Quranic Studies and Islamic Culture

Abstract Certain divine attributes mentioned in the Qur’an—especially those associated with negative connotations in human understanding—have long been a point of theological and exegetical controversy. This study focuses on the concept of makr (divine plotting) and its attribution to God in the Qur’an. Through a lexical, Qur’anic, and exegetical analysis, the research seeks to reinterpret this term within a framework of divine transcendence and unity (tanzīh and tawḥīd). Employing a critical-analytical methodology, the study examines the interpretive positions of fifteen prominent Sunni and Shia exegetes. After classifying these views into distinct interpretive models, the findings reveal that approaches treating makr merely as metaphor, rhetorical device, or a component of divine custom (sunnat al-rubūbiyyah), though containing noteworthy elements, lack sufficient conceptual and rational coherence. In contrast, views that consider divine makr as a real act—concealed planning and a just response to human wrongdoing—not only align more closely with Qur’anic usage and linguistic evidence, but also provide a theologically sound and textually grounded explanation of this divine attribute.

Abstract This research aims to analyze the conceptual relationship of the "responsibility – anxiety and worry" dichotomy in the Holy Quran by conducting a semantic analysis of the root "Ḥ-Z-N" (حزن). The main problem of the study is whether "Ḥuzn" (grief/sadness) in the Quran merely signifies the emotional state of sorrow, or if it connects, within its semantic network, with categories such as commitment, responsibility, and moral concern. For this purpose, all usages of the word "Ḥuzn" and its derivatives in the Quran were extracted and examined in relation to words within the same semantic field, such as "Khawf" (fear), "Gham" (grief, distress), "Dhayq" (constriction), and "Bathth" (extreme grief, anxiety). The findings indicate that "Ḥuzn" in the Holy Quran, in addition to its emotional connotation, is in some instances understood as a responsible reaction of the believing human towards duty, the loss of an opportunity for obedience, or the moral consequences of one's actions. Based on this, it can be argued that the Holy Quran, by redefining the meaning of Ḥuzn, elevates it from the level of mere emotion to an existential-ethical level, wherein the relationship between faith, responsibility, and tranquility is explained

Abstract The present study aims to elucidate the psychological and social mechanisms of submissiveness to Satan and the strategies for immunity against him, with a focus on the verse: "Indeed, his authority is only over those who take him as an ally" (nahl/100). This research was conducted using a multi-stage qualitative method. Initially, employing Jāmeʿ al-Tafāsir software and a Qur'an-by-Qur'an interpretive approach, the semantic network of key concepts (Sulṭān, Tawallī, Waswasah, Ṭāghūt) was extracted, and the perspectives of exegetes were systematically organized. Subsequently, adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the interpretive findings were compared and integrated with theories of personality structure (Freud), self-determination (Deci & Ryan), hope (Snyder), positive emotions (Fredrickson), and principles of social influence (Cialdini). The findings indicate that Satan's dominion is not deterministic but rather the consequence of the voluntary process of Tawallī. At the intrapersonal level, this process is explained by the weakening of the "Min" (self/agentic self) and the relinquishing of autonomy to Satan under the promise of the false satisfaction of needs for competence and relatedness. At the social level, the "Party of Satan" (Ḥizb al-Shayṭān) normalizes sin through the engineering of "decoration" (Tazyīn) and the application of influence principles such as social proof. Conversely,

Abstract Sūrat al-Ṭāriq, one of the Meccan chapters of the Holy Qur’an, addresses the issue of “human return” through a compact, coherent, and purposeful structure. By employing an interconnected network of semantic signs, the sūrah portrays both the possibility and the reality of human return. Despite the significance of this concept within the Qur’anic theological system, the mechanisms of its meaning construction within the discursive context of the sūrah have not been sufficiently examined.
This study aims to explain the semantic mechanisms underlying the concept of human return by adopting a discourse-semantic approach and a descriptive-analytical method. It investigates collocational relations, semantic clusters, and oppositional structures within Sūrat al-Ṭāriq. The findings reveal that the sūrah constructs the meaning of return through two major semantic clusters: “the continuity of human identity” and “the possibility of bodily restoration and reconstruction.” Moreover, the semantic oppositions of “decisive speech versus frivolity” and “human plotting versus divine plotting” play a central role in depicting the reality of return and countering the discourse of denial. The study concludes that “return” is represented as a multilayered process with existential and teleological dimensions, centered on the verse: Indeed, He is capable of bringing him back (86:8)

Abstract The phenomenon of “hypocrisy” (nifāq) in the Holy Quran, beyond being a purely theological stance, encompasses complex behavioral patterns and organized social actions that threaten the integrity of the Islamic community. This study aims to analyze the sociological functions of the hypocrites’ behavior by examining their “dramatic personality” through the lens of Erving Goffman’s “Impression Management” theory. The core issue of this research is how hypocrites utilize symbolic tools to maintain a balance between their “professed faith” and their “concealed disbelief.” The research methodology is descriptive-analytical, based on the extraction and thematic categorization of key Quranic verses. Within this framework, the actions of hypocrites are examined in two distinct spheres: the “front stage” (the hypocrites’ verbal and behavioral displays within the community of believers to gain legitimacy) and the “back stage” (their private conspiracies, ridicule, and secret gatherings with their associates). The findings indicate that hypocrites employ sophisticated impression management strategies to maintain a social facade and artificial conformity with the Islamic community. However, due to the structural contradiction between their “performed role” (outward faith) and their “internal reality” (hypocrisy), they suffer from “role distance” during critical junctures and divine disclosures, which

Abstract This study examines the methodological potential of historical geography and Historical GIS (HGIS) for Qur’anic studies, using Sūrat Quraysh (Q 106) as a case study. It asks how Qur’anic, exegetical, historical, and geographical evidence produced at different times can be integrated spatially without creating false precision. The study combines historical source criticism with the design of a time-aware spatial database and distinguishes four epistemic levels: textual evidence, historical reports, scholarly inference, and GIS-generated output. Reports attributed to early Muslim historians concerning īlāf and the two seasonal journeys are compared with later geographical descriptions of routes, settlements, water sources, and regional connections. The results indicate that the “journey of winter and summer” is better represented as competing spatial scenarios—northern, southern, and multimodal—rather than as one fixed historical road. Spatial analysis also highlights a relational structure linking the House, mobility, īlāf, provisioning, and security. Historical GIS is therefore most useful in Qur’anic studies when it serves as a critical environment for comparing evidence and the measure of certainty, not as a device for geographically proving traditional narratives.

Abstract Kināyah is one of the most significant rhetorical modes of the Holy Qur’an. Beyond producing verbal beauty, it deepens meaning, expands semantic indication, and guides the reader toward the implicit layers of the text. This study analyzes the rhetorical-exegetical functions of kināyah in al-Ṭabrisī’s Majmaʿ al-Bayān and seeks to show that, in this commentary, kināyah is not merely a literary device or a means of softening expression, but an exegetical method for uncovering the semantic capacities of Qur’anic verses. The study adopts an inductive-analytical approach, examining selected instances of kināyah in al-Ṭabrisī’s exegesis on the basis of rhetorical, semantic, and interpretive principles. The findings indicate that kināyah in Majmaʿ al-Bayān performs four major functions: reinforcing the rhetorical inimitability of the Qur’an; expanding meaning at purposive, causal, attributive, symbolic, and conditional levels; employing allusion instead of explicit expression to preserve Qur’anic decorum and sanctity; and producing semantic intensification to increase the psychological impact of meaning. The study concludes that al-Ṭabrisī establishes a systematic relationship between rhetoric and exegesis through his analysis of kināyah.