The Human Self in the Holy Qur’an: A Semantic and Intentionality Study of Its Rhetorical Forms and Purposes

Abstract

This research addresses Qur’anic discourse directed at the human self from semantic and objectives-oriented perspectives. The study aims to reveal the objectives of this discourse and the rhetorical strategies employed by the Qur’an to guide, reform and elevate the self. The study begins with the Qur’an’s diverse usage of the concept of the nafs (self) and its varying meanings in different contexts. It then examines the relationship between the concepts of spirit, heart, and intellect, taking into account the distinction between the semantic meanings established by the Qur’anic text itself and the definitional/technical categorisations that emerged in some Islamic sciences. 

The study examines a selection of rhetorical methods used by the Qur’an to address the self, focusing primarily on Qur’anic narratives (qisas), encouragement and warning (targhīb wa tarhīb), and striking parables (amthāl). Finally, it considers how the discourse varies according to the addressees’ conditions, particularly those of the believer, disbeliever and hypocrite. 

Methodologically, the study adopts an inductive approach to collect textual evidence and a semantic-analytic approach to analyse words and their contexts. It also employs a purposes-oriented inferential approach to extract underlying aims and purposes. The study concludes that the Qur’anic discourse on the self is not merely descriptive, but also reformative and constructive. Its goal is to guide individuals from perceiving the truth to believing in it and from belief to purifying the self and acting in accordance with guidance. Furthermore, the diversity of Qur’anic rhetorical styles reflects a precise attention to the differences in the conditions and needs of the self.