Differentiating between "IftāĪ" and "Ta'lĪmĪ" narrations, rules and examples; A look at the Usuli thoughts of Ayatollah Sistani and Mirza Mehdi Isfahani (Part 1)

The issue of the conflict between hadiths has been paid attention to for a long time and its background can even be traced back to the time of the Imams (AS) themselves, as numerous narrations, as well as the titles of chapters in narration books, show this quite well. Since then, jurists and Usulis have either addressed this issue in their writings or have compiled separate treatises focusing on this issue. Therefore, it seems that a correct understanding of the narrations requires knowledge of this issue and determining a position on how to interact with conflicting hadiths. A noteworthy point and question that can be crucial in the way we look at the issue of conflict of evidence is "who created the conflict?" Sometimes the conflict is rooted in the narrations themselves and sometimes it goes back to the presuppositions of the reader and the interpreter of the text. In other words, it is necessary to distinguish between "conflict" and "illusion of conflict". Ayatollah Sistani is one of the jurists who has paid attention to this issue and the printed report of his lessons entitled "Conflict of evidence and difference of hadith" is the best evidence of this. The question can be answered from different angles. For example, paying attention to the element of "history" and the context of narration, the differences between the copies of ancient texts and collections of hadith, as well as issues related to bibliography, can answer part of this question. In addition to paying attention to the above-mentioned issues, Ayatollah Sistani has proposed another basis, probably under the influence of the ideas of Mirza Mehdi Isfahani, and has tried to distinguish between "Iftai" and "Ta'limi" narrations. Therefore, it is no longer possible to consider all narrations as teaching and legislation.
Based on what has been said, the authors have tried to explain this issue and the problems surrounding it in two parts, comparing the views of Ayatollah Sistani and Mirza Mehdi Isfahani.