The Role of Polysemy in the Words and Phrases of the Holy Quran in the Scientific Authority of the Quran

Document Type : Original Article

Author

عضو گروه قرآن پژوهی، پژوهشگاه حوزه و دانشگاه

Abstract

In this article, polysemy refers to the indication of multiple and diverse meanings by the words and phrases of the Holy Quran. More precisely, it pertains to the extraction of multiple meanings from a single word or phrase in the Quran. In Usul Fiqh (principles of jurisprudence) and Quranic exegesis, this phenomenon is sometimes referred to as the use of a word in more than one meaning, the application of a homonymous term to more than one of its meanings, or the intention of two meanings from a single expression. This study, conducted using an analytical and descriptive approach, seeks to answer the question: How does the acceptance of polysemy in the words and phrases of the Quran contribute to the expansion of the Quran’s scientific authority toward maximal authority across various fields of knowledge? The findings of this research affirm that permitting polysemy in Quranic words and phrases is one of the fundamental principles of the Quran’s authority. This principle expands the scope of the Quran’s authority toward maximal authority. Furthermore, most scholars who support the concept of the Quran’s maximal authority—at various levels—have, either consciously or unconsciously, based their views on the acceptance of polysemy. To clarify and prove this perspective, the study first presents the arguments supporting the permissibility of polysemy in the Quran and then analyzes and examines notable Quranic verses that exemplify different forms of polysemy.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 November 2024
  • Revise Date: 19 February 2025
  • Accept Date: 11 March 2025
  • Publish Date: 08 April 2024

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