نشریه پژوهش های قرآنی
سال چهاردهم شماره 4 (پیاپی 59، زمستان 1387)

Holistic approach to the chapters of the Quran or the theory "purposefulness of the chapters" is one of the controversial discourses in the field of Quranic sciences and interpretation, which has been of special interest to the contemporary Quran researchers. This article presents the reasons and viewpoints of the proponents and opponents of this theory and in the end critically reviews the reasons provided by the opponents.

In the previous article titled "Topical Unity of the Verses of the Quran in the Balance of Criticism" (see: Quranic Research Quarterly, No. 54-55, p. 206), the weakness of the reasons for this theory was explained in detail. It can be added that besides the weakness of the reasons presented, there are other reasons and evidences that prove that attempts to maintain a single topic for all the chapters of the Quran is impossible. Among the reasons and evidences provided in this article are: the incompatibility of this theory with the style governing the Quran; lack of a reliable and comprehensive touchstone; difficulty of attaining a single inner purpose; lack reference to the Infallible Imams; comparison of the Quran with the current scientific books on the two fields of content and style; gradual Revelation of the verses of the Quran; the hazard of interpretation by personal opinion; and, diversity of views by the advocates of topical unity theory in determining the main inner purpose of the chapters.

Thematic unity and cohesion in the Quran is a new approach in contemporary "interpretation writing" which distinguishes it from the early tradition of writing interpretation of the Quran. In this approach, the interpreter is not merely preoccupied with the lexical interpretation of the Quran; rather, he tries to demonstrate that there is content and structural integrity and cohesion among the chapters and verses of the Quran. Although traces of such attempts are witnessed in some works by earlier interpreters, the differences in implications and motivations have led to fundamental distinction between the early and modern interpretations. Among the distinguished figures in this modern approach is the Syrian interpreter, Sa‘īd Ḥawwā, who has presented a totally novel and comprehensive theory in this respect in his interpretation. Through examining Al-Asās fī al-Tafsīr, the present article tries to identify the theoretical and practical aspects of Sa‘īd Ḥawwā's theory on the thematic and structural unity of the Quran. The theory of unity has two levels: A: on the level of the chapters (contextual and structural bonds between the chapters of the Quran); and B: on the level of the verses (the literal and semantic bonds between the verses of every chapter). The criterion for Ḥawwā's theory is the underlying of Sūrat al-Baqara for understanding the contextual cohesion of other chapters of the Quran. It is indicated in this writing how Ḥawī has utilized the literal and semantic evidences for identifying and determining the semantic and structural relations between the chapters and the verses. In conclusion, the reader would perceive that Ḥawī's theory of interpretation, despite its novelty, is too arbitrary and intuitive, and that the entire evidences and proofs he has used to prove his claim are simply reliable as in serving a novel theory.

This article analyzes a theological and, to some extent, controversial arguments, namely, Adam's disobedience in paradise and his temptation by the Satan, which is naturally incompatible with his infallibility and prophethood. Thus, in order to dissolve this contradiction, theologians and interpreters have made justifications such as: Adam's action had been an "abandonment of the preferable"; that paradise had not been a place of obligation; it had been an exhortative rather than obligatory prohibition; and it had been a generic rather than legislative or experimental forbiddance. We have made a critical review of this issue by presenting their comments, justifications, and evidences and proceeded to analyze the issue with the Quranic, traditional, and rational reasoning, reaching the conclusion that Adam (A.S.) had committed disobedience and sin and deserved the chastisement while he had not yet attained prophethood; nevertheless, after his repenting and praying for forgiveness, God selected him, accepted his repentance, and gave him Divine guidance, and he achieved the status of infallibility. Therefore, with this consideration, there remains no incompatibility or contradiction, therein.

Every nation’s anecdotes represent cultural values of that nation. Inverstigation about it can help us to recognize every characteristics of the nation. Where as current among every nation has its moral goals, so in Quran they are involved of moral points, social individual advices. Because of its specific characteristics, Quran is more effective that common advices, so most Quran’s verses are related to its anecdotes. In this article we are going to consider one of the aspects of miracle in Quran recognize these kinds of verses and to distinguish purpose of it’s descending. This article also to show aesthetic art of Quran.

There is no doubt concerning the role of traditions in the interpretation of the Quranic verses. Furthermore, forgery, fabrication, and weakness in certain traditions are among the known issues that all scholars and experts of Islamic sciences acknowledge. Sciences of tradition (‘ulūm al-ḥadīth) were founded on a basis to authenticate the narrators of traditions and verify their genuineness. Jurisprudence, which deals with people's practical acts of devotion and religious life, made it applicatory and sufficiently developed it to the extent that the appellation ‘ulūm al-ḥadīth became renowned as uṣūl al-fiqh (principles of jurisprudence); however, interpretation of the Quran which undertakes the laying of the foundations for and organizing the Islamic ideology, took a marginal position toward it. Tafsīr of Tibyān, as the cornerstone of comprehensive interpretation and one of the significant sources of its kind in Shī'ism, is composed by a man who had achieved the pinnacles of jurisprudence and approached the realm of interpretation with an overwhelming prerequisite knowledge of the Quran; thus, enjoying a momentous status and special significance among the Shī‘a interpretations. Most of the exegetical traditions have been transferred from Tafsīr of Tibyān to other interpretations that have been written afterwards. A review of Shaykh Ṭūsī's method of relating traditions in Tafsīr of Tibyān would perhaps encourage some deep research in this respect and expedite the purification of exegetical traditions. The present research includes such an approach.

In order to evaluate the translation of the Quran, the writer of the present article first touches upon such principles and criteria as distinctiveness of the type of translation and the level of the addressees; strength of the translation and proper exegetical implications made by the translator; establishment of lexical and structural equilibrium; observance of morphological, syntactic, and rhetorical points; giving necessary explanations; technical editing; making consistent; and creativity and innovation. With the above considerations, he then goes on to review and evaluate Ayatollah Yazdī's translation, maintaining that in this translation most of these principles and criteria are not observed.