Fi Ulum al-Quran Dirasat wa Muhadarat
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- Editions
- Dar al-Nahdah al-Arabiyyah
Fi Ulum al-Quran: Dirasat wa Muhadarat (In Quranic Sciences: Studies and Lectures) is a modern academic work on Quranic sciences co-authored by Dr. Muhammad Abd al-Salam Kafafi and Professor Abd Allah al-Sharif. It provides an introductory survey of the traditional and historical disciplines related to the Quran, combined with thematic textual exegesis.
Publication and Authorship
The book was published in Beirut by Dar al-Nahdah al-Arabiyyah in 1972 CE. Written as university-level studies and lectures, it represents collaborative work between Dr. Muhammad Abd al-Salam Kafafi and Professor Abd Allah al-Sharif addressing both fundamental topics of Quranic sciences and applied textual exegesis.
Structure and Content
The work is organized into primary thematic sections:
- Part One: Quranic Sciences (Fi Ulum al-Quran): Authored by Dr. Muhammad Abd al-Salam Kafafi, this section defines the Quran and its primary names—such as al-Quran, al-Furqan, al-Kitab, al-Dhikr, and al-Tanzil—and assesses linguistic opinions regarding its root, including the view attributed to Imam al-Shafi'i. It surveys theological debates concerning the Speech of God (Kalam Allah) and the controversy over the creation of the Quran (khalq al-Quran), presenting the positions of the Mu'tazilites, the Ash'arite and Maturidite schools, and early traditionalists such as Ahmad ibn Hanbal. It outlines the broad scope of Quranic sciences, utilizing the 4th-century AH catalog Ibn al-Nadim's al-Fihrist to show early dedicated literature on various sub-disciplines. It also examines the revelation of the Quran, its gradual descent (al-tanjim) over the course of the prophetic mission, the wisdom underlying this piecemeal transmission, reports regarding the first and last revealed verses, and the distinction between Meccan and Medinan passages. The section concludes with an examination of the historical evolution of Quranic exegesis (tafsir), including modern literary approaches such as those associated with Amin al-Khuli and A'ishah Abd al-Rahman (Bint al-Shati').
- Part Two: Quranic Texts (Nusus Qur'aniyyah): This section contains applied analytical exegesis and commentary focused on selected verses from Surah al-Baqarah.
Scholarly Discussions and Reception
The book has been cited in modern scholarship on Quranic sciences in several contexts:
- Historical Development of the Genre: Kafafi and al-Sharif maintained that the modern crystallized concept of Quranic sciences as a comprehensive, integrated discipline emerged in the 8th century AH through al-Zarkashi's work al-Burhan fi Ulum al-Quran, in contrast to scholars like Subhi al-Salih who traced its modern form back to Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Hufi.
- Discussion on Variant Readings (Qira'at): The authors' discussion regarding the origins of variant Quranic readings—attributing part of their emergence to the early unpointed and unvocalized Uthmanic orthography—has been noted and critiqued by traditional researchers who emphasize oral transmission and audition (al-talaqqi wa-al-riwayah) over script alone.
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