The Qurʾān’s Self-References to its Arabic Register

Muhammed Coşkun

Makale detayları

The Qurʾān’s Self-References to its Arabic Register

Yazarlar:

Muhammed Coşkun

Yayıncı:

Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tefsir

Dergi:

Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 1, pp.363-380

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352674

pISSN:

2757-6949

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The Qurʾān, a central religious text of Islam, is unique in its theological content and its self-referential linguistic features, which invite in-depth scholarly analysis. Among the most notable of these self-referential aspects is the frequent description of the Qurʾān as Arabic Qurʾānan ʿArabiyyan in many verses. While this attribute may seem self-evident, as the Qurʾān was revealed in Arabic to the Arabs of 7th-century Hijaz, the texts recurring emphasis on its Arabicness raises important questions. Why does the Qurʾān repeatedly highlight its linguistic identity, a fact that its original audience would not have questioned? This inquiry lies at the heart of this study, which aims to explore the rhetorical and theological significance of this emphasis on the Qurʾāns Arabic nature. The primary objective of this research is not merely to address why the Qurʾān was revealed in Arabicthis being a natural choice given the native tongue of its first audiencebut to understand why the Qurʾān repeatedly underscores this aspect. The text itself, through expressions like an Arabic Qurʾān Qurʾānan ʿArabiyyan and in clear Arabic language lisānun ʿArabiyyun mubīn, reveals a deliberate rhetorical strategy. The study contends that this repetitive self-description is not a mere reiteration of the obvious but serves deeper theological, communicative, and rhetorical purposes. Historically, the question of the Qurʾāns Arabic nature has been approached from various angles by scholars from both the classical Islamic tradition and contemporary Western academia. Classical Islamic scholars, in this context, appear to have devoted the discussion primarily to whether or not the Qurʾān contains non-Arabic words. Western academics, on the other hand, tend to evaluate the linguistic features of the Qurʾān within the broader context of the Near Eastin other words, they focus on the issue of how surrounding cultures and languages may have influenced the Qurʾān. However, despite these efforts, a significant gap remains in the literature regarding the Qurʾāns internal rationale for emphasizing its Arabic language. Much of the existing scholarship centers around linguistic purity and the influence of foreign languages but neglects the Qurʾāns own theological and rhetorical objectives. This study seeks to fill this gap by turning attention away from linguistic purity and external influences, focusing instead on the Qurʾāns self-referential emphasis on being Arabic. This study aims to fill this very gap by drawing attention not to issues of linguistic purity i.e., whether the Qurʾān contains foreign words or external influences, but rather to the polemical context behind the Qurʾāns self-referential emphasis on being in Arabic. According to this perspective, the Qurʾāns frequent emphasis on its Arabic nature serves as a response to the reluctance, skepticism, and objections of its initial audience in 7th-century Hijaz regarding the acceptance of the Prophets human nature. Thus, the Qurʾāns emphasis on Arabic presents a significant rhetorical strategy tied to the theological concerns of the revelation context and the communicative function of the sacred text within those circumstances. To achieve this, the study employs a layered methodology combining textual analysis, historical context, and comparative analysis with other religious traditions. Textual analysis examines key Qurʾānic verses that highlight the Arabic nature of the text, scrutinizing their linguistic and rhetorical features. Historical analysis explores the social, cultural, and religious dynamics of 7th-century Hijaz, contextualizing the Qurʾāns message in its historical moment. Comparative analysis situates the Qurʾān within the broader framework of other religious traditions, particularly those that, like the Qurʾān, used the native language of their audience. By examining these dimensions, the study aims to uncover the underlying motivations behind the Qurʾāns repeated self-description as Arabic and its significance within the broader framework of Islamic theology and communication. This research contributes to Qurʾānic studies by offering a fresh perspective on the issue of Arabicness in the Qurʾān, moving beyond linguistic debates to explore the deeper, theological significance of this feature. The study argues that the Qurʾāns emphasis on its Arabic nature addresses both the theological concerns of its time and the broader communicative function of religious scripture, offering valuable insights into the Qurʾāns engagement with its initial audience.

 Kuran, İslamın temel dinî metni olarak sadece teolojik içeriğiyle değil, aynı zamanda kendine referansta bulunan ifadeleriyle de derinlemesine bir akademik incelemeyi gerektirmektedir. Bu bağlamda Kuranın kendine referansta bulunan ifadeleri içinde en dikkat çekeni, birçok ayetinde kendisini Arapça Kuran Qurʾānan ʿArabiyyan olarak tanımlamasıdır. Bu özellik, ilk muhatapları olan 7. yüzyıl Hicaz Arapları için doğal bir gerçek olsa da Kuranın sürekli olarak kendi Arapçılığına vurgu yapması önemli soruları gündeme getirmektedir. Kuran, neden kendisinin Arapça olduğunu sıkça vurgular? Bu soru, bu çalışmanın temel amacını oluşturan, Kuranın Arapçaya olan bu vurgusunun retorik ve teolojik anlamını keşfetmeye yönelik bir araştırma için zemin hazırlamaktadır. Bu araştırmanın temel amacı, Kuranın neden Arapça olarak vahyedildiği sorusuna odaklanmak değil, daha ziyade Kuranın neden bu özelliğini sürekli olarak vurguladığı sorusunu anlamaktır. Arapça bir Kuran ve açık Arapça dilinde lisānun ʿArabiyyun mubīn gibi ifadelerle yapılan vurgular, bilinçli bir retorik stratejisinin izlerini taşımaktadır. Bu çalışma, bu tekrar eden kendini tanımlamanın sadece belirgin bir gerçeği yinelemek olmadığını, daha derin teolojik, iletişimsel ve retorik amaçlara hizmet ettiğini ileri sürmektedir. Tarihsel olarak, Kuranın Arapça oluşu hem klasik İslam geleneğinde hem de çağdaş Batı akademisinde farklı açılardan ele alınmıştır. Klasik İslam alimleri bu bağlamda konuyu Kuranda Arapça olmayan kelimelerin bulunup bulunmadığı tartışmasına hasretmiş görünmektedir. Batılı akademisyenler ise Kuranın dilsel özelliklerini daha geniş Yakın Doğu bağlamı içinde değerlendirmekte, diğer bir deyişle çevre kültür ve dillerin Kuran üzerindeki etkisi meselesine odaklanmaktadır. Ancak, mevcut literatürde Kuranın kendi Arapçalığını tekrar tekrar vurgulamasının derindeki gerekçeleri üzerine herhangi bir tartışma bulunmamaktadır. Mevcut çalışmalar çoğunlukla Kuranın yabancı kelime içerip içermediği ve içeriyorsa bu durumun Kuran üzerinde çevre kültür ve dillerin etkisinin olup olmadığı konusu ile ilgilidir. Bu bağlamda, söz konusu çalışmalar meselenin nüzul bağlamındaki karşılığını tespit etme noktasını göz ardı ediyor görünmektedir. Bu çalışma, işte bu boşluğu doldurmayı amaçlamakta ve dilsel saflık yabancı kelime içerip içermeme ve dışsal etkilerden ziyade, Kuranın Arapça olarak kendisini vurgulayan öz tanımlamasının ardındaki polemik bağlamına dikkat çekmektedir. Buna göre Kuranın sıklıkla kendi Arapçalığına yaptığı bu vurgu, 7. yüzyıl Hicazında yaşayan ilk muhataplarının, peygamberin insan olmasını kabul etme konusundaki isteksizlik, kuşku ve itirazlarına bir cevap mahiyetindedir. Dolayısıyla Kuranın Arapçaya olan vurgusu, nüzul koşullarının teolojik endişeleri ve dinî metnin bu koşullar içerisindeki iletişimsel işleviyle ilgili önemli bir strateji sunmaktadır. Araştırma, çok katmanlı bir metodoloji kullanarak, metin çözümlemesi, tarihsel bağlam ve diğer dinî geleneklerle karşılaştırmalı analizle bu soruyu ele almaktadır. Metin çözümlemesi, Kuranın Arapça olmasına vurgu yapan ilgili ayetleri metin içi bağlamı çerçevesinde incelemekte ve bu ayetlerin dilsel özelliklerini detaylıca analiz etmeyi içermektedir. Tarihsel analiz, söz konusu ayetleri 7. yüzyıl Hicazındaki sosyo-kültürel ve dinî bağlamda ele alarak, Kuranın mesajının ilk muhataplarına nasıl hitap ettiğini araştırmayı kapsamaktadır. Karşılaştırmalı analiz, Kuranı benzer dinî metinlerle, özellikle de ilk muhataplarına kendi dillerinde hitap eden diğer kutsal kitaplarla karşılaştırarak, bu söylemin ortak yönlerini ve kendine özgü yönlerini incelemektedir. Bu üçlü yaklaşım, Kuranın kendisini Arapça olarak tanımlama konusundaki sık ve ısrarlı vurgusunun arkasındaki sebepleri ve bu vurgunun dinî metnin geniş teolojik bağlamındaki yerini anlamaya yönelik kapsamlı bir çerçeve sunmaktadır. Bu araştırma, Kuranın Arapçalığına yapılan vurguya dair yeni bir bakış açısı sunarak, literatürdeki boşluğu doldurmayı amaçlamakta ve sadece dilsel tartışmalardan öte, bu özelliğin hem polemik boyutunu hem de daha derin teolojik anlamlarını ortaya koymayı hedeflemektedir.

 The Qurʾān, a central religious text of Islam, is unique in its theological content and its self-referential linguistic features, which invite in-depth scholarly analysis. Among the most notable of these self-referential aspects is the frequent description of the Qurʾān as Arabic Qurʾānan ʿArabiyyan in many verses. While this attribute may seem self-evident, as the Qurʾān was revealed in Arabic to the Arabs of 7th-century Hijaz, the texts recurring emphasis on its Arabicness raises important questions. Why does the Qurʾān repeatedly highlight its linguistic identity, a fact that its original audience would not have questioned? This inquiry lies at the heart of this study, which aims to explore the rhetorical and theological significance of this emphasis on the Qurʾāns Arabic nature. The primary objective of this research is not merely to address why the Qurʾān was revealed in Arabicthis being a natural choice given the native tongue of its first audiencebut to understand why the Qurʾān repeatedly underscores this aspect. The text itself, through expressions like an Arabic Qurʾān Qurʾānan ʿArabiyyan and in clear Arabic language lisānun ʿArabiyyun mubīn, reveals a deliberate rhetorical strategy. The study contends that this repetitive self-description is not a mere reiteration of the obvious but serves deeper theological, communicative, and rhetorical purposes. Historically, the question of the Qurʾāns Arabic nature has been approached from various angles by scholars from both the classical Islamic tradition and contemporary Western academia. Classical Islamic scholars, in this context, appear to have devoted the discussion primarily to whether or not the Qurʾān contains non-Arabic words. Western academics, on the other hand, tend to evaluate the linguistic features of the Qurʾān within the broader context of the Near Eastin other words, they focus on the issue of how surrounding cultures and languages may have influenced the Qurʾān. However, despite these efforts, a significant gap remains in the literature regarding the Qurʾāns internal rationale for emphasizing its Arabic language. Much of the existing scholarship centers around linguistic purity and the influence of foreign languages but neglects the Qurʾāns own theological and rhetorical objectives. This study seeks to fill this gap by turning attention away from linguistic purity and external influences, focusing instead on the Qurʾāns self-referential emphasis on being Arabic. This study aims to fill this very gap by drawing attention not to issues of linguistic purity i.e., whether the Qurʾān contains foreign words or external influences, but rather to the polemical context behind the Qurʾāns self-referential emphasis on being in Arabic. According to this perspective, the Qurʾāns frequent emphasis on its Arabic nature serves as a response to the reluctance, skepticism, and objections of its initial audience in 7th-century Hijaz regarding the acceptance of the Prophets human nature. Thus, the Qurʾāns emphasis on Arabic presents a significant rhetorical strategy tied to the theological concerns of the revelation context and the communicative function of the sacred text within those circumstances. To achieve this, the study employs a layered methodology combining textual analysis, historical context, and comparative analysis with other religious traditions. Textual analysis examines key Qurʾānic verses that highlight the Arabic nature of the text, scrutinizing their linguistic and rhetorical features. Historical analysis explores the social, cultural, and religious dynamics of 7th-century Hijaz, contextualizing the Qurʾāns message in its historical moment. Comparative analysis situates the Qurʾān within the broader framework of other religious traditions, particularly those that, like the Qurʾān, used the native language of their audience. By examining these dimensions, the study aims to uncover the underlying motivations behind the Qurʾāns repeated self-description as Arabic and its significance within the broader framework of Islamic theology and communication. This research contributes to Qurʾānic studies by offering a fresh perspective on the issue of Arabicness in the Qurʾān, moving beyond linguistic debates to explore the deeper, theological significance of this feature. The study argues that the Qurʾāns emphasis on its Arabic nature addresses both the theological concerns of its time and the broader communicative function of religious scripture, offering valuable insights into the Qurʾāns engagement with its initial audience.

 The Qurʾān, a central religious text of Islam, is unique in its theological content and its self-referential linguistic features, which invite in-depth scholarly analysis. Among the most notable of these self-referential aspects is the frequent description of the Qurʾān as Arabic Qurʾānan ʿArabiyyan in many verses. While this attribute may seem self-evident, as the Qurʾān was revealed in Arabic to the Arabs of 7th-century Hijaz, the texts recurring emphasis on its Arabicness raises important questions. Why does the Qurʾān repeatedly highlight its linguistic identity, a fact that its original audience would not have questioned? This inquiry lies at the heart of this study, which aims to explore the rhetorical and theological significance of this emphasis on the Qurʾāns Arabic nature. The primary objective of this research is not merely to address why the Qurʾān was revealed in Arabicthis being a natural choice given the native tongue of its first audiencebut to understand why the Qurʾān repeatedly underscores this aspect. The text itself, through expressions like an Arabic Qurʾān Qurʾānan ʿArabiyyan and in clear Arabic language lisānun ʿArabiyyun mubīn, reveals a deliberate rhetorical strategy. The study contends that this repetitive self-description is not a mere reiteration of the obvious but serves deeper theological, communicative, and rhetorical purposes. Historically, the question of the Qurʾāns Arabic nature has been approached from various angles by scholars from both the classical Islamic tradition and contemporary Western academia. Classical Islamic scholars, in this context, appear to have devoted the discussion primarily to whether or not the Qurʾān contains non-Arabic words. Western academics, on the other hand, tend to evaluate the linguistic features of the Qurʾān within the broader context of the Near Eastin other words, they focus on the issue of how surrounding cultures and languages may have influenced the Qurʾān. However, despite these efforts, a significant gap remains in the literature regarding the Qurʾāns internal rationale for emphasizing its Arabic language. Much of the existing scholarship centers around linguistic purity and the influence of foreign languages but neglects the Qurʾāns own theological and rhetorical objectives. This study seeks to fill this gap by turning attention away from linguistic purity and external influences, focusing instead on the Qurʾāns self-referential emphasis on being Arabic. This study aims to fill this very gap by drawing attention not to issues of linguistic purity i.e., whether the Qurʾān contains foreign words or external influences, but rather to the polemical context behind the Qurʾāns self-referential emphasis on being in Arabic. According to this perspective, the Qurʾāns frequent emphasis on its Arabic nature serves as a response to the reluctance, skepticism, and objections of its initial audience in 7th-century Hijaz regarding the acceptance of the Prophets human nature. Thus, the Qurʾāns emphasis on Arabic presents a significant rhetorical strategy tied to the theological concerns of the revelation context and the communicative function of the sacred text within those circumstances. To achieve this, the study employs a layered methodology combining textual analysis, historical context, and comparative analysis with other religious traditions. Textual analysis examines key Qurʾānic verses that highlight the Arabic nature of the text, scrutinizing their linguistic and rhetorical features. Historical analysis explores the social, cultural, and religious dynamics of 7th-century Hijaz, contextualizing the Qurʾāns message in its historical moment. Comparative analysis situates the Qurʾān within the broader framework of other religious traditions, particularly those that, like the Qurʾān, used the native language of their audience. By examining these dimensions, the study aims to uncover the underlying motivations behind the Qurʾāns repeated self-description as Arabic and its significance within the broader framework of Islamic theology and communication. This research contributes to Qurʾānic studies by offering a fresh perspective on the issue of Arabicness in the Qurʾān, moving beyond linguistic debates to explore the deeper, theological significance of this feature. The study argues that the Qurʾāns emphasis on its Arabic nature addresses both the theological concerns of its time and the broader communicative function of religious scripture, offering valuable insights into the Qurʾāns engagement with its initial audience.

Makale detayları

The Qurʾān’s Self-References to its Arabic Register

Yazarlar:

Muhammed Coşkun

Yayıncı:

Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tefsir

Dergi:

Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 1, pp.363-380

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352674

pISSN:

2757-6949

Tafser

Qurʾānic Studies

Western Scholarship

Biblical Context

‘A‘jamī

The Hermeneutical Horizon of Arabs

Non-Celestial Prophet.Tefsir

Kur’an Araştırmaları

Batılı Akademisyenler

Kitab-ı Mukaddes Bağlamı

A’cemî

Arapların Anlama Ufku

Beşer Peygamber.

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Muhammed Coşkun

Yayıncı: Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar: Tefsir

Dergi: Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 1, pp.363-380

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2025

Belge Dili: İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.): 2001352674

pISSN: 2757-6949

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Muhammed Coşkun

Yayıncı:

Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tefsir

Dergi:

Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 1, pp.363-380

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352674

pISSN:

2757-6949