نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
The dichotomy of al-muhkam (the decisive) and al-mutashabih (the allegorical/ambiguous) constitutes one of the most foundational epistemological paradigms in Quranic sciences, serving as a focal point in hermeneutical, theological, and jurisprudential discourses since their inception. The mainstream interpretive tradition has predominantly treated al-mutashabihat as verses characterized by intrinsic ambiguity or as texts requiring specialized, esoteric interpretation (taʾwīl), the profound comprehension of which is exclusively accessible within the epistemological horizon of "those firmly grounded in knowledge" (al-rasikhun fi al-ʿilm). Conversely, Dr. Taha Jabir al-Alwani (1935–2016), a prominent contemporary Islamic thinker, adopts an innovative and radical approach in his pivotal work, Towards a Quranic Position on the Dilemma of al-Muhkam and al-Mutashabih (2010). Emphasizing the principle of the text's intrinsic self-clarity and its structural unity (al-wahda al-binaʾiyya), he fundamentally denies any possibility of essential ambiguity within the structure of the sacred text. Adopting a critical-hermeneutical approach rooted in textual analysis, the present study seeks to scrutinize, evaluate, and complement al-Alwani’s conceptual framework. This analysis is executed across three primary dimensions: first, the elucidation of his linguistic and interpretive foundations; second, the evaluation of this theory's position within his overarching intellectual system, particularly his theories of the "Structural Unity of the Holy Quran" and "Maqasid al-Shariah" (the higher objectives of Islamic law); and third, a comprehensive assessment and comparative analysis conducted through specific case studies and the principles of contemporary Quranic hermeneutics. The core findings indicate that while al-Alwani's framework initiates a profound "paradigm shift" in rethinking Quranic sciences—paving the way for a balanced and dynamic ijtihad (independent reasoning)—it requires further development to achieve the status of a "comprehensive theory." This upgrade necessitates supplementing its hermeneutical foundations through modern cognitive linguistics and deepening its engagement with the philosophy of Quranic language.
کلیدواژهها English