Public PhD Viva-Voce Examination of Mr. Mohammed Saeed Ali Al-Dhabyani
The Public Viva-Voce Examination for the PhD Dissertation hereto entitled, “Durar Al-Asdaf fi Hall ‘Uqad Al-Kashshaf”, by Yahya Bin Al-Qasim Bin ‘Amr Al-‘Alawi, Known as Al-Fadil Al-Yamani (d. 750 Hijri), from the Beginning of Surat Al-Furqan to the End of Surat Al-Nnas: A Study and Investigation, submitted by Mr. Mohammed Saeed Ali Al-Dhabyani, to the Department of Islamic Studies, majoring in Tafsir (Quranic exegesis), at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Sana’a University, was held on Wednesday, Dhu al-Qa’dah 16, 1446 Hijri, corresponding to May 14, 2025. 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:
| # | Committee Members | Designation | University | Position |
| 1 | Prof. Ahmed Mohammed Qasim Mathkour | External examiner | Hodeidah University | Chair |
| 2 | Assoc. Prof. Ali Mohammed Al-Ahdal | Main supervisor | Sana’a University | Member |
| 3 | Assoc. Prof. Mutie Mohammed Shabalah | Internal Examiner | Sana’a University | Member |
This study aimed to:
- Introduce Al-Fadil al-Yamani, highlighting his scholarly personality and standing in the field.
- Present his annotation “Durar Al-Asdaf fi Hall ‘Uqad Al-Kashshaf” in a scholarly edition adhering to established textual criticism methodologies.
The study reached several key findings, including:
- Al-Fadil al-Yamani was not merely a narrator of knowledge; rather, he integrated the narration from predecessors with his own preferred opinions, objections, revisions, additions/corrections, and scholarly refutations, demonstrating his significant interpretive and linguistic expertise.
- The annotation “Durar Al-Asdaf” clarifies and interprets ambiguities, complexities, and issues found in the Tafsir of Al-Kashshaf.
The study recommends the following:
- The additions/corrections of Al-Fadil Al-Yamani on Al-Kashshaf should be compiled and studied.
- The creedal and jurisprudential matters presented by Al-Fadil in his annotation should be examined.
- Encouraging researchers to focus on the manuscripts of Al-Fadil Al-Yamani and work towards their critical edition and study.
The PhD dissertation was examined and recommended by the Viva-Voce Committee for acceptance and approval. The Candidate was recommended to be awarded the degree of PhD in Tafsir (Quranic exegesis). The defense was attended by a number of academics, researchers, students, interested individuals, as well as the candidate’s colleagues and family members.
