A New Look at the Exegetical Methods of Both Factions (Sunni and Shia) in Interpreting Verse 55 of Surah Al-Ma'idah to Prove the Guardianship of Imam Ali (AS)

Verse 55 of Surah Al-Ma'idah is among the most crucial and distinctive verses used to prove the guardianship )Wilayah( of Imam Ali (AS). A proper analysis of this verse can, by itself, refute numerous misconceptions. Unfortunately, many commentators have exerted excessive effort to address doubts concerning this verse, when, in fact, a precise interpretation or hermeneutic understanding of it—using three distinct Quranic methods, plus a semantic exploration of the words within the verse—could eliminate the grounds for such doubts in the first place. Most exegetes, in their interpretation of the verse, have resorted to narratives, including occasions of revelation (sha'n nuzul) and explanatory or interpretive traditions (riwayat mufassirah or mu'awwalah). However, the doubts raised by skeptics often stem from a misunderstanding of the semantic meaning of the word "Walī" and other terms in the verse. Therefore, one of the most important focal points for Quranic research is the precise discovery and explanation of the meanings of verses and ambiguous statements using a fresh analytical-descriptive method. Undoubtedly, grasping the meanings of the Quran is impossible without recognizing and understanding the meanings of its words. This has always been a primary concern for religious scholars and exegetes: to delve into the core of divine goals and purposes through a precise and fundamental understanding of the lexicon. One of the most frequently used Quranic terms is "Walī", which has been employed with various meanings. Findings indicate that the word "Walī" in the Quran is used with meanings such as offspring, material and spiritual guardianship/leadership, and friend, and as a divine name and attribute. It is also frequently associated with terms like "Uli al-Amr" (those in authority) and "obedience." Therefore, the word "Walī" is a homonym (mushtarak lafzi). To accurately understand its meaning, attention must be paid to its preceding and succeeding contexts (qara'in), through which, along with its collocates (ham-neshinan) and the verse's overall context (siyaq), the primary meaning of the verse can be discovered. In verse 55 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, the guardianship and Wilayah over the community are presented as being analogous to that of the Prophet of Islam.