Genealogy of Superficial Contradictions in the Qurān from the Perspective of Shiite Interpretive Narrations

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Graduate in Comparative Interpretation, Qom University, Qom, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Qurān and Hadīth, Hazrat Masoumeh University, Qom, Iran,

Abstract

Most Muslims believe that the Holy Qurān is free from any internal differences and inconsistencies. However, the divine word contains seemingly contradictory verses, the understanding and interpretation of which have always been the subject of debate and discussion throughout history.
Despite the valuable works written by Islamic scholars in this field, the superficial contradictions in the Qurān have never been traced back based on the narrations of the Infallibles (AS). Hence, the present study, with the aim of discovering the causes of differences in the Qurān, has examined interpretive narrations with a descriptive-analytical approach and has reached the conclusion that superficial contradictions in the Qurān are rooted in matters such as the difference between literal and figurative meanings, the different meanings of homonyms, the difference between instances of a concept, the difference of stages in an event, the difference between expressive styles, the difference between dependencies of verbs, the difference in perspective and the difference in  ascriptions. Also, the return of many explanations given by scholars for resolving the contradiction of verses to the above causes demonstrates their relative comprehensiveness and functional validity.

Keywords


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