al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Quran al-Karim

al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Quran al-Karim (Introduction to the Sciences of the Noble Quran) is a contemporary treatise on Quranic sciences authored by Muhammad Faruq al-Nabhan al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.

Composition and Purpose

The work was completed in Rabat on 27 Ramadan 1414 AH (10 March 1994 CE) al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…. The author noted that his interest in the subject deepened after being invited to an academic conference in Cairo dedicated to Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, which led him to prepare a comparative study between al-Suyuti's al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Quran and Badr al-Din al-Zarkashi's al-Burhan fi Ulum al-Quran al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…. Al-Nabhan intended the book to serve as an accessible introductory manual that simplifies classical material for students without asserting independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), condensing dense discussions while elaborating on subjects such as variant recitations, orthography, and inimitability al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu….

Structure and Contents

The book is arranged into sixteen chapters:

1. The Noble Quran: Covers its definition, the modalities and wisdom of its piecemeal revelation (tanjim), scholars' views on the "seven letters" (al-ahruf al-sabʿa), and occasions of revelation (asbab al-nuzul) al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
2. Revelation and the Quran: Explores the concept, modes, and theological discussion of divine revelation al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
3. The Emergence of Quranic Sciences: Details the historical evolution of the field and provides a comparative analysis of al-Zarkashi's al-Burhan and al-Suyuti's al-Itqan al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
4. Introduction to Exegesis: Differentiates between tafsir (exegesis) and taʾwil (interpretation) al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
5. Translation of the Quran: Discusses the distinction between translation and commentary, advocating the establishment of specialized scholarly committees over individual translation efforts al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
6. Meccan and Medinan Revelations: Examines criteria for dating passages and its utility in understanding the chronological phases of Islamic outreach and legal abrogation al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
7. Compilation and Inscription of the Quran: Details the historical stages of compiling the Quranic text through oral memorization and written records al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
8. Openings and Closings of Surahs: Analyzes the structural beginnings and endings of Quranic chapters al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
9. Order of Surahs and Verses: Evaluates disagreements on whether chapter order was divinely fixed (tawqifi) or determined by consensus, alongside the science of structural correspondence (al-munasaba) al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
10. Abrogation (al-Nasikh wa-l-Mansukh): Reviews debates concerning the extent of abrogation and outlines the principles formulated by Ibn al-Arabi al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
11. Quranic Orthography (Rasm al-Quran): Defends the inviolability of the Uthmanic script against assertions of scribal error while noting the conditional permissibility of modern spelling for teaching purposes al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
12. The Clear and Ambiguous (al-Muhkam wa-l-Mutashabih): Explains classical interpretations of unambiguous and allegorical verses al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
13. Quranic Recitations (al-Qiraʾat): Explains the criteria for canonical recitations according to Ibn Mujahid and Ibn al-Jazari, technical phonetic terminology, and the distinction between variant readings and the seven ahruf al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
14. Pausing and Initiating (al-Waqf wa-l-Ibtidaʾ): Outlines the vocal and syntactic rules required for sound recitation al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
15. Inimitability of the Quran (Iʿjaz al-Quran): Surveys perspectives on inimitability, including those of Abu Sulayman al-Khattabi, Ali ibn Isa al-Rummani, Abu Bakr al-Baqillani, al-Qadi Abd al-Jabbar, and Abd al-Qahir al-Jurjani al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu…+1.
16. Quranic Narratives: Examines the role and thematic nature of stories in the Quran al-Madkhal ila Ulum al-Qu….

Publication

The work was published in Aleppo by Dar Alam al-Quran in its first edition in 1426 AH (2005 CE), serving as the publishing house's inaugural title in Quranic studies Manhaj al-Sahaba fi Dawat…+1.