Islamic Studies and Quranic Research in the Contemporary World

Islamic Studies and Quranic Research in the Contemporary World

Genealogy of a Foundational Prayer: Tracing the Discursive Formations of Quran 14:37 from Prophetic Narration to Modern Re-thinking.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Reza Mollazadeh Yamchi 1
Mansoureh Arjomandi Fard 2
Meisam Shoaib 3
1 Postdoctoral Researcher, Quran and Hadith Sciences, Faculty of Theology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
2 , Assistant Professor, Department of Jurisprudence and Fundamentals of Islamic Law, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
3 PhD Graduate, Department of Islamic Jurisprudence and Law, Faculty of Theology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
10.22034/iscw.2025.2068054.1178
Abstract
Aiming to provide a genealogy of the discursive formations surrounding Quran 14:37, this research addresses the fundamental problem of how a seemingly simple prayer has transformed into a hub for the convergence and conflict of intellectual currents in Islamic history. By applying the novel method of "discursive genealogy," this article moves beyond a mere synchronic survey of exegeses to analyze the "logic of meaning production" in each era. The findings reveal the development of six distinct discursive layers: from the foundational "narrative-constitutive" layer that establishes the historical framework, to the Sunni and Shi'a "theological-identity" readings which, by delimiting min al-nās (from the people) and reinterpreting ilayhim (to them) respectively, demarcate the Ummah and articulate a Wilayat-based authority. Subsequently, the "philosophical-theosophical" discourse focusing on the wisdom of "divine trial" (ibtilā’), and two modern discourses—the "naturalist" reading seeking to reconcile prayer with natural laws, and the "radical-critical" reading that challenges the narrative's geography by replacing exegesis with historical criticism—are analyzed. The final result demonstrates that this verse, as a microcosm, serves as a mirror for tracing profound evolutions in worldview, hermeneutics, and political theology within the Islamic tradition.
Keywords
Quran 14:37
Genealogy
Discourse Analysis
History of Tafsir
Quranic Hermeneutics
Subjects
*The Holy Quran
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Islamic Studies and Quranic Research in the Contemporary World
Volume 3, Issue 2 - Serial Number 6
March 2025
Pages 289-309

  • Receive Date 05 August 2025
  • Revise Date 23 September 2025
  • Accept Date 23 September 2025
  • First Publish Date 23 September 2025
  • Publish Date 19 February 2025