From Lexical Meaning to Scientific Interpretation: A Linguistic and Exegetical Study of Qur’anic Embryological Terminology

Umaiyatus Syarifah, Idri Idri, Abdul Kadir Riyadi, Wati Susiawati, Kiptiyah Kiptiyah, Mohammad Arif

Abstract


This article investigates Qur’anic embryological terminology in Q.S. al-Mu’minūn (23):12–14 by integrating linguistic analysis with comparative exegesis. It focuses on the semantic construction and transformation of key terms—nutfah, ‘alaqah, and mudghah—across classical and modern interpretive traditions. Using qualitative library research, the study applies semantic analysis grounded in classical Arabic lexicography alongside tafsīr muqāran, examining major classical exegetes such as al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, and al-Rāzī, and contrasting them with modern scientific exegesis, particularly Zaghlūl al-Najjār. The analysis demonstrates that classical exegesis maintains a stable lexical orientation, interpreting these terms within the semantic framework of early Arabic usage as descriptive, non-technical expressions. In contrast, modern scientific exegesis adopts a correlational approach, aligning Qur’anic terminology with stages of embryological development such as fertilization, implantation, and organogenesis. This shift entails processes of semantic extension and conceptual reconstruction, often merging distinct biological stages into single Qur’anic terms. From a semantic and hermeneutical perspective, this transformation reflects a shift from descriptive-lexical meaning to reinterpretative-scientific meaning, shaped by the interaction between the historical horizon of the text and the epistemic horizon of modern science. However, such reinterpretation raises critical methodological issues, including anachronistic projection and semantic overextension. The study argues that the relationship between the Qur’an and science is indirect and interpretively mediated through language and exegetical discourse. It concludes that while Qur’anic terminology exhibits semantic flexibility, its interpretation must remain grounded in linguistic plausibility. A balanced, interdisciplinary approach is therefore necessary to preserve semantic integrity while engaging contemporary knowledge in Qur’anic studies.

Keywords


Qur’anic Linguistics; Lexical Semantics; Arabic Lexicography; Qur’anic Terminology; Tafsīr Muqāran

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18860/ijazarabi.v9i4.42246

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