نظم قرآن سے متعلق مولانا اصلاحیؒ اور جمہور کے نظریات کا تقابلی مطالعہ

A Comparative Study of Mawlana Islahi’s and the Majority’s Perspectives on Nazm al-Qur'an

Abstract

The concept of Nazm al-Qur'an (coherence in the Qur'an) has been a subject of scholarly debate among Islamic scholars. This article presents a comparative analysis of the perspectives of Mawlana Amin Ahsan Islahi and the majority of classical exegetes (Jumhur Mufassirin) regarding Nazm al-Qur'an. While both Islahi and the majority of scholars acknowledge the significance of coherence in the Qur'an, differences emerge in their conceptualization and application. Islahi asserts that Nazm al-Qur'an is definitive (qat'i), whereas the majority of scholars consider it speculative (zanni). Furthermore, Islahi assigns Nazm al-Qur'an a fundamental role in interpretation, making it the primary framework, whereas classical scholars regard it as one of several interpretive principles rather than the central one. A key distinction is Islahi’s subordination of external sources, such as Hadith, Asbab al-Nuzul, and reports from the Companions and Successors, to the coherence of the Qur'an. In contrast, classical exegetes incorporate all interpretive sources without strictly subordinating them to Nazm al-Qur'an. This comparative study highlights the epistemological and methodological differences that shape their approaches to Qur'anic interpretation.