QURANICA - International Journal of Quranic Research

The Development of Qur’ānic Studies in Japan: An Exploratory Overview

Muhamad Alihanafiah bin Norasid — 2025-12-19

This article examines the development of Qur’ān studies, which form the core of Islamic teaching in Japan. Qur’ān education is also viewed as the most effective avenue for spreading the message of da ‘wah to Japanese residents. Considering that Islam is a minority religion in Japan, the strengthening of this education is spearheaded by non-governmental Islamic institutions, including da ‘wah NGOs, mosque institutions, and Islamic schools. This study uses a qualitative exploratory approach focusing on major Islamic institutions such as the Japan Muslim Association (JMA), the Islamic Centre of Japan, the Japan Da’wah Centre (JDC), and the Hokkaido Islamic Society (HIS), which actively organize Qur’ān studies. The main aspects examined include recitation (tilāwah), interpretation (tafsīr), and reflective study (tadabbur) of the Qur’ān, as well as initiatives to translate tafsīr into Japanese as a means of spreading Islam. The findings indicate that Qur’ān studies play an important role in strengthening the Islamic identity of second-generation Japanese Muslims and creating constructive interfaith dialogue. In addition, the efforts to translate and adapt study materials to the Japanese cultural context are seen as effective steps to bring non-Muslim society closer to the teachings of the Qur’ān. The study suggests that Qur’ān study programmes should be reinforced through structured training for instructors, development of bilingual study materials, and empowerment of Islamic institutions as authoritative and inclusive centers of da ‘wah and Islamic education.

A Relevance Theory Approach to the Pragmatic Interpretation of Surah Al-Mulk

Nurul Hanilah Mohd Ismath — 2025-12-19

The Qur’ān employs a wide range of rhetorical strategies in conveying its message to humanity, referred to in Arabic as uslūb (plural: asālīb). Among these strategies is the use of interrogative constructions. A considerable number of interrogative verses in the Qur’ān are not intended to function as literal questions; rather, they convey layered and implicit meanings. Inaccurate interpretation of such interrogatives may therefore lead to a distorted understanding of the Qur’ānic message. This study aims to identify interrogative verses in Sūrah al-Mulk and to elucidate both their explicit and implicit meanings within their respective textual contexts. Data analysis is conducted through a pragmatic framework grounded in Relevance Theory as proposed by Sperber and Wilson (1986), adapted to Qur’ānic textual analysis through reference to authoritative classical exegetical works (tafsīr muʿtabar). A total of twelve interrogative verses were identified in Sūrah al-Mulk and selected as the corpus of analysis. The findings reveal that interrogative constructions in Sūrah al-Mulk serve a range of rhetorical functions, including admonition, warning, threat, reproach, and the evocation of fear in the audience. Such usage underscores the aesthetic refinement, semantic depth, and expressive richness of Qur’ānic discourse in guiding human reflection and moral awareness. Accordingly, the ability to discern both the explicit and implicit meanings of Qur’ānic interrogatives is essential for Muslims, in order to avoid misinterpretation of the divine message.

Psychospiritual Therapy Based on the Concept of Peace of Soul According to Al-Tafsir Al-Kabir in Dealing with At-Risk Adolescents

Mohd Manawi Mohd Akib — 2025-12-26

At-risk adolescents spiritual weakness is mostly caused by a lack of understanding about faith, worship, and values, which has an impact on their well-being. As a result, the purpose of this article is to highlight the concept of peace of soul through Fakhr al-Din al-Razi’s interpretation of relevant Quranic verses from his work al-Tafsir al-Kabir and its application as Islamic psychospiritual therapy. This study uses a qualitative method, analysing al-Razi’s interpretation and its relationship to the elements of Islamic psychotherapy. The study’s findings indicate that al-Razi’s interpretation of verses about peace of mind could be applied to faith therapy, worship therapy, Sufism therapy, and intellectual therapy when dealing with at-risk youth. This result emphasises the importance of relationships with Allah SWT, such as religion and good deeds, in developing psychological stability. As a result, this study recommends that Islamic Psychotherapy therapy based on al-Razi’s interpretation be used to design more effective and integrated intervention programs for dealing with the psychological difficulties of today's teenagers.

The Identification of Sidr in Islamic Scripture Based on Elaboration of Turath and its Compatibility with Contemporary Data in Botany

Thuraya Ahmad — 2025-12-26

Topics related to plants in Islamic scripture have gained considerable attention in scholarly discussions. The sidr plant is among those that have received particular attention in studies in Southeast Asia. However, the explanations put forward in these studies do not fully correspond to sidr as described in the Arabic books of antiquity (ABA). To address this, this study aims to present an identification of sidr mentioned in the Holy Quran and authentic hadith. The sidr that constitutes the focus of this study is related to worldly life, instead of the Hereafter, which is among divine transcendental subjects. Methodologically, this study employs a qualitative approach using library research to collect data from ABA sources as well as from authoritative contemporary botanical data. The collected data is then interpreted through content analysis to identify sidr. The findings show that the sidr discussed in scriptures refers to two West Asian lote trees bearing the binomial nomenclatures Ziziphus spina-christi and Ziziphus nummularia. Whereas other plants that closely resemble them are classified as ‘unnāb based on the original usage of the Arabic language. This study recommends referring to ABA sources in order to accurately identify the plants mentioned in the Quranic text and hadith. Furthermore, the integration of botanical scientific data with information from ABA can reinforce knowledge about these plants. Accordingly, a correct identification of sidr within the texts can be obtained. Based on the accurate knowledge of the meaning of sidr, any intended research, discourse, product advertising, and ideas that incorporate this plant into a Quranic botanical garden will not be tainted by factual inaccuracies.

Zulkifli Mohd Yusoff & Zaini Ujang (2023), Tafsir Mawdu’i Sungai, Kajang: Akademi Jawi Malaysia. 251 Pages, ISBN 978-967-2422-50-1

Norhasnira Ibrahim — 2025-12-29

Book Review

Systematic Destruction and Contemporary Ecological Crises: A Quranic Maqasid-based Perspective on Environmental Protection

Ali Ali Gobaili Saged — 2025-12-26

This study aims to analyze existential environmental crises from a Quranic and maqāṣid perspective by relating them to concepts such as ḫilāfa (stewardship) and the prohibition of fasād (corruption). Employing a descriptive‑analytical methodology alongside a maqāṣid‑based inductive approach to derive the Quranic vision, the research reveals that systematic environmental destruction constitutes a flagrant breach of the Quranic injunctions promoting cosmic equilibrium and moderation in consumption. It demonstrates how various forms of human activity—both material and moral—have exacerbated these crises. Furthermore, contemporary scholars of Islamic objectives concur that environmental preservation represents a sharʿī (legal) objective underpinned by texts in the Qur’ān and Sunnah (e.g., the prohibitions against destroying cultivable land and undermining progeny), yet they diverge regarding the mechanisms for actualizing this objective within the broader maqāṣid framework. The originality of the study lies in proposing a practical model that bridges Quranic legislation with modern environmental challenges, illustrating how an Islamic paradigm—rooted in the Qur’ān—offers ethical and legislative solutions to avert ecological collapse.

The Dawah Aspects in the Interpretation of the Holy Quran by Imam Muhammad Rashid Rida: Surah Al-Imran as a Model - An Analytical Study

Safwan Mahyoub Ghaleb Amer — 2025-12-26

The interpretation of the Holy Quran holds a pivotal position in clarifying its meanings and guiding its Da'wah (Islamic propagation) message. Tafsir al-Manar (The Beacon Interpretation) by Imam Muhammad Rashid Rida emerges as one of the most prominent modern interpretations, combining authenticity with contemporary relevance, and distinguished by its exceptional attention to aspects of Da'wah. In light of the challenges facing contemporary Islamic Da'wah, this study comes to shed light on the Da'wah methodology presented by the Imam in his interpretation. The fundamental problem lies in the noticeable weakness in contemporary Da'wah reality. Therefore, this research seeks to focus on Surah Al-Imran (The Family of Imran) as an applied model. It aims to address aspects of Da'wah shortcomings among contemporary preachers by relying on the methodology proposed by the Imam, and to derive an integrated Da'wah approach that preachers can benefit from to develop their performance and confront contemporary challenges. Tafsir al-Manar is considered a valuable reference for the integrated Da'wah methodology, as it combines doctrinal, educational, and social dimensions, making it a guiding light for preachers in the modern era.

Psychological Signs in Marriage Verses: A Quranic Makasid Study

Mosab Mahmoud Al-Maayta — 2025-12-26

This study aims to uncover the psychological signals embedded in the Qur’anic verses concerning marriage and to demonstrate their impact on building marital relationships and fostering tranquility, affection, and mercy between spouses—reflecting the higher objectives (maqasid) of Islamic marriage legislation. The researcher adopted an inductive-analytical methodology to trace relevant verses, analyze their psychological and legal implications, and connect them to contemporary familial and societal contexts. The findings reveal that Qur’anic legislation on marriage goes beyond formal contracts and external rulings, encompassing profound objectives such as psychological stability, emotional fulfillment, human complementarity, and the preservation of the family unit. The study highlights the central role of psychological dimensions in Qur’anic discourse as a foundation for instilling emotional and behavioral values that ensure the success, continuity, and stability of marital life. The study concludes that the psychological signals in Qur’anic marriage verses are marked by precision and miraculous depth, effectively contributing to the realization of marriage objectives and the reinforcement of family foundations, stability, and happiness. It recommends that contemporary Qur’anic studies be further developed to incorporate psychological, social, and legal dimensions that enhance the objectives of Islamic law within personal status systems.

The Cancellation of Male Guardianship over Women in the Beijing Conference: An Analysis Based on the Quran and Sunnah

Arwa Binti Omar Balbead — 2025-12-29

Man's guardianship over women is a human instinct and divine wisdom aimed at preserving the family. Meanwhile, the Beijing Convention, which emerged in 1995, called for the abolition of guardianship. The problem addressed in this research is that the Beijing Convention proposed procedures to abolish guardianship, leading to conflict between men and women and the disintegration of the Muslim family. This study employed an inductive and critical analytical approach, aiming to clarify the procedures proposed by the Beijing Convention to strip away guardianship and critique them in light of the Quran and Sunnah. The study concluded with findings that guardianship is a legitimate mandate, with specific regulations that men must adhere to. All doubts raised about guardianship are weak and rebuttable. In light of the study of the Beijing Convention's stance on the abolition of guardianship, it is evident that such abolition would destabilize the structure of the Muslim family and that guardianship preserves women's rights.

The Role of Spiritual Prescriptions in Managing Physical Illness: A Study of the ‘Epistle for the Sick’ in Risale-i Nur

Raudlotul Firdaus Fatah Yasin — 2025-12-10

This study explores Epistle for the Sick by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1877–1960), part of the Risale-i Nur collection, which offers spiritual guidance for managing physical illness through Qur’anic insights. Nursi interprets health and sickness as complementary aspects of human existence, where illness serves as a means of purification, reflection, and closeness to Allah. In the post-COVID-19 era, global health challenges have not only affected the body but also weakened mental and spiritual resilience due to prolonged isolation and fear. Adopting Nursi’s framework, this paper examines illness as a spiritual opportunity rather than a misfortune. Using a qualitative-inductive methodology, data from primary and secondary sources were analyzed thematically. Findings reveal that illness, when viewed through a Qur’anic lens, should not be feared but embraced as a divine blessing that brings lessons, patience, gratitude, and moral refinement. Nursi emphasizes that sickness can serve as an investment for eternal success in the Hereafter, teaching believers reliance on divine mercy and avoidance of sinful behavior. The paper further argues that modern secular educational models, particularly those influenced by Western philosophies, have overshadowed spiritual and moral development. In contrast, Nursi’s Qur’anic perspective promotes balance between material knowledge and spiritual wisdom. His teachings provide a holistic approach to healing—uniting body, mind, and soul. In the post-pandemic context, this spiritual framework offers individuals renewed faith, resilience, and inner peace while underscoring the need for educational reform that integrates Islamic and modern paradigms.

Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on Qur'anic Learning in Indonesia (2014-2024)

Kusnadi — 2025-12-10

This study provides a comprehensive review of research developments on Qur'anic learning in Indonesia during 2014–2024. It aims to map themes, trends, methodological approaches, and challenges while also identifying opportunities for future research. Using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, data were collected from Google Scholar and Scopus through the Publish or Perish version 8 application with four keywords: "Qur'anic Education in Indonesia," "Learning to Read the Qur'an," "Qur'anic Learning in Indonesia," and "Developments in Qur'anic Learning." From an initial 2,053 documents, screening with PRISMA criteria resulted in 70 English-language journal articles for analysis. Thematic analysis and bibliometric visualization were conducted using VOSviewer to map relationships among keywords, themes, authors, and institutions. The findings reveal two main poles in the literature: the theoretical-critical and the applicative-pedagogical. The theoretical-critical pole addresses Qur'anic interpretation, hermeneutics, gender justice, and contextual readings, while the applicative-pedagogical pole highlights learning strategies, practices in pesantren and Islamic schools, educational technology, and Qur'an-based curriculum development. These dynamics demonstrate that research over the last decade not only reinforces educational practice but also broadens interpretive perspectives of the sacred text within shifting social contexts. This study contributes by presenting a thematic and trend map of Qur'anic learning in Indonesia and by offering directions for future inquiry. It encourages interdisciplinary and anthropological approaches to better understand Qur'anic learning in its social, cultural, and educational contexts. Such perspectives are expected to enrich academic discourse and enable Qur'anic education to respond more effectively to contemporary transformations.

Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) of Tahfiz Teachers’ Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes in Implementing Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTs)

Mohd Faizulamri Mohd Saad — 2025-12-10

Tahfiz teachers recognize the importance of applying Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTs) in the process of teaching Hifz al-Quran. The objective of the study is to examine the relationships among knowledge, skills and attitude of tahfiz teachers in implementing HOTs while also investigating whether years of teaching experience and frequency of professional training moderate these relationships. This study uses quantitative research methods. The research sample includes 198 teachers from different tahfiz institution in Malaysia. The data are analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and SPSS Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) software. The analysis yields significant direct relationships between knowledge, skills and attitude. However, no significant moderating effects of teaching experience or training frequency were found. These findings highlight that teacher competencies in knowledge, skills and attitude are interdependent and essential for effective HOTs implementation in tahfiz education. This study implies that the SEM related to teachers’ competency will serve as a baseline framework for future research in educational field.

Reassessing Qurʾānic Codification: A Critical Appraisal of Nicolai Sinai’s Methodology

Zulfikri — 2025-12-10

This article reassesses Nicolai Sinai’s account of Qurʾānic codification and situates it within current debates on the textual history of the Qurʾān. It evaluates Sinai’s claim that the consonantal skeleton (rasm) attained closure under the caliph ʿUthmān in the mid-seventh century and examines his use of three evidence streams: Islamic historiography, internal textual analysis, and early epigraphic/manuscript data. To sharpen the appraisal, the study introduces a comparative frame that juxtaposes Sinai’s findings and methods with those of Fred M. Donner and Angelika Neuwirth, who represent influential but distinct approaches to the Qurʾān’s formation. The comparison shows how differing evidentiary priorities and hermeneutic assumptions yield divergent chronologies and mechanisms of fixation. On balance, the material and codicological indicators substantively support an early codification compatible, though not identical, with Donner’s reconstruction and partially convergent with Neuwirth’s canon-formation account. The article contributes the first tightly integrated, method-centred comparison of Sinai with Donner and Neuwirth and proposes explicit evidentiary-weighting criteria—prioritising material over internal textual over narrative sources when in tension—to guide future codification research. It concludes by underscoring how methodological choices decisively shape scholarly reconstructions of when and how the Qurʾān became textually stable.

Qur’anic Rational-Based Proofs of Resurrection: A Thematic Study of Surah Yā Sīn

Ibrahim Elshahat — 2025-12-10

This study investigates the rational Qur’anic-based proofs of resurrection in the Qur’an with a specific focus on Surah Yā Sīn as a comprehensive model. The research begins with an inductive examination of the general Qur’anic methodology in establishing resurrection, identifying its principal argumentative strategies such as empirical analogies, rational inferences, and moral consequences and traces how classical scholars of Tafsīr and ʿAqīdah engaged with these proofs. It then shifts to a focused analysis of Surah Yā Sīn, assessing whether it embodies the full range of evidentiary types used across the Qur’an. The chapter’s use of narrative devices, sensory analogies, ontological reversals, and appeals to divine power and justice are examined both structurally and thematically. Through this dual approach, the study demonstrates that Qur’anic argumentation for resurrection is not only rationally sound but also evidential of the divine origin of revelation and, by extension, the truthfulness of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The findings affirm the coherence, universality, and strategic depth of Qur’anic reasoning on one of Islam’s central tenets: the resurrection. It also opens a new horizon for reflecting on the methods of the Qur’an on proving the core existential issues of humanity; including believing in Allah, Resurrection, purpose of life, and Prophethood.

Trends and Themes in Al-Quran Teaching and Learning: A Bibliometric Analysis

Ku Mohd Syarbaini Ku Yaacob — 2025-12-10

Qur’anic pedagogy prepares future teachers and students to face modern educational challenges. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis to examine research patterns, trends, sources, authors, institutions, and themes in this field. Data were collected from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) and analyzed using ScientoPy and VOSviewer. Findings show significant growth in Al-Quran teaching and learning research from 1990 to 2025. “Cumhuriyet Ilahiyat Dergisi” and “Religions” were identified as the most prominent source titles, while frequently used author keywords included Religious Education, Islamic Education, and Quran. The most cited articles focused on Quran teaching, structured literature reviews, and cross-sectional analyses. Overall, This study highlights the need for the discipline to adapt to 21st-century issues, with sustainability and curriculum development emerging as potential areas for future research beneficial to academics, educators, and policymakers.

Qurʾānic Theologoumena in Ibn Al-Layth’s Missive to Byzantium: Scripting the Sīrah in Epistolary Form

Ahmad Sanusi Azmi — 2025-12-19

By the late eighth century, the Muslim Caliphate sought to exert pressure on the Byzantine Empire by dispatching a warning letter after the Byzantine emperor ceased paying tribute to the Abbasids. Although formally structured as a diplomatic missive, the letter predominantly contained apologetic arguments defending key tenets of the Islamic faith particularly the prophethood of Muḥammad. As a result, some scholars have regarded this letter as a supplementary source for the Sīrah Nabawiyyah. This study aims to examine the theological discourse embedded within the letter and to analyse the rationale behind the inclusion of Qurʾānic references by its author, Ibn al-Layth (d. c. 203/819). It also investigates how Qurʾānic verses operate as rhetorical and theological elements within Abbasid diplomatic letters and assesses how Ibn al-Layth’s usage both aligns with and diverges from other examples of the genre. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research utilizes textual analysis to explore each Qurʾānic verse cited in relation to the Prophet’s early life. These verses are examined within their historical context, with attention given to the evolving contours of Muslim theological thought. The findings suggest that Ibn al-Layth may have adopted rhetorical and epistolary conventions attributed to the Prophet himself, reflecting a broader practice among Muslim courts of reinforcing diplomatic correspondence with appropriate Qurʾānic citations.

Systematic Destruction and Contemporary Ecological Crises: A Quranic Maqasid-based Perspective on Environmental Protection

Ali Ali Gobaili Saged — 2025-12-15

Systematic Destruction and Contemporary Ecological Crises: A Quranic Maqasid-based Perspective on Environmental Protection

Ali Ali Gobaili Saged — 2025-12-15