درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

The Holy Qur’an is a guide for humanity toward felicity in all eras, and at the same time, it contains precise scientific indications intended to guide scholars. This study, using a descriptive-analytical method and drawing upon library-based sources, examines one such scientific indication in verse 27 of Sura al-Mursalāt. This verse addresses the conditions and characteristics of water storage in elevated mountains for the benefit of human populations dwelling in foothills and plains. The data collected for this study were categorized into two groups: Qur’anic and scientific. The Qur’anic data were extracted from both classical and contemporary exegetical sources, while the scientific data were derived from academic articles in the fields of geography and geology. In the first step, five key terms— jaʿalnā , rawāsī , shāmikhāt , asqaynākum , and furāt —were subjected to etymological and semantic analysis. In the second step, scientific findings were compared with these exegetical insights. The results indicate that the Qur’an in this verse alludes to the hydrological cycle, specifically the movement of water from high elevations on the Earth’s surface toward foothills and plains. Scientific findings clarify the significance of God’s designation of “uplifted mountains” as the primary source of water for humanity. This significance lies in two main aspects: first, such mountains have a higher capacity than plains for receiving precipitation—especially in the form of snow—which is generally more voluminous and less polluted; second, these mountains are more capable of storing water, enhancing its quality, and conveying it through surface and subterranean channels to consumer ecosystems, including vegetation, wildlife, and human settlements. In the absence of towering mountains, the global water cycle would be deficient and limited primarily to coastal regions. The results also indicated that the phrase rawāsī shāmikhāt reflects the Qur’an’s explicit reference to a remarkable scientific fact: the gradual growth of mountains. This progressive uplift is today corroborated by findings from geology and geodesy in the major mountain ranges of the world.

The concept of myth within the Qur’an has been a subject of extensive scholarly inquiry among Orientalists, offering diverse perspectives and methodologies. Angelika Neuwirth, a prominent Qur’anic scholar, has made significant contributions to this field by examining the Qur’anic historical narratives and proposing a connection between these narratives and the concept of myth. In her view, myths function as narratives that employ archetypes to illuminate and interpret the world. To substantiate her claims, Neuwirth adopts a contextual approach, drawing upon the methodologies of biblical criticism. Emphasizing microstructures and contextual details of Qur’anic verses, this approach aims to uncover the origins of the stories and historical narratives in the Qur’an, attributing them to the social and theological milieu of early Muslims. It posits that these narratives are deeply rooted in the socio-theological milieu of early Muslims. Aligning with this approach, Neuwirth characterizes numerous Qur’anic stories and events as myths that have been shaped by archetypes embedded in the collective unconscious of the Qur’an’s audience. This paper employs a descriptive-analytical methodology, coupled with a comprehensive review of relevant literature, to critically evaluate the methodological underpinnings and presuppositions of the contextual approach to Qur’anic myth. Neuwirth's perspective is examined as a representative of this scholarly trend. The findings of this study reveal that, beyond methodological shortcomings, Neuwirth's approach is subject to several criticisms. These include an overemphasis on context as the sole determinant of Qur’anic knowledge, a neglect of the fundamental distinctions between the Qur’an and the Bible concerning the concept of revelation, and an overlooking of the distinct processes of compilation and canonization that shaped these two texts.

Due to the long-standing nature of the discourse surrounding it, the definition of justice has evolved within a wide range of theories that attempt to define it. Each theory in the intellectual history of humankind that has sought to define justice has done so based on its foundational commitments. Consequently, the definition of justice is intrinsically linked to the theoretical framework from which it emerges. This article seeks to review several liberal theories of justice—particularly those of Hume, Kant, and Adam Smith—and to demonstrate that, despite their internal variations, these theories are characterized by a secular orientation. The central question this article addresses is whether Imām Riḍā's (PBUH) teachings offer any response to the secular foundations underpinning these theories. In the findings section, drawing on the dialogue between ʿAllāma Ṭabāṭabāʾī and Henry Corbin, the paper argues that secularism, by emphasizing anthropomorphic theology (tashbīh) and rejecting transcendent theology (tanzīh) along with the metaphysical dimension of divinity, has enabled the secular and worldly interpretation of various dimensions of human life—including justice. In the final section and conclusion, the focus turns to the link between Imamate and justice, highlighting the potential of the Razavi hadiths to critique secular theories of justice.