The Hadith ‛Alī Ma‛a al-Ḥaqq in ‛Abqāt al-Anwār: Correction and Verification or Distortion and Corruption?

The hadith ‛Alī Ma‛a al-Ḥaqq in the encyclopedic work ‛Abqāt al-Anwār belongs to an unfinished manuscript section that has only recently become available to researchers. This section consists of unorganized notes and scattered records, primarily transcribed by scribes unfamiliar with the terminology, resulting in a disordered and error-ridden text.
Recently, a portion of these records, which exhibit better coherence, was selected by an institution in Qom and published under the grand title of "Correction, Research, and Commentary," being praised as "an exceptional scientific study." However, an examination of this work reveals that the printed text is not only selectively edited but also suffers from distortions, transcription errors, and irregularities in the reading of the manuscript. The principle of scholarly fidelity in presenting the text has been severely compromised. Additionally, negligence in collation and editing, typographical mistakes, and a rushed publication process have undermined the integrity of this distinguished work, rendering its content unreliable. A critical review of this flawed and error-laden edition calls into question the credibility of the printed version and highlights the urgent need for a more rigorous scholarly edition.