Public Viva-Voce Examination for the Master’s Degree of Ms. Manal Mahmoud Hassan Al-Mukhtar, form the Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Ms. Manal Mahmoud Hassan Al-Mukhtar has successfully obtained a master’s degree in Islamic Studies, majoring in Interpretation(Tafsir), from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Sana’a University, achieving an outstanding score of 95%.

Her thesis, entitled “The Bright Lights: A Collection of Interpretations by the Pure Imams and Their Perfect and Pious Shiites, Along with Contributions from Scholars Worldwide, by Abdullah bin Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al-Sharafi (Died: 1062Hijri), Covering from the Beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah to Verse 157 of the Same Surah: A Study and Investigation”, was defended on Thursday, 2nd of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, 1446 Hijri, corresponding to September 5, 2024.

The Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
1. Assistant Professor, Dr. Iman Abdullah Hussein Hajar, Supervisor of the Thesis, Sana’a University, Member.
2. Associate Professor, Dr. Abdu Mohammad Sahlol, External Examiner, Hajjah University, Chair.
3. Assistant Professor, Dr. Hassan Ali Al-Sarouri, Internal Examiner, Sana’a University, Member.

The primary objective of the thesis was to introduce the author, Scholar Abdullah bin Ahmed Al-Sharafi, and contextualize the era in which he lived. The thesis aimed to present the text of the manuscript in a coherent and accurate manner, adhering to established methodologies for study and investigation, thereby making it accessible to researchers and scholars.

The thesis yielded several significant findings, including:
1. The manuscript “The Bright Light” serves as a compilation of interpretations without excessive elaboration or unnecessary brevity. Scholar Al-Sharafi adeptly gathered various opinions from earlier interpreters, including those from the Imams of the Household (peace be upon them), their Shiite followers, and other scholars from diverse regions.
2. The manuscript is rich in scientific content, reflecting the author’s scholarly culture and familiarity with various academic disciplines. It incorporates knowledge related to the Holy Qur’an, as well as language sciences, theology, jurisprudence, and more.
Furthermore, the student proposed several recommendations for future research, including the establishment of a committee comprising specialists and experts in manuscript studies. This committee would initially segment the extensive unverified manuscript among students interested in manuscript verification, ensuring that they adhere to a unified methodology consistent with academic research standards.

The Viva-Voce was attended by a number of audience, including academics, researchers, students, and members of the researcher’s family and colleagues.