Structural Coherence of the Qur’an: Cohesion and Systematic Order Among Its Words, Verses, and Surahs

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Hasan Kharaghani
10.22034/qs.2025.736217
Abstract
Structural coherence and textual unity in the Noble Qur’an, as one of the aspects of its rhetorical (expressive) inimitability (i‘jāz al-bayān), have long attracted the attention of both Muslim scholars and Orientalists. Employing a descriptive–analytical method, this study examines the various dimensions of coherence in the Qur’an, ranging from the phonetic and lexical level to the level of verses and surahs. The findings show that the Noble Qur’an exhibits precise rhythmic organization, the deliberate selection and carefully ordered arrangement of words, the correspondence between the endings of verses and their thematic content, and a profound linkage between verses and surahs. By contrast, the views of certain Orientalists who claim that the Qur’an is structurally scattered and disordered are mainly attributable to overlooking the Qur’an’s distinctive, pedagogically purposeful style and its goal-oriented design, as well as to neglecting the rich exegetical and rhetorical heritage developed by Muslim scholars. This study thus supports the conclusion that the Qur’an’s structural coherence is a multi-layered and purposeful phenomenon that ensures a full harmonization between form and meaning, thereby confirming the intrinsic unity and inimitability of this divine text.
Keywords
structural coherence, Qur&rsquo
anic rhythm, verse&ndash
thematic consonance, linkage among surahs, rhetorical inimitability, Orientalists