Does the Qur’an Command Fighting the “Unbelievers”?
Fifteen orders to fight in the Qur’an, none for a belief. The sword verse read in full, the Charter of Medina and the history of a misreading.
Tafsîr
Tafsîr — the science of Qur’anic commentary and exegesis — holds a central place in the Islamic sciences. Here you will find our articles devoted to this discipline, from its foundations to its spiritual readings. For a historical overview, see also our feature: History and Science of Tafsîr.
“Islâm”: What the Word Really Says
Does islâm mean “submission”? The 140 occurrences of the root S-L-M in the Qur’an say otherwise: being whole, given over to one alone — and peace.
“Believer” and “Unbeliever”: What the Words of the Qur’an Really Say
Kufr means to cover, îmân means security and trust. A close reading of every Qur’anic occurrence reveals two acts, not two camps of belief.
The Seven Aḥruf of the Qur’an (al-aḥruf al-sabʿa): Anatomy of an Exegetical Puzzle
Summary. — A hadith reported by al-Bukhârî and Muslim states that the Qur’an “was sent down according to seven aḥruf.” Twelve centuries of exegesis have failed to establish what that word denotes: Ibn Ḥibbân already counted thirty-five opinions, all of… Read More »The Seven Aḥruf of the Qur’an (al-aḥruf al-sabʿa): Anatomy of an Exegetical Puzzle
Was the Prophet Illiterate? What Ummî Really Means
Summary. — The Qur’an calls Muhammad “the ummî prophet,” a word usually translated as “illiterate.” This article argues that the question “could the Prophet read?” is wrongly framed. On the one hand, ummî first carries a scriptural rather than a… Read More »Was the Prophet Illiterate? What Ummî Really Means
The First Revealed Sura: An Inquiry into a Problem in the Qur’anic Sciences
Abstract. — The Muslim tradition ordinarily answers without hesitation the question of the first revelation: it would be the opening of Sûrat al-ʿAlaq, “Read, in the name of your Lord.” An examination of the sources shows, however, that the question… Read More »The First Revealed Sura: An Inquiry into a Problem in the Qur’anic Sciences
The Higher Purposes of the Qur’an (Maqâsid al-Qur’ân): Classical and Sufi Approaches
What does the Qur’an aim at? The maqâsid al-Qur’ân (its higher purposes) according to the classical approach (al-Ghazâlî, Ibn ʿÂshûr) and the Sufi approach.
Sufi Tafsîr: Reading the Qur’an from Within
What is a Sufi tafsîr? Allusive reading, zâhir and bâtin, three degrees of interpretation: how Sufism reads the Qur’an from within.