Evolution and Scope of Qur’anic History (with Emphasis on the Perspectives of Muslim Scholars and Orientalists)

The history of the Quran represents a terminological composite and a sub-discipline within Quranic sciences that has, in recent decades, gained independent scholarly attention from both Muslim and Orientalist researchers. These two groups have approached this subject with distinct methodologies, leading to significant disagreements regarding its scope and interpretation. This research, employing a descriptive-analytical method, elucidates the definition, origins, evolution, scope, and structure of the history of the Quran from the perspectives of Muslim and Orientalist scholars. A key finding is the identification of the Quran’s narrative, from its initial revelation to the present day, as the most precise definition. Furthermore, the research highlights the evolution of approaches among Muslims, progressing from implicit understandings to descriptive, analytical, and instrumental analyses, often with the objective of scientifically defending the preservation and authenticity of the Quran. Conversely, Orientalist scholarship has tended to evolve from introductory studies of the Quran or its translation to independent investigations predicated on the assumption of the Quran’s historicity. The exclusion of certain topics, such as divine revelation and prophetic knowledge (ʿilm al-ghayb), from the purview of Quranic historical inquiry by Orientalists, and the Muslim emphasis on a reality-centered approach in defining the scope of the history of the Quran, are also among the findings of this research.