An Introduction to Theological Principles of Scientific Interpretation of the Holy Quran

In many verses of the Holy Quran, God refers to a variety of natural phenomena and describes some of their features implicitly or explicitly. This fact demonstrates the need for special attention to the scientific method of interpretation and its theological bases. The result of the present study shows that for any kind of accurate scientific interpretation of the verses of the Holy Quran a number of specific theological principles should be taken into consideration. Of course, these theological principles are not limited to scientific interpretation. They are used in other methods of interpretation as well. Attributing them to the scientific interpretation is for the fundamental role they play in this method of interpretation, because they affect the validity and quality of scientific interpretation. The present study shows that the most important theological principles involved in scientific interpretation are as follows: the multi-dimensional language of the Quran, verisimilitude and the impossibility of falsehood entering the Quran, the immortality of the Quran, the multi-layered meanings of the Quran, the wisdom of words, acts, orders and prohibitions of Allah and the need for a chain of causations in the governance of the world created by God.