Revisiting the Semantics of “fa-kānat wardatan ka-l-dihān” (Q. ۵۵:۳۷) in Light of Historical Etymology

This article presents an exegetical examination of Qur’an ۵۵:۳۷ (Surah Ar-Rahman), with a particular emphasis on the etymological analysis of the key terms warda and dihān. The necessity of this inquiry stems from the significant inconsistencies, ambiguities, and interpretative disparities that have permeated the history of exegesis regarding this verse to the present day. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and relying on library resources and historical etymology, this study demonstrates that the existing interpretative ambiguities arise from the semantic opacity of these two lexemes. The findings indicate that the term warda has roots in ancient Afroasiatic languages, denoting "to flow" or "to descend," contrary to the prevalent exegetical interpretation of "rose" or "flower." Furthermore, dihān is construed herein as "oil" (specifically, molten oil). Accordingly, the accurate interpretation of the verse is proposed as: "And when the sky is rent asunder and flows like [molten] oil." By presenting linguistic and Qur’anic evidence, this research offers a novel interpretation of the verse that aligns perfectly with other analogous Qur’anic verses, such as Surah at-Tur (۵۲:۹), which alludes to the sky's flowing or heaving. Ultimately, the results of this study have the potential to transform the prevailing interpretative paradigm concerning this verse.

کلیدواژه ها:

Qur’anic Exegesis ، Linguistics ، Etymology ، Surah Ar-Rahman