This study challenges the prevailing perception of the early Islamic era as devoid of theoretical speculation by proposing and applying a new holistic reconstruction methodology to early Qurʾanic exegesis. This approach shifts the focus from atomistic analysis of individual narrations to the systematic reconstruction of a figure's coherent intellectual system, operating on an initial presumption of the collective validity of attributed reports. The efficacy of this method is demonstrated through a detailed case study of Anas ibn Mālik (d. ca. 93/712), a Companion traditionally valued as a ḥadīth transmitter yet often overlooked as an exegetical thinker. The analysis posits that his dispersed narrations reflect a sophisticated and unconventional theory of revelation. Key findings indicate that Anas ibn Mālik conceived of divine revelation (waḥy) not as a verbal dictation exclusive to the Prophet, but as a divine disclosure and mystical insight. Critically, this disclosure was not restricted to the Prophet; its essence could be partially apprehended by others, a view evidenced in some of his narrations, e.g. those concerning ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb's al-Muwāfaqāt. Furthermore, Anas understood the revealed meaning as a transferable essence that could be articulated through varying verbal expressions (ḥurūf), a principle that underpinned his attested flexibility regarding different Qurʾanic readings (qirāʾāt). The study concludes that Anas ibn Mālik possessed a distinct exegetical theory that significantly diverges from the later, orthodox Sunnī theological position. This finding challenges the monolithic image of early Islamic thought, revealing it as a dynamic and diverse intellectual field.