نشریه پژوهش های قرآنی
سال بیست و پنجم شماره 1 (پیاپی 94، بهار 1399)

Apostrophe is among the stylist features of the Holy Qur’an and one of the evidences of agenda-setting that by withdrawing from the norm language and defamiliarization, it becomes like unprecedented bringing up a subject and causes dissociation in parts of speech. With an analytical-descriptive method, this article would study some examples of the verses containing contextual apostrophe in the Qur’an. Apostrophe, in a prescriptive view to syntax is a factor of weakening continuity of components in the sentence. The writer maintains that if this art is studied with a descriptive look at syntax based on the Qur’an’s lingual system and semantic relations as well as functioning by reliance upon literal taste, it would yield a different outcome. From this perspective, this art would invisibly, create semantic layers beyond phrases and would bind parts of speech together and respond to the addressee’s sense of beauty.

Comparison between the Qur’an and the bible and the study of their similarities is among the topics that have always been of interest to the orientalists and the Qur’an scholars. These similarities have caused various and sometimes contradictive viewpoints. Meanwhile, the Psalms have been of more interest than other parts of the Holy Scripture. Angelika Neuwirth is one of the Qur’an researchers who has conducted various studies comparing the Qur’an with Psalms and has provided valuable information about the structure of the topics and contexts of these two texts. She maintains that the similarities of these two texts originate from the existence of oral tradition among the earlier Arabs. Psalms are among these traditions, with which the early Muslims were familiar and were much in vogue among the people of that era. Calling the Qur’an as a metadiscourse, Neuwirth believes that the Qur’an has always been talking about the issues common among the early Muslims. This article tries to study and appraise Surat al-Rahman and the psalm 136 as a case study from the viewpoint of Neuwirth.

Study of the opinions of the contemporary neoterists in the field of Qur’anic issues is a noteworthy topic. Muhammad Shahrur is among the neoterists who, with an ideological version of revealed text, has a new perspective about the Qur’anic topics. Enjoying a descriptive-analytical method, the present article is intended to critically review Muhammad Shahrur’s thought principles in his attitude toward comprehending the verses of the Qur’an with reference to his works. The research findings show that by dividing the Qur’an into verses of Apostleship and Prophecy, relativity of comprehending the Qur’an, considering some verses as being historical, and hermeneuticism, Shahrur has been looking for a new version of the Qur’anic texts. Similarly, with reliance on historicism, Shahrur has not viewed the rulings of hijab and handmaids as applicable to this period and accordingly asserts new evidences such as the lowest and highest limits for covering and misyar (ambulant) marriage. Shahrur’s viewpoints about the Qur’an are facing serious challenges due to his use of inefficient principles, application of experimental comprehension of religion, and personal and unscholarly use of the verses; thus, his viewpoint cannot be taken as authorized in comprehension and interpretation of the Qur’an.

From among the basic questions concerning morality is the reason why one should abide by moral obligations. In response to this question, three normative theories – in various versions – have been set forth: “excellence-oriented”, “duty-centered”, and “result-oriented”. The result-oriented consider the moral objective of living as achievement of benefit. In response to the question as to who should enjoy the result of a moral act, they present two different approaches: self-orientation (personal benefits) and other-orientation (providing benefits for others).
By studying the Qur’an, we find out that the Qur’an’s viewpoint is compatible with moral self-orientation and consistent with humanistic and teleological principles, the Qur’an’s moral training styles, and psychological data. Of course, a great part of the Qur’an’s moral obligations, such as alms-giving, self-denial, reconciliation among believers, compassion, forgiveness, keeping ties of kinship, rights of humankind, etc. would manifest in society, which, at a surface glance, brings to mind the other-orientation theory, but with deliberation and in-depth consideration of the Qur’an’s verses collectively, it would become obvious that the most important pivotal point of the Qur’an’s moral doctrines is utilizing one’s self-orientation toward other-orientation, sociability, and altruism and by relying on this principle, they would instigate the most driving forces in their addressees toward other-orientation and altruism.

Tartīl, which is used in the Qur’an concerning how to read the Qur’an in two Qur’anic position, has been since early times a keyword and reference for assessment of correct and incorrect reading of the Qur’an, whereas there has been disagreement both in definition of tartīl and its practice and evidence; however, everybody believes that their definition and practice manifested in the Qur’an are examples of tartīl. But the questions are nevertheless brought up as to what the real definition of tartīl is and what is practically meant by it.In this article, with a descriptive-analytical and library method, data are compiled and analyzed and the meaning of tartīl is explored into by relying on the most significant references of the semantics of this term, i.e., sciences of linguistics, hadith, interpretation, and jurisprudence and it is attempted to answer these questions. The outcome of this research is that the meaning of tartīl and its intention in the Qur’an is to read the letters and words distinctly, word by word, and in an accurate and correct way.

One of the efficient methods in semantic studies is “componential analysis”, in which the words are analyzed into semantic units and constituent components with the aim of achieving an accurate and thorough concept so as to unveil the meanings hidden in layers of each word; this would ultimately lead to presenting a perfect and clear translation of the text. With a descriptive-analytical method and with reliance on componential analysis and vocabulary analysis into smaller semantic units in some Qur’anic vocabulary, the present research tries to unveil the meanings hidden within the words through analyzing them into their semantic components and units, to critical review their reflection in contemporary translations, and to analyze the translations’ strengths and weaknesses in this respect. A semantic study of such words and phrases as “yuqāttilūn, wā‘adna, ānastu, tabba, natlūhā, lā taḥṣūhā, and aqtaraba” indicates that inaccurate attention of the translators of the Holy Qur’an to the vocabulary units and their constituent components would definitely affect the concept intended by the narrator and would cause misunderstanding the real intention of the Holy Qur’an. As a result, this heedlessness has led to presenting an incomplete and vague rendering of the Qur’anic words in some translations, which have not been adequately consistent with the overall concept of the verse and the context of the Qur’anic statements and is merely viewed as expressing primary and superficial meaning of the Qur’anic words. However, some translators have presented a relatively successful and acceptable translation with reference to some of the semantic components of words.

Critical review of the interpreters’ opinions in relation to the effect of action on development of natural knowledge in subject communication network necessitates presenting a model and standard and then presenting their function to that model. In this respect, first the subjects which are of a practice type and cause the development of natural knowledge such as virtue, faithfulness, doing good, holy struggle, thanksgiving, self-purification are identified and their relation to natural knowledge in network is expounded and then, each of these subjects like virtue is placed in the network as the base of the subjects related to it such as prayer, alms-giving, piety, fulfillment of pledge, patience, honesty and humbleness, and then their relations are analyzed. Thus, on the one hand, the status of natural knowledge and action is delineated in subject communication network and on the other hand, the opinions of the interpreters are appraised.