Quranic Humanities

Knowledge is Power: Nations with advanced knowledge are more successful in building robust internal systems, driving forward national progress, and even extending their cultural influence to other countries. Undoubtedly, knowledge is cumulative. Wherever diligent individuals adopt a critical, self-reliant, and proactive mindset—eschewing blind imitation and self-deprecation—they have discovered the missing pieces of knowledge, critiqued and refined what was produced, and either expanded the boundaries of science or, at the very least, elevated it. By addressing weaknesses and shortcomings, they have brought knowledge home, becoming pioneers of new sciences. They have transformed their countries into hubs of scientific innovation and, at times, exporters of knowledge to other regions of the world. A notable example is the transmission of knowledge between Islamic civilization and Western civilization in recent centuries. No historian or researcher can deny the West’s indebtedness to the scientific heritage of Muslims. The perseverance and focus of Western scholars in addressing new unknowns allowed them, after acquiring knowledge from Muslims, to refine, optimize, and expand it, ultimately producing the necessary sciences and technologies. All this was made possible through the efforts of dedicated scholars, supported by their nations.
Even today, this process is ongoing. Self-confidence and the collective determination of a nation that believes in itself can facilitate the return of knowledge to a motivated and hardworking people, one with lofty goals and diligent scholars familiar with the shortcuts of knowledge acquisition.
The Role of Humanities: Humanities and scholars in this field play a crucial role in creating the foundation for such transformative progress. These scholars can instill in their people a culture of independence, an eagerness to achieve greatness through knowledge and insight, a disdain for imitation, self-confidence, and a culture of perseverance and pursuit of lofty goals. They can inspire people to strive for progress. Humanities are the soul of civilizations, and scholars in this field have historically guided societies and scientific movements. In the Iranian society—deeply rooted in the uplifting culture of Islam and enriched by the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet’s household (Ahl al-Bayt)—achieving this is more accessible. If Islamic perspectives underpin the efforts of scholars and cultural builders, public participation will increase, fostering enthusiasm for progress and resilience in this grand pursuit. Consequently, the costs of transitioning from the current state to the desired condition will be reduced.
The Quran as the Foundation for Humanities: The Quran provides the most comprehensive source for inspiring and foundational movements in the humanities. Within the framework of Islam, the Quran holds such authority that it serves as the standard for evaluating the authenticity of statements attributed to the Prophet’s household. In the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt, any saying that contradicts the Quran lacks evidentiary and logical value and must be dismissed. This principle underscores the importance of evaluating scientific achievements and hypotheses in Islamic and human sciences against the Quran. Therefore, Islamic thought emphasizes the necessity of rooting and grounding the humanities in the Quran. Scholars must pay attention to the subtleties and insights of the Quran to derive solutions to the fundamental principles, concepts, and even rules of various scientific disciplines.
Building Islamic Humanities with the Quran: Under the guidance of the Quran, scholars in the humanities can construct a towering edifice of Islamic humanities. This divine source not only does not hinder human progress but also motivates and energizes scientific and research endeavors with accurate epistemological tools. Throughout the history of Muslims, the Quran has been recognized as both a source of understanding Islam and a stimulus for producing literary and Islamic sciences. In its shadow, other sacred texts, schools of thought, and religions have been evaluated. Sciences such as philosophy, mysticism, theology, jurisprudence, Quranic exegesis, ethics, history, and various literary and rhetorical disciplines have emerged.
The Quran is also compatible with natural sciences, to the extent that its scientific miracles have been emphasized. By considering its capacity to guide humanity toward happiness and prosperity while steering clear of misery and suffering, the Quran empowers humans to develop advanced and comprehensive humanities. It evaluates and critiques the achievements of other humanities, preventing these sciences from falling into extremes. It is evident that a deeper engagement with the Quran and a more precise understanding of its language and layers of meaning will offer greater opportunities for thinkers. Individuals who combine expertise in Quranic studies with humanities—or who benefit from the collaboration of scholars in both fields—will be more successful in uncovering the intended meanings of this illuminating scripture.
This Journal's Mission: The journal before you represents an effort to produce Quran-based humanities. It seeks to present articles from scholars in the humanities and Quranic studies to its esteemed audience, with the hope that, through the support of Quranic scholars, this illuminating path will continue until the production of Islamic humanities is fully realized. In this issue, six articles related to Quran-based Islamic sciences are presented. We deeply appreciate the scientific efforts of these distinguished scholars and pray to Almighty God for continued success for all those who serve the Quran and the cause of knowledge.