نشریه پژوهش های قرآنی
سال هجدهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 70، تابستان 1391)

In religious sources, particularly the Holy Qur’ān, we sometimes encounter the contexts and structures that seem to be intended to define a concept or phenomenon. The question is whether or not it is really possible to attain an accurate definition of a concept from these structures. If the answer is negative, what are the problems and challenges of these structures for definitions and why can’t the definition in its true sense be expected, contrary to their appearance that denotes definition? Although these contexts and structures exist both in narrational texts and the Holy Qur’ān, the present article undertakes to examine only those contexts that are used concerning ethical concepts in the verses of the Qur’ān.

With the supposition that the salvation formula in the Qur’ān, given the frequency of its use in the āyas (verses), is faith and righteous act, the writer of the article raises the question as to why in this formula ethics has not been mentioned as spiritual attributes and virtues, although the inner aspect (bāṭin) has been highly emphasized both in traditions and āyas. The writer has tried to bring up and study the viable hypotheses on this issue. In this respect, he has discussed ten hypotheses, criticizing eight of them and confirming the remaining two.

In this research, ‘Abd al-Ḥalīm examines the functions and applications of iltifāt technique in the Qur’ān. First, he points out the viewpoints of some orientalists like Noldke, Watt-Bell, and Wansbrough concerning the false impression about this technique. Then, he discusses about the meaning of iltifāt, the equivalent of iltifāt, serious attention to iltifāt in books of rhetoric, general and particular types of iltifāt, and the status of iltifāt in science of rhetoric; and, along the art of iltifāt, he has enumerated and analyzed its comparative features, including grammatical change in line with the rhetorical objectives. ‘Abd al-Ḥalīm believes that although some of these features do not fit into the category of iltifāt, they are more or less connected to the art of iltifāt and thus points out in studying particular examples where these changes occur and tries to justify and explain them. Finally, he touches upon the general function of iltifāt and the features related to it. ‘Abd al-Ḥalīm hopes all of these discourses would clarify this style feature and explain its application in the Qur’ān.

The Qur’ān, as a Revealed Book that has been sent down for the guidance of humankind, has extensively employed address (khiṭāb). From the figure of speech point of view, the rhetorical speech creates stronger effect, because it increases the individuality (subjectivity) hidden in the speech, and consequently its incisiveness. The Qur’ān enjoys the advantage of such a speech and it seems it serves a basic role for the purpose, i.e., guidance, that the “Revealed speech” had intended. Because of the widespread application of rhetorical speech and words in the Qur’ān, a broad spectrum of addresses (and addressees) is found in it, which is examinable under three separate categories of general, particular, and Prophetic, in such a way that the Prophetic addresses have had the most frequency in comparison to the other two categories. It is to be reminded that in many instances the separation of the general from the particular addresses is difficult, if not impossible; and it is only the speech context or the Revelation occasion that can somehow help recognize the right category.

The relation between the Revealed knowledge (ma‘ārif) and human sciences has since long ago received the attention of scientists from various fields of science and one of its early encounters can perhaps be considered as the way the scientists of natural sciences interacted with the church, which has adopted different forms and relations in different periods. The subject matter of this article is the study of the possibility or the refraining of exchange between the two epistemological fields of the Qur’ān, as a source of Revelation and sociology, as a human science. To respond to this question, the researcher deals with the reappraisal of various historical confrontations occurred between these two epistemological fields and their role in the formation of the way they interact. Also, he reviews different intellectual traditions in this regard. Then, with reviewing and depicting different epistemological levels of the formation of sociology, he defines his own suggested approach in this respect, which he conceptualizes under the rubric of “interactive reconcilationism”. In the end, he points out and explicates the different achievements and benefits that each one of these two epistemological fields of knowledge can have for the other. In sum, it is to be said that this article has tried to clarify the communicative atmosphere between the Qur’ān and sociology and to talk about the possibilities.

Dealing with the difference of readings, the interpreters have chosen one of the three approaches, i.e., contenting with the current reading (qarā’at); regarding all the renowned readings as valid; or the tendency to criticize and select the readings. ‘Allāma Ṭabāṭabā’ī has chosen the third approach in his interpretation. In most instances that he has reported the difference of readings, he has critically reviewed them and with reference to the narrational, Qur’ānic, and literary preferences, has finally chosen one of the readings. Contrary to those who have preferred the reading of Ḥafṣ (adopted) from ‘Āṣim as the valid reading and have accordingly pursued their interpretation policy, he has not been contented with this reading and has enjoyed other valid readings, too. The role of this method and the impact that it has left on ‘Allāma’s interpretation of āyas, is the topic discussed in this writing.

Ta’wīl (esoteric interpretation) of the Qur’ān’s is among the frequently-talked-about issues in the Islamic culture. One of the challenging discourses in this field is how to interact and interpret many traditions that correspond certain verses of the Qur’ān to the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.). Some of the scholars of Qur’ānic studies have tried to suggest certain approaches for analyzing these traditions and to clarify what relation the esoteric meaning mentioned in these traditions have with the apparent meaning of the verse and how one can reach that esoteric meaning from this apparent meaning. Some of these suggested approaches are: “the rule of applicability and comparison”, “the ultimate goal of creation and the unity of criteria in various evidences”, “the rule of devising words for the gist of meaning”, “allegory in isnād (predication) or other rhetorical arrays”, “similarity of disposition and the unity of wills.” The present writing examines and evaluates these approaches and finally sets forth its selected theory, based on the notion that “the Qur’ānic expressions are allegorical.”