Quran and Religious Enlightenment (قرآن و روشنگری دینی)

Semantics, a branch of linguistics, utilizes the relational network between the linguistic form and its meaning to achieve a more precise understanding of Quranic vocabulary and propositions. One common method is the conceptual collocation between words.  "Amn" (security) and "Kufr" (disbelief) are central words in the Quran, whose semantic fields include key words such as Islam, affirmation, gratitude, and denial. The present study aims to uncover the meanings of "Amn" and "Kufr" using the concept of collocation. The research method is descriptive-analytical, based on library resources. The objective is to deepen the understanding of the life-giving concepts of the Quran to achieve divine guidance. To achieve this, relevant verses were extracted, and Saussure's theory of collocation in linguistics was employed. Finally, based on the primary meanings of the words and their neighboring words, concepts are presented.  Reflecting on the semantics of Quranic vocabulary and carefully examining the collocation network between them provides a more precise understanding of the verses.  Simultaneously examining "Kufr" and "Amn," and the network of meanings associated with them, reveals the various semantic levels of these words, leading to a better understanding of the verses. Some of the research findings are as follows: The primary meaning of "Amn" is tranquility, and its other meanings in collocation include prepositional collocations (prepositions "Bāʼ" and "Lām"), nominal collocations (the word "Mushrikūn" - polytheists), adjectival collocations ("al-Muʼmin" - the believer, "Wa Huwa Muʼmin" - and he is a believer, "Ṣādiq" - truthful), and verbal collocations ("Shakartum" - you gave thanks, "Kafarū" - they disbelieved, "ʻAmilū al-Ṣāliḥāt" - they did righteous deeds, "Taʼmurūna bil Maʻrūf wa Tanhawna ʻan al-Munkar" - you command good and forbid bad). The primary meaning of "Kufr" is concealment, and its other meanings in collocation include nominal collocations ("al-Fāsiqūn" - the wicked), adjectival collocations ("Yaʼūs" - despair), and verbal collocations ("Lā Yuʼminūn" - they do not believe, "Mā ʻArafū" - they did not know, "Ushkurū" - give thanks, "Aṣliḥ" - correct, "Ashraktumūn" - you associated partners with God, "Kadhdhabū" - they denied)

The main question of the article is what approach to political participation is the existing or desired approach in Qur'anic thought. The research hypothesis, using the Jane Hampton model in theories of the state as a theoretical framework, is that in religious state, political participation and competition within the political regime are not against or solely for it, and among the delegative and agential approaches; the desired approach of the Qur’an is closer to what can be called "conditional maximum" or de-agential approach, which is conditional in the emergence and survival of religious state; a participation that is original as a causal element but is conditional and bound to some prior conditions and circumstances. The research approach in the two categories of verses of Shūrā and Bayʿah clearly has some differences with some other interpretative perspectives, and in the stage of choosing a leader, despite accepting the divine text and appointment, it also considers the political participation of the people to be relevant. In the research, in addition to the verses of Shūrā  and Bayʿah, other verses such as the verses of keeping the contract, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, public speeches of the Qur’an, caliphate and trust, etc. have been compared with political and agency participation. Accordingly, the validity of the political contract between the ruler and the people, the requirement of the Shūrā  institution in the public arena, active political participation as enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong and interfering in determining destiny, the right to choose and general selection of the people, the caliphate as a kind of doubt from God in line with the right to participate, and also the right to leave the government to the worthy as a trust are among the findings of the research as components and pillars of the "Conditional Maximum" (delegative- Agential) political participation approach.

Van Leeuwen's (2008) discourse-semantic approach is a method of discourse analysis that, employing socio-semantic categories and emphasizing the importance of social actors in discourse, investigates the hidden layers of language in both oral and written texts, revealing the underlying relationships within each discourse. In Van Leeuwen's (2008) method, anyone playing a role in the discourse is considered a social actor. This branch of analysis can find a special place in Quranic studies; for, upon reflection on certain Quranic narratives, it becomes evident that these texts, overtly and covertly, contain many of these discourse systems. This research aims to analyze the discourse system of Surah Yūsuf using a descriptive-analytical method, employing the socio-semantic components of Van Leeuwen's (2008) analytical model. Given that the Surah Yūsuf, while narrating a concise account of the life of Prophet Yūsuf, features significant social actors and noteworthy speech acts, a discourse analysis using Van Leeuwen's theory reveals beneficial insights that enhance the wonder of this heavenly book.  Studies show that in this Surah, discourse components based on overtness (frequency 758) have a higher frequency compared to those based on covertness (frequency 322). This signifies that God, in a stylistic innovation, familiarizes the audience with the names of individuals, groups, places, and times in which social actors play active roles.  Furthermore, role attribution (frequency 195), reference type specification (frequency 302), and nature specification (frequency 88) show the highest representation in the various overt expressions of social actors in this Surah

Translating the Quran is an extraordinarily sensitive and challenging task due to its miraculous eloquence, its position within religious texts, and its deep connection to the beliefs of Muslims. Furthermore, the complexity of certain verses and the inconsistency between their superficial translations and the definitive principles of Islam add further difficulty to this process. The second verse of Surah al-Fatḥ is one of these verses, which, due to its connection to the impeccability of the Prophet (PBUH) and the consensus of Muslims on this matter, requires greater attention and examination. The phrase "Mā Taqaddama wa mā Taʼakhkhara" in this verse has traditionally been translated by most Quran translators as referring to the past and the future, suggesting that Allah forgives the Prophet's past and future sins. While the forgiveness of past sins is understandable and reasonable, the forgiveness of future sins appears unacceptable. This study aims to resolve this issue by exploring an accurate and precise translation of this phrase through the theories of commentators and hadiths, employing a descriptive-analytical method.

The comprehensiveness of the Qur'an (Jami'ῑyyat al-Qur'an) is one of the fundamental topics in Qur'anic studies. Muslim scholars from the past to the present have explained this principle by focusing on Qur'anic verses and narrations from both Sunni and Shi'a sources (Farῑqayn). Some, by proposing comparative comprehensiveness, believe that the Qur'an, as the last revealed book, is comprehensive compared to other divine books. Some have chosen maximum comprehensiveness, considering the Qur'an to encompass all sciences and arts. Others, by expressing minimal comprehensiveness, have limited the Qur'an's comprehensiveness to ethical and moral issues. Some, accepting moderate comprehensiveness, have introduced the Qur'an as a guide for humans in material and spiritual matters. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method, has comparatively explored the comprehensiveness of the Qur'an from the perspectives of Ibn ʻArabī and Imam Khomeini. The research findings show that both great Islamic thinkers, while accepting comparative comprehensiveness and rejecting minimal comprehensiveness, have proposed a new view titled "the Qur'an's comprehensiveness according to the understanding of its audience," which explains the secret of the Qur'an's timelessness in every era and place. The point of difference between Ibn ʻArabī and Imam Khomeini's views is that Ibn ʻArabī accepts maximum comprehensiveness, referring to the Qur'an's verses indicating past and future sciences, while in Imam Khomeini's thought, the Qur'an is a book of guidance and human development, and references to generalities and established material sciences in Qur'anic verses are for the purpose of human education and guidance.

The cultural and educational growth and advancement of individuals in society depends on the existence of worthy and virtuous mentors. Therefore, outlining the characteristics of a worthy mentor is of significant importance and impact. The present study, using a grounded theory approach, aims to extract and qualitatively analyze a complete set of religious texts, including verses from the Quran and hadiths of the impeccable Imams (AS), regarding the characteristics of a worthy teacher. The results indicated that the main concern of religious texts in introducing a worthy mentor can be categorized into two overarching areas: Competencies and capabilities. In the area of competencies, five categories, ethical, belief-based, emotional, cognitive, and self-related, were identified in order of frequency and priority. In the area of capabilities, four categories, behavioral-operational, developmental-educational, scientific-educational, and teaching, were identified in order of frequency and priority. The details of each category and a paradigmatic model of a worthy mentor based on religious teachings are presented in this research

Background and Objective: Considering the various educational approaches, ( Wilāyah ) education is considered the most effective due to its link with the Almighty God. The use of Wilāyah education is crucial to the achievement of a genuine Islamic education. This study therefore focuses on the teachings of the Wilāyah in the light of Ziyārat Jāmiʿah Kabīrah as an example of the sources that link the teachings of the Imams to the Almighty God. The aim of the Wilayat education system is to present a comprehensive model of education to the community teachers. Method : This research employed purposeful sampling, utilizing the Ziyārat Jāmiʿah Kabīrah as a profound document on Imamate and Wilāyah . Based on this, a thematic analysis method was applied to continuously study the Ziyārat Jāmiʿah Kabīrah and its related interpretations. After extracting passages with similar content, the sub-themes of the research were compiled. Subsequently, the common themes were categorized under organizing themes: scientific, moral, social, emotional, spiritual, and biological education. All these themes were then subsumed under the overarching theme of Wilāyah education. Finally, the themes of Wilayat education were analyzed, and the necessity of placing them under the authority of God's representative was elucidated. Results and Conclusion : The results showed that Wilāya-based education is an effective educational model for achieving Islamic education. Following the Imam, who embodies the perfect and fully developed human being in all aspects of education, can lead to success in both worldly and eternal life

Background: A discourse emerged concerning hijab, creating a new perspective in public opinion and opening a path towards public awakening; this was the political sanctity of hijab unveiling. Objective: The present study, based on the hypothesis that the political sanctity of hijab unveiling is rooted in Quranic verses and aligns with historical evidence, aims to theorize the concept of the political sanctity of hijab unveiling. Methodology: This paper employs a data-driven theory-building approach.  Initially, Quranic verses were coded. Subsequently, other sources, including hadiths, scholarly articles, reports, and historical evidence of unveiling, were identified and coded.  Sub-categories were then identified in relation to the main category to form this model.  It is noteworthy that here, the grounded theory approach was primarily implemented through robust historical sources and extensive, in-depth, and precise religious research possessing sufficient richness. Findings:  Through axial coding of the data, in addition to the main category, three core categories were extracted: the religious obligation of maintaining hijab in both minimal and maximal forms as mentioned in the Quran, and hijab as a social law applicable to all Islamic countries and all citizens of an Islamic country. Results: The core phenomenon, "The theorizability of the political sanctity of hijab unveiling," with the provision of necessary conditions, yields positive consequences towards individuals' commitment to the hijab law by understanding the deep-rooted sanctity of hijab unveiling in Quranic verses, and consequently, increases the prevention of transgression.  However, to fully achieve these consequences, a strategy of meticulous planning to counter hijab unveiling as a tool to undermine the Islamic government is recommended, not only as a religious obligation but also as a symbol and indicator of the Islamic system.

Surah al-Jinn possesses a unique linguistic context, presenting the Jinn's encounters with the Quran, the bringer of the Quran, and the ultimate source of the Quran, namely God, in the form of speech acts. Therefore, in this paper, based on Van Dijk's critical discourse analysis model, this Surah was examined through the formation of an ideological square. Assessing the effectiveness of Van Dijk's ideological square in analyzing the application of discursive strategies in Surah al-Jinn revealed that the polarization of the Surah's discursive system is structured around the belief and disbelief of Jinn and humans in the Quran and the Prophet's mission (PBUH), and the discourse of Surah al-Jinn flows on a foundation of ideological oppositions. A central dichotomy in Surah al-Jinn takes shape between the believing and disbelieving groups of Jinn. In this context, the group of believing Jinn strives to manifest its opposition to the "Other" by utilizing discursive components. What is presented in the discourse of Surah al-Jinn is a current generated by a group of believing Jinn who have heard the Quran. In effect, the "Other" (disbelieving Jinn) is represented by the believers from among the Jinn, and their beliefs are presented. The believing Jinn, with faith in Allah, the Messenger, and the Quran, employ discursive strategies such as "Stating Norms" and "Testifying" to "Highlight the Self," and utilize components like "Actor Description," "Categorization," "Distancing," "Deniers," and "Negative representation of the other and positive representation of the self" to "Marginalize the other." In the second half of Surah al-Jinn, we encounter the introduction of the main actor of the discourse, namely God, who solidifies power relations. The ultimate point in determining power relations is the description of God as the "Knower of the unseen

Dating or arranging the surahs according to their order of revelation has long been considered, at least to the extent of identifying them as Meccan or Medinan. However, it has not received much attention in traditional Tafsir (exegesis). Today, descending (Tanzīlī) exegesis, relying on methods other than the customary reliance on narrations of the order of revelation, has attracted the attention of Quranic researchers to facilitate a better understanding of the Quran. Accordingly, the present study, using a descriptive-analytical method, aims to investigate the date of revelation of Surah al-Qalam, considered the second revealed surah according to narrations of the order of revelation.  This will be done by examining the surah's content and style, comparing it to the stages of Quranic revelation in terms of the arrangement of the Prophet's call, and referencing historical documents and the Prophet's biography (Sīrah). The findings indicated that this surah depicts an atmosphere of a period of revelation that is incompatible with the early period of the Prophet's mission and his cautious call, and its position as the second revealed surah. Therefore, considering the content analysis and stylistic features of the surah, as well as supporting historical evidence regarding the use of various methods by opponents to express their opposition and hostility towards the Prophet, and comparing these with the verses revealed in surahs al-Shuʻarāʼ and al-Aʻrāf onwards, and based on a comparison that shows historical similarities between surah al-Qalam and Surahs Yāsīn, al-Furqān, and al-Isrāʼ, it seems that the approximate date of revelation of this surah is during the second phase of the Prophet's mission, after the cautious call and after surahs al-Anʻām and al-Ṣāffāt, but very close to them

This study seeks to examine the relationship between right and good - which is an emerging issue in moral philosophy - in the Qur'an. The Qur'an repeatedly introduces good and asks people to choose it in order to be saved. On the other hand, the Quran respects individual and social rights and warns against the violation of these rights. However, sometimes there is a conflict between right and good. In other words, accepting a belief or doing an action, although it is a human's right, but it is not good for him Respecting this free will, the Qur'an advises humans to prioritize good over right as long as it is possible and does not harm the rights of others. The Qur'an advises that in the conflict between the individual right and the good, the good should be preferred, but in the conflict between the collective right and the good, the right should not be ignored as long as the owners of the right have not consented. Prioritizing the good, especially in the fields of worship that have more individual aspects, should not be accompanied by coercion because it violates human free will. The present research has extracted and discussed examples of compatibility and conflict between truth and goodness in the Qur'an by using the analytical descriptive method after introducing the examples of right and good

Recognizing the organized system of the impeccable Imams' (AS) interpretive methods in explaining geological verses, and their efforts in the process of understanding the Quranic verses and reaching God's intent through scientific explanation, can provide effective methods for interrogating the Quran in this type of verse. The Ahl al-Bayt (AS) and the Companions, in interpreting the scientific verses of the Quran, generally adopted three approaches: "Linguistic explanation, conceptual interpretation, and reference to the Quran itself." However, conceptual interpretation was more prevalent, and linguistic explanation was mostly dedicated to the semantics of words. While paying attention to other verses of the Quran and using their own rational arguments, they explained the Quran and eluded to its cosmic and internal signs, such as subduction, the non-annihilation of matter, and other matters. The present study explores how the Imams (AS) studied and approached the geological verses of the Holy Quran. Through content analysis and library-based data collection, the narrations are examined. By comparing the geological verses, scientific narrations, and natural sciences, it is concluded that the Impeccable Imams (AS) not only paid attention to the science of their time but also addressed issues that were unknown to the thinkers of that era and were discovered by scientists centuries later. They employed various methods to convey the meaning of scientific verses, such as semantic explanation, imagery, stating the cause, conceptual interpretation, and so on