نشریه رهیافت هایی در علوم قرآن و حدیث
سال چهل و دوم شماره 2 (پیاپی 85، پاییز و زمستان 1389)

Understanding the verses of the Qur’ān requires employing methods based on proper principles. Comparative study is one of the researches that can help interpreters to adopt optimal exegetical principles and methods. Given the importance of hermeneutics and the existence of common concerns among the interpreters and hermeneutists, the present research undertakes a comparative study of the principles of the five methods of the Qur’ān interpretation (Qur’ān through Qur’ān, narrational [riwā’ī], literary, rational, and esoteric) and the suppositions of seven of the most well-known classic hermeneutists (Chladenius, Ast, Wolff, Schleiermacher, Boeckh, Droysen, Dilthey). We have indicated in this research that despite different epistemological presuppositions and principles, there are similarities between the specific principles of each of the Qur’ān interpretation methods and the suppositions of the classic hermeneutists.

This writing addresses the renowned and prevalent view of the way the Meccan and Medinan verses were revealed and maintains that among the main characteristics and particulars of the Meccan and Medinan verses and chapters is that the doctrinal and ethical verses were mostly revealed in Mecca and the verses of ordinances (āyāt al-aḥkām) were revealed in Medina. The writer has first surveyed this view per se since the time of al-Zarkashī until the later and contemporary works; and in the meantime he has recounted some of the negative consequences of this view in the statements of the orientalists and occident lists as well as others. Then, after clarifying two principles of the order of Revelation and the unity and conjunction of the revealed sūras of the Qur’ān as his main proclaimed principles, he has first proved that these three categories of verses have been included both in Meccan and Medinan sūras and then expounded the hypothesis that although all three categories of verses have been revealed in Mecca and Medina, the course of Revelation in Mecca has been from tenets to ethics and then to ordinances and in Medina, vise versa; from ordinances to ethics and then to tenets. He has also clarified that what is meant by different course is not difference in Revelation course; rather, it is either prevalence or priority. The other major difference mentioned is that the content of each one of these three categories of verses are different from one another in Mecca and Medina; to the effect that in Mecca individual- and group-development has been more in mind and in Medina community-development and universal development. Several examples have also been provided concerning tenets, ethics, and ordinances in regard to the course of Revelation. Similarly, it is proved that the differences propounded do not mean separation between the Meccan and Medinan Revelations, as it is in itself subject to criticism in this article; rather, the Revelation of these doctrinal teachings has enjoyed a conjunctive and evolutional course.

Talking about music in the Qur’ān is one of the controversial discourses that have always had many proponents and opponents, to the extent that as a result of these discourses two groups of totally different intellectual approaches have emerged. Many research studies have so far been carried out concerning the Qur’ān and Qur’ānic sciences; however, what has received less attention so far is the Qur’ānic musical modes and their relation to the concepts of the verses of the Qur’ān. In this research, it is attempted to specify the relation of the musical modes to the meanings and concepts of the verses and their impact on recitation with a new glance at and a study of the recitation methods of three eminent masters of recitation techniques (Shahhāt Anwar, Muḥammad Ṣiddīq Minshāwī, and ‘Abd al-Bāsiṭ). It is worth mentioning that the chamber ercitations of the above-mentioned masters underlie the study in this research, which is delved into in the following six sections: 1. The necessity to deal with the Qur’ānic musical modes; 2. Introducing the musical modes; 3. Introducing each reciter’s recitation method; 4. Mentioning the verse and its translation; 5. Examining the concept of the verse; and 6. The relation of the musical mode to the concept of the verse.

Performing petition prayer, as one of the prevalent rituals in the Islamic culture, has been commonly performed and received attention since long time ago. Various manners and different practices have been noted in different traditions for its performance. Although some of these manners and practices have only been related in quite recent texts, their promotion has been mainly attributed to the religious dignitaries such as the Prophet (S.A.W.) and the Imams (A.S.). Identifying these various types and attempting to classify them, this article seeks to find a way to the historiography of petition prayer rituals and their traditions.

One of the controversial issues concerning the Qur’ān in the contemporary era has been the claim of the existence of mythological stories in the Qur’ān. Primarily, Muḥammad Aḥmad Khalaf Allāh set forth this claim in his Al-Fann al-Qaṣaṣī. One of Khalaf Allāh’s evidences for his claim is that on nine occasions the Qur’ān has been accused of being mythical by the polytheists and the Almighty God has not only not rejected this accusation but also in some instances He has confirmed it. Many researchers have criticized this viewpoint of Khalaf Allāh and expressed some evidences to disprove him. In the present article, his viewpoint is criticized merely form the semantic perspective of the term “myths” in the Qur’ān and its difference from the concept prevalent in our era that introduces myths as one of the literary genres. It is also proved that by keeping in mind the meaning of myths in the Arabic culture on one hand, and considering the interpretation of the noble verses according to the order of Revelation on the other, the Qur’ān’s intention of myths cannot be mythological stories as one of literary genres common in our era.

Principles, sources, methods, and realms are considered as the main constituents of an exegetical theory; its exploration has specific methods and resources, and the best approach for exploring the exegetical theory of a school of thought is paying attention to the exegetical function of its interpreters. Ijtahādī (jurisprudential) and atharī (narrational) are two exegetical methods of Imāmiyya, each of which has its principles and advocates. Authored with a theory-studies approach, this research seeks to explore and analyze the basic components of the exegetical theories of Imāmiyya’s jurisprudential interpreters from the two early Baghdad and contemporary Najaf and Qum Islamic seminaries (hawzas). Primarily, the early Imāmī interpreters in Baghdad hawza outlined the jurisprudential exegesis theory of this school with reference to legal reasoning (ijtihād) and reliable traditions, which is represented in their exegetical works. Although the formulation process of this theory has been gradual, it has enjoyed a unity of principles throughout different historical periods, reaching an established stage in the contemporary era. The contemporary Iranian Imāmī jurisprudential interpreters from the two hawzas of Qum and Najaf slightly disagree on some components such as the realm of interpretation, but agree on the components of principles, sources, and methods.

According to the story of Dhul Qarnayn and the Sun – which is recounted in verses 86 and 90 of Sūrat al-Kahf – Dhul Qarnayn reaches the place where the sun sets and finds out that the sun sets in a hot or muddy spring. Analyzing this Qur’ānic report, the learned scholars have developed three major approaches. First, considering the story of Dhul Qarnayn as real and accepting the surface meanings of the verses which are not acceptable due to their contradiction with the explicit science. Second, considering the story of Dhul Qarnayn as real and putting the verses through ta’wīl, which, with a slight criticism and moderation, is preferred by the author of this article. Third, considering the story of Dhul Qarnayn as unreal and accepting the surface meanings of the verses, which, given the realistic perspective of the Qur’ān in recounting the stories of the ancients, does not sound to be much indisputable. The present article attempts to demonstrate the weak and strong points of each of these three approaches.