Leiden University Student Repository

Koçak, Yunus Emre Y.E. (2025)

Naẓm al-Qur’ān: A Comparative Study of Ishārāt al-Iʿjāz and Naẓm al-Durar

Master thesis | Middle Eastern Studies (MA)

This thesis explores the concept of Naẓm (composition and coherence) in the Quran and its relation to the doctrine of Iʿjāz (inimitability). The study focuses on the works of two key scholars: Burhān al-Dīn al-Biqāʿī (1406–1480) and Saʿīd Nūrsī (1877–1960), who applied Naẓm in their exegeses, Naẓm al-Durar and Ishārāt al-Iʿjāz, respectively. While Naẓm has historically been considered a proof of the Quran's divine nature, this thesis argues that its interpretation and application vary among scholars, leading to a degree of subjectivity in how the Quran's coherence is understood. By comparing the methodologies of al-Biqāʿī and Nūrsī in their interpretation of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah, the study demonstrates how Naẓm provides flexibility in exegesis and accommodates diverse understandings while reinforcing the Quran’s linguistic and structural uniqueness. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions in Islamic theology and Quranic studies, highlighting the balance between structure, meaning...Show moreThis thesis explores the concept of Naẓm (composition and coherence) in the Quran and its relation to the doctrine of Iʿjāz (inimitability). The study focuses on the works of two key scholars: Burhān al-Dīn al-Biqāʿī (1406–1480) and Saʿīd Nūrsī (1877–1960), who applied Naẓm in their exegeses, Naẓm al-Durar and Ishārāt al-Iʿjāz, respectively. While Naẓm has historically been considered a proof of the Quran's divine nature, this thesis argues that its interpretation and application vary among scholars, leading to a degree of subjectivity in how the Quran's coherence is understood. By comparing the methodologies of al-Biqāʿī and Nūrsī in their interpretation of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah, the study demonstrates how Naẓm provides flexibility in exegesis and accommodates diverse understandings while reinforcing the Quran’s linguistic and structural uniqueness. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions in Islamic theology and Quranic studies, highlighting the balance between structure, meaning, and interpretative subjectivity in understanding the Quran’s miraculous nature.Show less

Naẓm, Qur'ān, Naẓm al-Durar, Ishārāt al-Iʿjāz

Author

Koçak, Yunus Emre Y.E.

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Quranic studies

Supervisors

Peter Webb

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en