The Domain of the Qur’an

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Abstract

The domain of the Qur’an has been one of the issues which have raised various viewpoints among the Muslim scholars, particularly in recent decades that it has been more widely welcomed due to the Muslims increasing attention to their Revealed Book and their encountering with the views of other religions and schools. In this respect, three viewpoints can be clearly seen among the Muslim thinkers:

Maximal viewpoint, which says the Qur’an practically includes all sciences – even the human and natural sciences – in its apparent terminology.
Minimal viewpoint, that believes the Qur’an not only does not undertake to elucidate the human sciences but it also does not fully include the discourses in religious category.
Apart from these two viewpoints, there is also a moderate viewpoint that contains three different interpretations: comprehensiveness in guidance and education; comprehensiveness for the elect audience, i.e., the Prophet and the Infallible Imams (A.S.); and comprehensiveness in religious ordinances.

After analyzing the evidences of the first two viewpoints, the present article criticizes both and eventually selects the third moderate viewpoint, and proves it by Qur’anic, narrative and rational evidences.