The Principle of Faithfulness and Non-Interference in the Science of Tahqīq: A Study on the Method of Abdussalām Hārūn

The publication of manuscripts based on scientific methods plays a vital role in the sound transmission of classical Islamic thought to the present. This process is not limited to making historical texts accessible to modern readers; it also entails scientific fidelity, awareness of cultural heritage, and academic responsibility. A critical edition is therefore more than a technical exercise, representing respect for both the author and the intellectual context in which the text was produced. Within this framework, Abdussalām Hārūn-widely regarded in the twentieth-century Arab world as a leading authority in textual criticism-emerges as a central figure who formulated clear principles for the editing of manuscripts and applied them with remarkable rigor. Hārūn did not consider the preparation of manuscripts merely as the correction of linguistic or orthographic errors. Rather, he viewed it as a scholarly trust that must be fulfilled without distorting the text, while carefully preserving the author’s style, intent, and structure. For Hārūn, the primary task of the muhaqqiq is not to interpret the text but to transmit it faithfully, limiting explanatory remarks to footnotes and avoiding any intrusion into the main body of the work. This meticulous approach is articulated systematically in Hārūn’s Tahqīq al-Nusūs wa Nashruhā, a foundational guide that addresses both the conceptual and technical aspects of textual criticism. The work emphasizes principles such as manuscript comparison, criteria for preferring variants, restrained use of explanatory notes, and strict fidelity to the author’s language. Through these principles, Hārūn establishes a methodology that integrates scholarly precision with ethical responsibility. In this respect, Hārūn’s approach represents not merely an editorial method but a comprehensive model of academic integrity grounded in respect for tradition and commitment to preserving the scientific heritage.