A Consideration of the Argot Theory of Bāṭinīs and Akhbārīs about the Language of the Qur’an

An important theory regarding the language of the Qur’an is the argot view. Generally speaking, there are two versions of the theory mainly held by Bāṭinī esoteric interpreters of the Qur’an and Akhbārīs. On this theory, the Qur’an is addressed to, and understood by, only a certain group of people. The two intellectual currents cite Quranic verses and hadiths in order to substantiate their claim as the only correct and predominant understanding of the Qur’an. The main challenge for the two intellectual currents was their treatment of reason and its place in Quranic exegesis. Both currents ignore the place of reason in Quranic understanding and knowledge, dismissing it as limited and unreliable. This paper is an inquiry into their treatment of Quranic exegesis, particularly their focus on reason’s source; the inquiry deploys a descriptive and analytic method. The two influential exegetical strands hold an exclusivist view of Quranic understanding, and despite differences in their history and goals, they both agree over the rejection of reason in face of explicit text.