Surplus of Meaning or Suspending Philology?: Some Reflections on Philological Ramification in Classical Qur'an Commentary

Abstract

This study examines the philological data criteria used for exploring the genuine meanings and denominators of Arabic verbatim of the Qur'an by Muslim exegetes of the classical period, with a special focus on the philological ramification of the commentary of dhalika l-kit & amacr;b pattern in Q 2:2. Having attained the status of a corpus (kitab) in the aftermath of a very long-phased oral tradition, the Qur'an's textus receptus reflects both portrayals of verbality and scriptural traits embedded in its Arabic verbatim yielded by the compilation process. The Qur'an, representing a junction spot for oral and written traditions in Arab culture, is known to be molded according to the Arabic language register and also formalized the language's post facto grammar. In this vein, the Qur'anic text bears a reflexive affiliation with its pertinent language. This article argues that the lingual reciprocity between the Qur'anic text and its language underwent a critical suspension through commentaries when the case was Qur'an's al-kitab. In this article, the first layer of the data reflects the historical background of the term kitab. Then, it construes the word within Qur'an's cross-references. It exemplifies commentaries on the dhalika l-kit & amacr;b pattern, circumventing philological evidence. After elucidating different grounds leading to philological ramification, I argue that a philological inference from the Qur'an nests in its fullest sense only when the commentator credits historical data and cross-references within the Qur'anic content.