The Semantics of the Word “Sultān” in the Quran Focusing on Syntagmatic and Paradigmatic Relations

One of the most important words in the field of Quranic sciences is the word “sultān”. Most scholars believe that the words “ayah, bayyinah, borh an and sultān” have been used instead of the word “mujizah” in the Quran, but so far no one has offered specific examples for these words, and no one can give a clear answer if they are asked, ‘What kind of mujizah is sultān?’. In the works of interpretation, this word has often been interpreted to mean authority and reason. The importance of this issue is doubled as there is no consensus on the originality, lexical origin and meaning of this word. One of the disciplines that can be used to deal with this issue is semantics. In this science, the semantic changes of words over time and within texts are examined based on syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations. In this article, the word “sultān” is examined in three different semantic areas: “political government, authority and proof, and miracle”, and finally it is determined that the main / dictionary meaning of this word is “a dominant obstacle to others, which dissuades them from their purpose”. The relative meanings that were obtained for sultān based on the main meaning in the semantic system of the Quran are “the splitting of the sea by Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h.), having a valid excuse or a valid document, the power and ability that one has over their property and the power and authority that the avenger of blood has to kill the killer.