The Opening Letters of the Qur’anic Surahs in the Views of Scholars of I‘jaz and Tafsir: An Analytical Study”

Abstract

This research, entitled “The Opening Letters of the Qur’anic Chapters between Miraculousness and Interpretation: An Analytical Study,” aims to shed light on the phenomenon of Fawātih al-Suwar (the opening letters) in the Holy Qur’an, which represent one of the most remarkable aspects of Qur’anic linguistic and rhetorical inimitability. The study explores the definition, types, and occurrences of these openings, reviewing the main interpretative approaches — from the tafwīdī view that leaves their meaning to God, through the symbolic and allegorical interpretations, the rhetorical perspective, and finally the comprehensive view that combines all aspects. It further analyzes the miraculous features of these openings from linguistic, phonetic, and rhetorical dimensions, demonstrating how these letters challenge human eloquence using the same Arabic language elements. The study concludes that reconciling the notions of miraculousness and interpretation provides the most balanced understanding: the opening letters are Arabic in form yet divine in arrangement, carrying profound rhetorical and spiritual meanings that affirm the Qur’an’s divine origin. The study recommends enhancing modern analytical approaches that integrate linguistic, phonetic, and rhetorical studies of the Qur’an, and incorporating the topic of Fawātih al-Suwar into university courses on Qur’anic exegesis and inimitability.