Analyzing the Relationship Between Reason and the Theoretical Authority of the Quran

Document Type : Original Article

Author

PhD in Quranic Studies and Social Sciences, Al-Mustafa International University, Qom, Iran.

10.22081/jgq.2025.71229.1021

Abstract

Clarifying the role of reason as a source of knowledge and its connection to the theoretical or epistemic authority of the Quran, particularly within the framework of rationality, is a crucial discourse in contemporary times. This study seeks to analyze the relationship between reason and the Quran’s theoretical authority using a qualitative, descriptive-analytical approach and thematic interpretation. The findings of this research elucidate the interplay between reason and knowledge-oriented inquiry in the pursuit of divine obedience and the realization of a monotheistic society. Knowledge is portrayed as intrinsically linked to purity, wisdom, and guidance, encompassing both worldly and otherworldly sciences. Additionally, the expansion of interpretative understanding includes dimensions such as empathy, fluidity, objectification, and the evolution of theoretical inquiry based on rationality through a contextualized comprehension of
the Quranic text. This relationship between reason and scientific inquiry is examined through contemplation of Quranic verses without preconceived impositions, acknowledging that the Quran speaks through logic and demonstrative proof. It also entails the integration of contemporary scholarly discussions in the interpretation of Quranic verses, alongside employing the Quran to address emerging questions in various fields of knowledge. Accordingly, the theoretical authority of the Quran, grounded in rationality, signifies that the pressing intellectual concerns of society can be extracted from the Quran through an active and systematic engagement, establishing a dynamic interplay between reason and the Quran’s theoretical authority.

Keywords

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