he Role of Context and the Intra-textual Factors in Uncovering the Purpose of Sūrat Maryam

Elucidation of the overall purpose of a sūra and unveiling the main basis of the Qur’anic sūras is one of the significant discourses in their interpretation, which has received the attention of Muslim scholars since early times. With an approach to uncover the purpose of Sūrat Maryam, the present study tries to find a pattern for elucidating the main purpose of the sūras of the Holy Qur’an. Thereby, with a descriptive-analytical method, this article has first reappraised the viewpoints of interpreters on the purpose of Sūrat Maryam and then, with a study of the context of the sūra and its pillars, has elucidated and analyzed the main theme of Sūrat Maryam. The most important findings of this study in terms of context is that the purpose of this sūra is “Divine Mercy” with subdivisions of “devotedness” and “good tidings and warnings, which are compatible with the context of the collected verses of the sūra. In fact, the main theme of the sūra is that it begins with mercy, states glad tidings and warning in the final verses, and introduces servitude of God as the way to reach happiness in the middle verses of the sūra. This aspect conforms to the inner standards of cognition of the core of Sūrat Maryam. The relation of the beginning and ending of the sūra, the Most Beautiful Names of God, the frequently used and once-used words, and the stories of the sūra, are the most important standards for unveiling the core of Sūrat Maryam, which are in accordance with the collection of its context and themes.