THE SCIENCE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF QUR’ANIC SURAHS: ITS APPROACHES, SOURCES, AND METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52747/aqujssis.6.1.435Keywords:
Purposes of Qur’anic Surahs, Maqāṣid al-Suwar, Qur’anic Exegesis, Methodological Approaches, Qur’anic Studies.Abstract
This study, entitled “The Science of the Objectives of Qur’anic Surahs: Its Approaches, Sources, and Methodological Framework,” explores four principal approaches to uncovering the objectives (maqāṣid) of Qur’anic surahs. It highlights the significance of each approach and identifies key reference works that provide comprehensive insights, thereby sparing researchers the need to consult numerous commentaries and studies, saving both time and effort while facilitating direct access to intended meanings. The research employs the inductive method, through a comprehensive survey of classical and contemporary exegetical works, alongside the deductive method, to derive and systematize the methods of identifying surah purposes within a coherent methodological framework. The study concludes that a sound methodological inquiry into the purposes of Qur’anic surahs requires a holistic examination of each surah, encompassing its introduction, main themes, and internal coherence, while analyzing the interrelations and contextual links among its components in order to identify its central subject and overarching purpose. The research further recommends the establishment of a university-level course on “The Purposes of Qur’anic Surahs” within departments of Qur’anic studies, enabling students to learn and practically apply the approaches to uncovering surah purposes. It also calls for continued scholarly engagement with the remaining approaches not addressed in this study and for cataloguing the most beneficial sources and exegetical works in each, in accordance with the methodology outlined herein, to facilitate future research and highlight the contributions of scholars and exegetes in this important field.
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