Qur’anic narratives

The concept of translation encompasses a broad spectrum, including various forms of textual adaptation and adjustment that occur across languages and cultures. Within this spectrum, adaptation and imitation are also considered as part of the translation family. This study, conducted using a comparative, descriptive-analytical method, seeks to explore the issue of adapting a contemporary religious drama from Qur’anic narratives, employing Gérard Genette’s theory of hypertextuality. It examines the structural and thematic aspects of the hypertext in question—the television series Sahebdelan ( The Spiritualists ), directed by Mohammad Hossein Latifi (2006)—and its relation to its hypotext, the narratives of the Qur’an. The aim is to determine the extent and manner of the Qur’an’s influence on the adapted hypertext and to analyze the types of transformations that have occurred. The findings reveal that, based on Genette’s categorization of transtextual relationships, this form of translation from hypotext to hypertext constitutes a recreation of parts of the lives of certain prophets in the Qur’an in the format of a television drama. This recreation—shaped by filmmaking motives, media constraints, target audience, and the purpose of the series—has involved substantial changes to narrative elements such as characters, events, time and space of narration, and intertextual connections. These transformations have enabled the transmission of Qur’anic themes and messages in a contemporary and accessible language for today’s viewers. The impact of Qur’anic narratives in shaping the content and themes of this dramatic work has been significant, making it a prominent example of religious adaptation.

This study analyzes the similarities and differences between the story of Prophet Solomon (AS) and the ant in Surah An-Naml and the global folktale type known as The Language of Animals (Type 670 in the Aarne–Thompson classification). The findings suggest that, although the Qur’ānic account shares certain surface features with folkloric animal tales, it exhibits distinct characteristics that set it apart. These include its use as a vehicle for theological instruction rather than entertainment; its seamless integration into the surrounding verses of Surah An-Naml; its alignment with the prophetic biography and the socio-historical context of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); the blending of revelatory and literary language; and its unique structural design, which supports the thematic objectives of the Surah. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the Qur’ān’s narrative features and may help address doubts regarding its authenticity and reliability