Verbal similarity in the Holy Quran: Linguistic foundations and understanding the intentions of the religious text

Abstract

The bonds of convergence among the fields of humanities are stronger, and the interweaving relationships among them are clearer, than those between them and other sciences, especially the relationship between linguistic sciences and Sharia sciences. It appears to some that Quranic terms with convergent morphological forms carry the same meaning; however, they differ distinctly in their meanings and semantics. Furthermore, they contain rhetorical secrets that only become clear by understanding their language, style, and how they occur within their contexts. There are multiple types of verbal similarity phenomena, which appear in diverse contexts, and understanding the objectives of the Quranic text through them cannot be achieved except by understanding these contexts, as this leads to understanding the overarching objectives of the Sharia text.

To demonstrate the importance of integration between language and Sharia sciences where the Quranic text is the focal point, as in the science of Exegesis (Tafsir), which is inseparable from language and rhetoric; while emphasizing that there is no way to understand the Quranic text except by understanding the language in which it was revealed. Hence, it is obligatory to master its rules, norms, and parameters in terms of comprehension, expression, and articulation in order to grasp its underlying meanings and dimensions within its words and structures.

Finally, this paper focuses on the phenomenon of verbal similarity in the Holy Quran to demonstrate the manifestations of integration, through the impact of language in distinguishing the semantics of these terms and clarifying their objectives. We have chosen for this to be applied through selected Quranic models.

The methodology that seems most appropriate for the nature of this research is the descriptive-analytical approach, while the comparative and contrastive approach also plays a role.