Holy Texts Research Articles

On the Sound of Qurʾān: Nasalization (ghunna) as Ornamentation and Accentuation in Recitation

Abstract The sound of Qurʾān recitation will be studied with a new approach. As the Qurʾān is a sacred text, it is performed with an exalted voice. Its performance mode extends beyond ordinary speech, but at the same time it is clearly distinguished from singing. The investigation exemplifies that the holy text and its pronunciation rules, which are preserved in the rules of tajwīd, somewhat predetermine the sound of recitation – regardless of its recitation style. For this purpose, it is necessary to first grasp the grammatical and rhetorical structure of the text, then to apply the specific rules of pronunciation when reading the text, and finally to evaluate their realization in melodic modes of recitation. Musical and linguistic criteria must be considered equally when interpreting the sound of Qurʾān recitation. This paper considers nasalization (ghunna) not just as a phonetic feature of tajwīd but also as an ornamentation that can be performed musically in recitation, thus marking rhetorically significant passages in the holy text.

Implementasi Konsep Taat Kepada Kedua Orang Tua dalam QS. Luqman Ayat 15

The concept of obeying children to parents through the holy verses of the Koran QS. Luqman verse 15 is an in-depth study exploring the meaning and wisdom contained in the Koran, the holy book of Islam. In this writing, the author highlights the importance of understanding the concept of obedience to parents through in-depth reflection on the holy text of the Qur'an, where the Qur'an becomes a means of understanding the concept of obedience contained therein. This study covers several key elements, including the main concepts in the Koran, namely the Islamic view of the concept of obedience to parents, morality and morals. In the process, the author highlights universal values ​​such as compassion, wisdom, justice and piety which are reflected in the teachings of the Koran. This study also explores the ways in which the Qur'an provides guidance on various aspects of life, including ethical, social, familial and spiritual. Apart from that, this writing emphasizes how the Qur'an answers the explanation of the concept of obedience to QS. Luqman verse 15 and how to implement it in everyday life. This study is expected to provide better insight into the values, principles, goals of obedient behavior in the Islamic view, as well as expand in-depth thinking about how the Koran can guide humans in matters of obeying parents in their life in the world.

Efforts of Al-Qur'an Hadith Teachers in Overcoming Difficulties in Reading the Qur'an for Students

This study investigates the efforts of Al-Qur'an Hadith teachers in addressing the difficulties faced by seventh-grade students in reading the Qur'an at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Masyariqul Anwar, Ngronggot. The research employs a qualitative approach with a case study design, gathering data through observations, interviews, and document analysis from teachers and students. The findings reveal that students struggle with various aspects of Qur'anic reading, including recognizing the transformation of connected Hijaiyah letters, proper pronunciation with correct makhraj, distinguishing between long and short vowels, and applying Tajweed rules. To overcome these challenges, teachers are encouraged to adopt engaging teaching methods, create a conducive learning environment, and emphasize the significance of the Qur'an in a Muslim's life. These strategies are crucial in improving students' Qur'anic literacy and fostering a deeper connection with the holy text.

QURANIC BIBLIOTHERAPY: AN ISLAMIC PSYCHOSPIRITUAL APPROACH TO HEALING

Quranic Bibliotherapy is an emerging therapeutic intervention that combines Islamic spirituality and psychological principles to promote healing and well-being. Rooted in the holy text of the Qur'an, this approach uses narratives, reflections, spontaneous Quranic verses, sources of information, action, and change to address mental and spiritual issues. By incorporating Islamic psychospiritual practices, individuals are guided towards self-reflection, personal growth, and inner peace. The study highlights the importance of Quranic Bibliotherapy as an innovative tool in Islamic Psychospiritual healing. Such a holistic approach fosters resilience, self-awareness, and a deep connection with the Divine. By embracing the teachings of the Qur'an, individuals can find comfort, guidance, and hope, navigating life's trials with renewed strength and faith. A qualitative approach with grounded theory method is used to investigate how the application of Quranic Bibliotherapy as an Islamic psychospiritual approach to overcome mental and spiritual problems. The study involved in-depth interviews with individuals who had undergone Quran Bibliotherapy sessions at the Indonesian Bibliotherapy Community, where they discussed their experiences, insights gained, and their impact on their personality, mental, moral, and spiritual development. The study positively impacts mental health and spiritual well-being, offering profound implications for bibliotherapy practitioners, researchers, and the wider Islamic community.

Spiritual meal, identity and community in Bohemia 1400–1650: historical anthropology and the reformation of religious food and textual practices

ABSTRACT The article explores the early Bohemian reformation (Utraquism) as an alternative Central European project of church reform that has not been as closely connected with the Western European civilizational narrative as the Lutheran reformation. The authors build on cultural anthropological approaches and on the recent ‘material turn’. They draw attention to the close historical associations between holy food and holy texts and look into the reformation of religious food and textual practices. They explore how the chalice functioned as a symbol of inclusivity and collective identity and how this became manifest in material culture. The authors analyse innovations in chalice shape (lips and tubes) and provide evidence of private or family chalices, arguing that such chalices re-introduced elements of social hierarchy in the Utraquist communion. In relation to holy food, the authors also focus on fasting, distinguishing two main lines of discourse: 1) the continuation of the medieval religious discourse of gluttony; and 2) difficulties connected with observing fasting regulations north of the Alps. Finally, they point out that the Bohemian reformation lends itself to a study of changing symbols, as suggested by Peter Burke, and they explore the model-like process through which book(s) largely replaced chalice(s) as the main symbol(s) and source(s) of identity among reformed non-Catholic Christians in the new religious situation in Bohemia after 1620.

Religious Leaders' Perspectives Towards LGBTIQ in Nepal

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans gender, Intersex, Queer plus is an emerging social issue in Nepal. Still Nepalese society has hardly accepted the issue yet. There might be various reasons; this concept has not earned priority in current social structure. Social structures are guided by the religious belief and practice. Religious leaders’ hold the governing positions to construct the perception of society. For the reason, it aims to explore the perception of religious leaders towards LGBTIQ. The religious leaders from Hindus (Sanatana Dharma), Buddhist, Islam and Christian around Kathmandu valley were selected as the respondents of the research. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interview. In their own worshipping places through field visit. Respondents felt uneasy on the topic though they preferred to explain the good features of the religion rather than the issue. Hindus claimed that they respect third gender as the grace of the god, though they believe that it is against the rule and nature constructed by the god. Similarly, the devotees of Buddhism take oath to follow the ‘Eight-Fold-Path’ as their guideline which consist the five precepts. The Christians consider sexuality to be a divine gift, though it ignores the sexual orientation of LGBTIQ and there are significant disagreements among the Christian community in Nepal. Islamic faith is controlled by holy Quran, which does not give permission for unnatural sex. Though, in the holy text, the story of Luth is mentioned to aware the devotees from the sinful act performed by LGBTIQ. Though, the religious leader accepted the biological features of the LGBTIQ but they denied the sexual activities they perform or express. They perceive it as a sinful act of previous life. Moreover, they believe that the lesbian, gay issues were mostly influenced by western culture and the advancement of the modern technologies. Thus, the religion guided structure of Nepal left behind to address the LGBTIQ to struggle for decades to achieve the rights in the country.

Farid Esack; Hermeneutics of Liberation of the Quran and Education

This research discusses "Farid Esack's Hermeneutics of Al-Qur'an Liberation" with a focus on the method of interpreting the Al-Qur'an proposed by Farid Esack in the context of liberation. Farid Esack, a contemporary Muslim thinker, proposed a hermeneutical approach that creates a new understanding of the holy text of the Koran, with the aim of fighting for social justice, gender equality and human liberation. The main challenge faced in this research involves a deep understanding of Farid Esack's thought, as well as its application to the text of the Koran. The interpretation process involving social, political and cultural contexts requires criticality and caution so that the results can achieve the desired goal of liberation. The relevance of this topic in the world of education today is very important considering the complexity of the challenges faced by Muslim communities. A deep understanding of the liberation hermeneutics of the Koran can make a significant contribution in forming views that are inclusive, progressive and support human rights. Therefore, this research is not only an academic contribution, but also has a practical impact in guiding thought and action in realizing a more just and harmonious society.

Bayang-Bayang Filsafat Yunani dalam Siluet Ushul Fikih

Abstract: This paper aims to elaborate on the intersection of ushul fiqh with the logic of Greek philosophy. This study also tries to explore whether there is contact between ushul fiqh scholars and Greek philosophical theories in formulating ushul fiqh science. This research is a library research by collecting data using books, articles, and the like. The data analysis used is content analysis method. The results of the research show that the entry of Greek philosophy into the Islamic world led to reconciliation. They bring together two different views. Their efforts eventually became a tool in the spread of philosophy and its penetration into Islamic studies, including ushul fiqh. Al-Shafi'i, as the first scholar to systematically formulate the science of ushul fiqh, should be suspected of being influenced by Greek philosophy, especially the logic of Aristotle's syllogism. The examples and similes in qiyas as well as the logic of Aristotle's syllogism show this influence. Qiyas, which originally meant dynamic free thought, changed in the post-Shafi'i era to become thought governed by important premises originating from the holy texts of the Qur'an and al-Hadith. As a result, qiyas becomes less productive because there are no truly new legal discoveries. The change was allegedly due to the inclusion of Aristotle's syllogistic logic.Keywords: Uhsul Fiqh, al-Syafi’i’s Qiyas’, Greek Philosophy, Aristotle's Syllogistic Logic

Breeding terrorism: an anomie’s anatomy of the terrorism in Indonesia

This article investigates the emergence of terrorism in Indonesia through the anomie sociological perspective. The data for this analysis was gathered from various sources, including documents of terrorist attacks in Indonesia from the internet, personal diaries, and interviews with terrorist prisoners. The anomie theory provides a means of analysis to illuminate the understanding of terrorism, its roots, and causes. From the anomie perspective, terrorism is not viewed as a savage group that allows the killing of innocent people nor a political party that wants to destroy and seize the secular government or Western countries. In the Indonesian context, terrorism is just seen as deviant groups or individuals resulted from global capitalism that destroys the equilibrium of the Muslim world. The anomie consists of two distinct forms: the terrorist attacks and the anomic interpretation of the Islamic holy text (Quran and Sunnah). Both conditions result in a threat to the government that they consider as infidel and aligned with the West. The anomie theory provides more promising remedies to abolish terrorism more permanently and to reduce the tensions between the government and the terrorists by proposing social integration and restoring equilibrium in the Muslim world, especially in Indonesia, as a focus for implementing these remedies.

The role of cognitive metaphor in the formation and presentation of Imam Ali’s Ideological System in Nahj al-Balagha

Cognitive metaphor, known as a set of mappings from the source domain to the target one, is to a large extent the basis of our understanding of the world; Therefore, it always occurs in our daily life and is used in various issues such as society, politics, law, philosophy, psychology, mathematics, etc. Considering the high capacity that this type of metaphor has in generating ideas, hypotheses, and theories, as well as persuading the audience and shaping behavior, it has been used as an efficient tool in Islamic holy texts; because these texts have conceptualized divine teachings and abstract concepts creatively and uniquely humans the correct way of life; understanding, analyzing and also transferring these teachings and concepts is possible with the help of conceptual metaphor. According to what has been said, it is necessary to use the cognitive approach in analyzing the discourse of Islamic holy texts; For this reason, the present study uses cognitive metaphor to analyze the metaphor: "THE WORLD IS AN INFERIOR ODIOUS OBJECT" in order specify the nature of the mentioned metaphor and explain how we understand it, and the role of this metaphor in creating transformation in human thought and behavior. The most important achievement of this research is that if the various conceptual metaphors in the world domain, which are the product of the scholarly and artistic conceptualization of Imam Ali (PBUH), enter the conceptual system of humans, it can change their vision and consequently their perceptions and actions, and in fact, lead to a fundamental cultural revolution.

Social and Cultural Interpretation of the Maleman Tradition in the Sasak Community of Lombok

Traditions in society is not only the product of the cultural heritage of a particular community that has been preserved for generations, but also of an interpretation of the transcendental values of teachings derived from the holy text of the Quran. It may also be the result of a marriage between religious understanding and the tradition of its adherents or the relationship between religion and local traditions. In this regard, this study aimed to unveil and analyze the cultural realities within the ‘Maleman’ tradition of the Sasak community as a product of interpreting the Quranic text regarding the night of ‘lailatul qadar’, which was the focal point of this study. Anchored in a phenomenological qualitative approach and an interactive analysis model from in-depth interviews and participant observations, symbolic meanings and religiosity values were discovered within the ‘Maleman’ tradition. It was the result of the Sasaknese community’s interpretation within their cultural landscape that has been preserved to this day. Additional findings indicated that the ritual of lighting the ‘dile Jojor’, a traditional torch made from the castor seeds, on the odd nights of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th of Ramadan was intended to welcome ‘laelatul qadar’, which the Sasak community of Lombok believed to be a night that must be ‘pursued’ (QS. al-Qadr [97]): 1-5 and guided by (QS. al-Taghabun [64]): 8. Similarly, the selection of raw materials for ‘Dile Jojor’ from the fruit of the ‘Jarak’ (Castor) tree, symbolically analogized from the term ‘syajarah mubarakah zaituna’ (QS. al-Nur [24]): 35. Both have a common element, namely they contain oil that can produce light.”

توحیدِربوبیت میں قرآن کا اسلوبِ بیان :ایک تجزیاتی مطالعہ

The concept of Tawheed, or the oneness of Allah, is central to Islamic beliefs. Within Tawheed, Tawheed Ruboobiyah t specifically emphasizes Allah's role as the supreme master and sustainer of all creation. This article examines how the Quran employs various rhetorical devices and linguistic techniques to reinforce this belief in the Lordship of Allah. By utilizing different stylistic features such as metaphors, repetition, rhyme, and others, the Quran not only provides logical arguments for Tawheed Ruboobiyah, but also showcases the eloquence and literary artistry of the holy text. The combined use of rational proofs and aesthetic elements engages readers intellectually and emotionally, encouraging deep reflection on this profound theological concept. This article analyzes the key verses related to Tawheed Ruboobiyah, highlighting the effective use of language in conveying its meaning and significance. It demonstrates how the Quran's eloquence stems from both its substantive message and artistic expression, working in unison to firmly establish faith in the oneness and lordship of Allah.

Konsep Keserasian Gender sebagai Resposn Wacana Kesetaraan Gender (Studi Analisis Tafsir Al-Mishbah Q.S. An-Nisa':34)

Gender equality is a Western concept that is well applied in its culture to humanize women, for the dark history experienced by women during the Middle Ages which had an impact on traumatic attitudes towards men and religious statements, and with this sensitive nature, feminist groups oppose statements that are valued gender bias, especially in the holy texts, by adhering to the concept of 'gender equality' which means equal as a whole. However, the results of applying the concept of gender equality to the Qur'an state that the statement of the Qur'an and the interpretation of previous scholars' values ​​is gender bias, especially in Q.S An Nisa': 34 regarding male leadership in the household, which is then responded by many Muslim leaders and even contemporary mufassir, one of them with the 'concept of gender harmony'. Therefore, this research will discuss how the application of the concept of gender equality to Q.S An Nisa': 34 and the response of Muslim leaders and commentators do they agree with 'gender equality', or are they against it? To answer this question, this research used a descriptive method. analysis related to the interpretation of Quraish Shihab who is a contemporary mufassir and critical thinker, thus in this study the results were obtained that in relations between men and women cannot be equalized as a whole as the concept of 'gender equality, because both have differences in nature which turn out to have been adjusted with their respective tasks such as discussing the concept of 'gender harmony'

The Qur’an in Europe, A European Qur’an: A History of Reading, Translation, Polemical Confrontation and Scholarly Appreciation

The broad interest in the emergence and presence of Islam and Muslims by Europe goes back to the centuries immediately following Muslim conquests and spread through the Mediterranean (from the 1st ce. AH / 7th cen. AD). A number of studies in the previous decades have discussed the perceptions and evaluations of Islam by Europeans from the Middle Ages till modern times, at times focusing on the Qur’an. How the Islamic holy text was known, collected in manuscripts, translated, read, used and polemically discussed in its contents from the 12th century until contemporary times is a chapter of European intellectual activity. Recent research and above all the projects financed by the European commission, which are currently being carried out, are a contribution to the study of the Qur’an and in particular to the history of the presence of the Qur’an in European consciousness. In this field the project “EuQu – The European Qur’an” is particularly significant; it has the ambition to demonstrate how the reading and uses of the Qur’an were important in the intellectual, cultural and religious developments of Europe through the ages.

Methodological Naturalism and Methodological Secularism Scale

Scholars within and across fields such as the psychology of religion, sociology of religion, cognitive science of religion, religious studies, and theology often argue about the values and norms that ought to guide “academic” research in religion. Is it appropriate in the academy to explain religious phenomena by referring to supernatural forces (such as spirits or gods) as causal agents or to defend one’s scholarly arguments by appealing to the holy texts accepted as authoritative within one’s religious coalition? Debates surrounding such questions have remained intractable for decades in part because they have been based on anecdotal personal experiences rather than clear empirical data. This article presents the Methodological Naturalism-Methodological Secularism scale, a new survey instrument capable of moving forward debates about scholarly values in the academic study of religion. This initial deployment of the MNMS scale in a population of religion scholars (N=284) clarifies extant commitments, challenges common caricatures, and reveals unfamiliar configurations of academic values.

The Holy Bible as the Word of God

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate both internally and externally, that the Holy Bible is indeed the Word of God so that believers become firmer in believing it and love it more as their holy text. Christians consider the Bible to be sacred because it contains messages from God. This is very important because there are many erroneous and misleading teachings about the Bible, which teach that the Bible contains the Word of God, the Bible being the Word of God and the Bible not being the Word of God. Irrespective, believers need to follow the rules it contains for living life and can turn to the teachings of Jesus Christ for moral and the deepest spiritual guidance. The research method used by the author was a qualitative one with a systematic theology study approach, because the domain of this research is in the field of theology, specifically Systematic Theology. In proving internally that the Bible is the Word of God, the primary and only source is the Bible itself with its self-authenticating Scriptures. The Bible is in essence true because it says it is true, and it is the Holy Spirit that bears witness to its profound truths. In proving externally that the Bible is the Word of God, the sources are books. Internal proof that the Bible is the Word of God is the teaching of Jesus, the teaching of Paul, Peter and others, the teaching of important terms, and the teaching of the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. External evidence that the Bible is the Word of God is evident through the uniqueness of the Bible and evidence through archaeological evidence (inter alia, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Nuzi Inscriptions, Ebla Inscriptions, Discovery in Mari).

Tafsir Otentik dan Tafsir Infiltratif: Studi Kritis dalam Metodologi Tafsir

Al-Qur'an is the word of God which is the source of Islamic teachings in various dimensions of life, such as legal, social, worship, and so on. The verses of the Qur'an cannot always be understood or interpreted explicitly, sometimes the implied meaning is more substantive than the explicit meaning. To understand the meaning of the Qur'an implicitly requires special knowledge, namely the science of interpretation and other supporting prerequisite sciences. A meaning that is close to the truth can be obtained from the holy text of the Qur'an. Basically, the method of interpreting the Koran is divided into two, namely the interpretation of bi al-ma'tsur and the interpretation of bi al-ra'yi. Tafsir bi al-ma'tsur is a method of interpretation that is based on the Qur'an, as-Sunnah, the words of the Prophet’s companions and tabiin. Meanwhile, the interpretation of bi al-ra'yi is based on the scholar's ijtihad. Interpretation based on religious sources, which spirit and breath are based on the Qur'an, as-Sunnah, the words of the prophet’s companions or tabiin are referred to al-ashil (authentic interpretation). Meanwhile, al-dakhil (deviation interpretation) is a false interpretation because it does not contain interpretation elements outlined by salafussholeh or deviations in interpretation.

Philosophy and Theology Based on the Philosopher Réne Girard: A Reflection

This study aims to examine in a simple way when talking about Réne Girard's mimetic desire to be connected with narratives of sacrifice that are synonymous with violence, especially—besides speaking in other scientific disciplines—theology in the narratives of the Judeo-Christian scripture tradition. This research uses qualitative research methods with literature study. Literature study by looking at the interplay of philosophy and theology through the lens of Réne Girard. The results of the research show that there is a rationalization/perpetuation of violence through narration to practice, both within the state, the church and in the holy texts themselves. Through the light of the mimetic desire in the narrative of Yusuf and his brothers and the narrative of King Solomon and his two wives who claim children born from their respective wombs, it shows that 2 of the many texts which are patterned on characterizing violence are identical to these praxis-narratives.

Critical comprehension of various translations of surah al-Baqarah 8-13: a Theological and Linguistic analysis

In this article we have made an attempt to critically comprehend ten translations of the 8-13 ayahs of surah “al-Baqara” into Russian, considered in the order of their publication, which allowed us to trace their certain semantic transformation. So, modern translations more emphasize the internal irrational processes, separating the Arabic verbs sensation (شعر) and belief (علِم), in contrast to their predecessors, translating these verbs as synonyms, thus emphasizing the importance of rational processes, relying on tafsirs, which have also undergone some changes of meaning over time. On the basis of the critical comprehension of various translations of the above ayats of the Quran, as well as four tafsirs, a theological and linguistic analysis of this text fragment was carried out, as a result of which the assumption of two kinds of hypocrites was put forward: those who realize their hypocrisy and those who do not realize (or do not want to realize), taking the likeness of faith for the true faith. This circumstance made it possible to understand the reasons for the different approaches to the translation of the Arabic verbs شعر and علِم. Thus, in the earlier translations of the Qur'an these verbs are translated as synonyms, since according to the early tafsirs, on which the authors of these translations apparently relied, this fragment of the Holy Text refers to a group of people knowingly hypocriting about their faith in order to gain personal benefits. Their hypocrisy is conscious, i.e. rationally meaningful, due to which the translators used the verb of the group of feeling شعر to denote the meaning of the verb of belief علِم. In later translations of the Quran, as well as in modern tafsirs, which we reviewed in this paper, no clear indication of a specific group of people (which was found in the comments of D. Boguslavsky) or that the hypocrisy of these people is conscious. In these works, the focus of the authors' attention shifts to the processes occurring in the heart (in the soul), which allows us to speak of a category of people who are hypocrites unconsciously, who are sure that they believe, that they are doing good, people who do not want to recognize their unbelief, who do not define it, who do not feel it because their hearts are sick. In this connection, it seems to us that the later translators emphasize the difference in meaning between the verb sensation (شعر) and the verb belief (علِم). This fact gives rise to a reflection on one's own position regarding belief, which on a rational level may be quite convincing, but on an irrational level may raise some doubts.

Uses of Quranic Quotations in the Poetry of Abu Ishaq al-Ilibiri al-Andalus (460 AH)

The research aims to observe the manifestations of employing the meanings of the Noble Qur'an in the poetry of Abu Ishaq Al-Ilbiri (d. 460 AH), known for his outstanding common meanings of wisdom in his poetry. Because wisdom in Muslim culture is not isolated from the interpretations of the Qur'an, there are uses that need to be examined and their meanings analyzed in his poetry in general. The study was divided into two sections: textual uses dominated by the Qur'anic pronunciation, and indicative ones dominated by Qur'anic meanings, whose meaning has the clearest link to the holy text. On the one hand, the study was conducted to monitor the reference to the Qur'anic text and, on the other hand to clarify the general technical features that govern this employment and identify the poet's ingenuity in it.
 Keywords: recruitment, poetry, pronunciation, meaning, the Qur'an