An Evaluation on the Issue of the Nomenclature of Suras

Yahya Arslan

Article Details

An Evaluation on the Issue of the Nomenclature of Suras

Authors:

Yahya Arslan

Publisher:

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University

Main Topics:

Tefsir

Journal:

Rize İlahiyat Dergisi Issue 26, pp.87-100

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001315480

pISSN:

2980-0331

Keywords:

Abstract:

 The Holy Quran is the last divine book and the last link in the chain of revelation. Sent for the guidance of mankind, the Quran aims at the salvation of its interlocutors in this world and the Hereafter. The last divine book was completed gradually over a period of twenty-three years. The verses and sūrahs were dictated by the Prophet PBUH to the scribes of revelation and the verses to be inserted between which verses of which sūrah were notified. In the meantime, the names of many surahs were specified and the Holy Quran took its final form with 114 surahs. As the Holy Quran has names, these suras also have names. In this context, some surahs have one name, some have two names, and some have more than one name. In this study, although subjective, six criteria were determined. These criteria are the first verses or word of the surah, a concise or strange word it contains, hurûf-u muqattaas, an important subject described in the surah or the main subject of the surah, a place mentioned in the surah or a special name. From this point of view, under which criterion 114 suras should be categorised is an issue that needs to be resolved. At the point of resolving this issue, it is of great importance to determine which criterion or criteria are taken as basis in the naming of suras. Due to its importance, in this study, the suras were categorised by classifying them under the determined criteria. As a result of this categorisation, it was determined which surah should be examined under which title. The aim of this study is to examine the sample suras within the framework of these criteria, which constitute the basis for the naming of the suras, and to draw attention to the criteria within which other suras should be evaluated. Literature review method is used in the article. In order to expand the study, some surahs were chosen as focal points, classical and modern tafsirs, works written on Ulûm al-Quran, history of tafsir and tafsir methodology books were scanned. In addition, other studies related to the subject have also been examined. The subject was explained in the light of the findings obtained as a result of the scanning. The research covers the explanation of issues such as the criteria taken as basis in the naming of the suras and for which suras these criteria are the main criteria. As a result of the study, it has been tried to determine which criteria are taken as basis when naming suras, how these criteria are used and which sura should be classified under which criterion.

 The Holy Quran is the last divine book and the last link in the chain of revelation. Sent for the guidance of mankind, the Quran aims at the salvation of its interlocutors in this world and the Hereafter. The last divine book was completed gradually over a period of twenty-three years. The verses and sūrahs were dictated by the Prophet PBUH to the scribes of revelation and the verses to be inserted between which verses of which sūrah were notified. In the meantime, the names of many surahs were specified and the Holy Quran took its final form with 114 surahs. As the Holy Quran has names, these suras also have names. In this context, some surahs have one name, some have two names, and some have more than one name. In this study, although subjective, six criteria were determined. These criteria are the first verses or word of the surah, a concise or strange word it contains, hurûf-u muqattaas, an important subject described in the surah or the main subject of the surah, a place mentioned in the surah or a special name. From this point of view, under which criterion 114 suras should be categorised is an issue that needs to be resolved. At the point of resolving this issue, it is of great importance to determine which criterion or criteria are taken as basis in the naming of suras. Due to its importance, in this study, the suras were categorised by classifying them under the determined criteria. As a result of this categorisation, it was determined which surah should be examined under which title. The aim of this study is to examine the sample suras within the framework of these criteria, which constitute the basis for the naming of the suras, and to draw attention to the criteria within which other suras should be evaluated. Literature review method is used in the article. In order to expand the study, some surahs were chosen as focal points, classical and modern tafsirs, works written on Ulûm al-Quran, history of tafsir and tafsir methodology books were scanned. In addition, other studies related to the subject have also been examined. The subject was explained in the light of the findings obtained as a result of the scanning. The research covers the explanation of issues such as the criteria taken as basis in the naming of the suras and for which suras these criteria are the main criteria. As a result of the study, it has been tried to determine which criteria are taken as basis when naming suras, how these criteria are used and which sura should be classified under which criterion.

 The Holy Quran is the last divine book and the last link in the chain of revelation. Sent for the guidance of mankind, the Quran aims at the salvation of its interlocutors in this world and the Hereafter. The last divine book was completed gradually over a period of twenty-three years. The verses and sūrahs were dictated by the Prophet PBUH to the scribes of revelation and the verses to be inserted between which verses of which sūrah were notified. In the meantime, the names of many surahs were specified and the Holy Quran took its final form with 114 surahs. As the Holy Quran has names, these suras also have names. In this context, some surahs have one name, some have two names, and some have more than one name. In this study, although subjective, six criteria were determined. These criteria are the first verses or word of the surah, a concise or strange word it contains, hurûf-u muqattaas, an important subject described in the surah or the main subject of the surah, a place mentioned in the surah or a special name. From this point of view, under which criterion 114 suras should be categorised is an issue that needs to be resolved. At the point of resolving this issue, it is of great importance to determine which criterion or criteria are taken as basis in the naming of suras. Due to its importance, in this study, the suras were categorised by classifying them under the determined criteria. As a result of this categorisation, it was determined which surah should be examined under which title. The aim of this study is to examine the sample suras within the framework of these criteria, which constitute the basis for the naming of the suras, and to draw attention to the criteria within which other suras should be evaluated. Literature review method is used in the article. In order to expand the study, some surahs were chosen as focal points, classical and modern tafsirs, works written on Ulûm al-Quran, history of tafsir and tafsir methodology books were scanned. In addition, other studies related to the subject have also been examined. The subject was explained in the light of the findings obtained as a result of the scanning. The research covers the explanation of issues such as the criteria taken as basis in the naming of the suras and for which suras these criteria are the main criteria. As a result of the study, it has been tried to determine which criteria are taken as basis when naming suras, how these criteria are used and which sura should be classified under which criterion.

 Kuran-ı Kerim son ilahi kitap olup vahiy zincirinin de son halkasını teşkil etmektedir. İnsanlığın hidayeti için gönderilen Kuran-ı Kerim, muhataplarının ihtiyaçlarına yönelik prensipler koyarken onların dünya ve ahiret kurtuluşlarını hedeflemektedir. Bu hedefini gerçekleştirmek üzere indirilen son ilahi kitap, yirmi üç yıllık bir zaman zarfında tedrîcî bir şekilde tamamlanmıştır. Vahiy süreci boyunca indirilen âyetler ve sûreler Hz. Peygamber s.a.v. tarafından vahiy katiplerine yazdırılmıştır. Vahyin yazdırılması esnasında âyetlerin hangi sûrenin hangi âyetleri arasına konulacağı Hz. Peygamber s.a.v. tarafından sahabeye bildirilmiştir. Bu esnada sûrelerin de isimlerine işaret edilmiş ve birçok sûrenin ismi belirtilmiştir. Vahiy peyderpey indirilmek suretiyle tamamlandığında ise Kuran-ı Kerim yüz on dört sûre ile son şeklini almıştır. Kuran-ı Kerimin isimleri olduğu gibi bu sûrelerin de isimleri bulunmaktadır. Sûre isimlendirmelerine bakıldığında ana hatlarıyla bazı sûre isimlerinin tevkîfî bazılarının ise içtihadî olduğu görülmektedir. Bu sûrelerin Mushaftaki isimlerinin yanında başka isimlerinin de olduğu bir gerçektir. Bu meyanda bazı sûrelerin tek, bazılarının iki, bazılarının ise daha fazla ismi mevcuttur. Hatta birtakım sûreler de vardır ki onlar ortak isimle ifade edilmiştir. Sûrelere bu isimler verilirken gerek tevkîfî olsun gerekse içtihadî olsun birtakım ölçütler esas alınmıştır. Bu çalışmada sübjektif olmakla birlikte altı kriter belirlenmiştir. Bu kriterler genel hatlarıyla sûrenin ilk âyetleri veya kelimesi, içerdiği özlü ya da garip bir kelime, hurûf-u mukattaalar, sûrede anlatılan önemli bir konu veya sûrenin temel konusu, sûrede ismi geçen bir mekân veya özel bir isim olmuştur. Bu açıdan bakıldığında yüz on dört sûrenin hangi kriter altında kategorize edilmesi ve değerlendirilmesi gerektiği hususu, çözülmesi gereken bir mesele olarak ortada durmaktadır. Bu meselenin çözüme kavuşması noktasında sûrelerin isimlendirilmesinde hangi kriter veya kriterlerin esas alındığının tespit edilmesi büyük önem arz etmektedir. Önemine binaen bu çalışmada sûreler, tespit edilen kriterler altında sınıflandırılarak kategorize edilmiştir. Bu kategorizenin neticesinde hangi sûrenin hangi başlık altında incelenmesi gerektiği tespit edilmiştir. Araştırmada sûrelerin isimlendirilmesinde temel teşkil eden bu kriterler çerçevesinde örnek sûreler üzerinden inceleme yapılarak diğer sûrelerin de hangi kriterler çerçevesinde değerlendirilmesi gerektiğini dikkatlere sunmak amaçlanmaktadır. Makalede literatür tarama yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Çalışmayı genişletme babında bazı sûreler odak nokta seçilmiş, klasik ve modern tefsirler, Ulûmül-Kurana dair yazılmış eserler, tefsir tarihi ve tefsir usulü kitapları taranmıştır. Bunun yanında konu ile alakalı diğer çalışmalar da taranarak incelenmiştir. Tarama neticesinde elde edilen bulgular ışığında konu izah edilmiştir. Araştırma, sûrelerin isimlendirilmesinde esas alınan kriterler ve bu kriterlerin hangi sûreler için temel ölçüt olduğu gibi hususların izahını kapsamaktadır. Çalışmanın neticesinde sûreler isimlendirilirken hangi kriterlerin esas alındığı, bu kriterlerin nasıl kullanıldığı ve hangi sûrenin hangi kriter altında sınıflandırılması gerektiği tespit edilmeye çalışılmıştır.

Article Details

An Evaluation on the Issue of the Nomenclature of Suras

Authors:

Yahya Arslan

Publisher:

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University

Main Topics:

Tefsir

Journal:

Rize İlahiyat Dergisi Issue 26, pp.87-100

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001315480

pISSN:

2980-0331

Tafsir

Qur'an

Sûrah

Sûrah Names

CriterionTefsir

Kur’an

Sûre

Sûre İsimleri

Kriter

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Yahya Arslan

Publisher: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University

Main Topics: Tefsir

Journal: Rize İlahiyat Dergisi Issue 26, pp.87-100

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 4/2024

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001315480

pISSN: 2980-0331

Issues

Authors:

Yahya Arslan

Publisher:

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University

Main Topics:

Tefsir

Journal:

Rize İlahiyat Dergisi Issue 26, pp.87-100

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001315480

pISSN:

2980-0331