The Scope of Comprehensiveness of the Qur’an From the Perspective of Nahj al-Balaghah

The comprehensiveness of the Qur’an is one of the foundations of the Qur’an interpretation, which determines the framework of human expectations from the Qur’an and the level of its applicability to human life. The words of the greatest interpreter of the Qur’an after the Holy Prophet (PBUH), are a suitable reference for getting acquainted with the characteristics of the Qur’an. The present article, considering the particular position of Nahj al-Balaghah among all the reliable sources that have transmitted Imam Ali’s (AS) words, addresses the question as to “what Nahj al-Balaghah’s perspective toward the scope of the comprehensiveness of the Qur’an is.” Then, using the descriptive-analytical method, it makes deductions from the phrases of Nahj al-Balaghah in this matter and by drawing inferences from Imam’s response to the challenges raised in this regard, it comes to the conclusion that from the perspective of Nahj al-Balaghah, the comprehensiveness of the Qur’an is maximal in the sense that the interior and exterior of the Qur’an encompass all the Divine and human sciences pertinent to human guidance for achieving terrestrial and eschatological perfection, but discerning this comprehensiveness depends on the level of the audience’s understanding and the depth of their relationship with the Prophet’s (PBUH) family.