Connotation and its Role in Understanding and Interpreting the Text (With Special Focus on the Interpretation of the Quran)

Revealed texts including the Quran - like other speeches and texts - have their own implications. It is necessary to take connotations into consideration when seeking to understand and interpret these texts. Semantic implications of Quranic verses are among the intents of God and may be drawn upon as proofs and demonstrations. Some scholars regard the semantic implications of Quranic verses, whether patent or latent, authentic. In contrast, some others emphasize only patent ones.The present article deals with different types of Significations, kinds of connotation, and the role of the latter in the interpretation of the Quran emphasizing on the following points:Although connotation follows verbal signification, it is an intellectual and Semantic one. This signification has nothing to do with the internal meaning of the verses (Bātin), and every expert on the Quran can reach it after deliberation on the intellectual and conventional semantic implications of the verses. Connotation in its narrow patent sense is considered as the speaker's intent although it is not contingent on his will, and latent connotations are naturally neglected. However, since God and the infallible ones (Masumun) are aware of all semantic implications of their words, it should be admitted that they have paid due attention to the patent and latent implications of their words.The only condition for connotations is comprehensibility of the semantic implications of the words by the addressee. There is no other condition. Although implications does not recognize any limitations, common sense attaches to closer implications and forsakes the farther. Connotations, whether considered the implied meanings or indirect verbal meanings of the words, would not change the original nature of this signification. In any event, connotations are not regarded as what is understood from the external sense of the words.