contextual indications), and the condition of the text are taken into consideration. This method also includes qualifying the meaning of the statement, and if it is necessary, to refer to al-wujūh wa al-na？āir, and to digress from the apparent indications of the statement. Qarīna is used as a means when the literal meaning of the statement contradicts with the Sharī’a, or if the statement indicates multiple meanings and thus a particular meaning cannot be ascertain. After explaining these interpretation methods, the pitfalls of interpreting (ta’wīl) the statement without taken into consideration the above mentioned indications are also separately stated. They are: the misapplication of the text resulting from misunderstanding the intention of the Sharī’a and employing the statement beyond its meaning, or extending the influence area of a text which is specific (khā？), or vice versa limiting the meaning of the text, or prioritising only one meaning over other meanings when the statement indicates multiple meanings