Study of the Viewpoints of Muslim Interpreters and Western Qur’ān Researchers on the Meaning of “Furqān” in the Qur’ān

There are complicated words in the Qur’ān, each one of which have been used in a different context. One of them is furqān. The earlier and later Muslim interpreters have tried to consider various meanings for them such as book, Torah, Gospel, and the distinction between truth and falsehood since they have taken for granted the Arabic origin of this word. However, contrary to the Muslim interpreters, the Western scientists do not believe in the Arabic origin of this word as they rely on comparative etymological methods of the Semitic languages; rather, they consider it to be originated from the Syriac “purqana” meaning salvation. By comparing the viewpoints of these two groups, the writer suggests a new root for furqān and believes that contrary to their view this word is a combination of “purqana” meaning salvation and the Syriac “purqadana” meaning “command”. In critically reviewing the claimant of the writer of the article, we have concluded that according to the context of some of the verses that concern the Revealed Books, an originally Arabic root and meaning of light can be maintained for it, and in respect to the context of other verses that concern the salvation of the people of Banī Isrā’īl and the victory of the Muslims over the Polytheists, a Semitic/Syriac root can be considered for it.