Document Type : Original Article
Author
Hamed Nazarpour, Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Theology and Ahl-al-Bayt (Prophet’s Descendants) Studies, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran,
10.22081/jrla.2026.73640.1419
Abstract
One of the issues related to Qur’anic warning is why, in the Holy Qur’an, most warnings are associated with fire and heat. Ibn Barrajān, the Andalusian mystic and exegete of the sixth century AH, addressed this question. The aim of the present article is to analyze Ibn Barrajān’s view concerning why warning by fire predominates in the Qur’an, using a descriptive-analytical method. The findings indicate that Ibn Barrajān, adopting a linguistic as well as pragmatic approach, sought to explain this issue by taking into account three components: the physical context, the mental context, and the social context. From Ibn Barrajān’s perspective, differences in the audience’s physical and spatial situation lead to differences in the language of warning; thus, changes in external situation or context result in differences in discourse structure. In his view, the reason Qur’anic warnings are predominantly associated with fire is that the Qur’an was revealed in a hot region, and the exigency of this physical context was warning through heat. Such warnings have a deeper effect on the audience’s mental context, leading to greater fear and, consequently, a stronger motivation to avoid punishment. In his explanation, Ibn Barrajān also emphasizes the social context and the characteristics of the speaker, arguing that Qur’anic warnings originate in divine mercy and that God, in accordance with His perfect knowledge and wisdom, conveys warning content while taking the audience’s circumstances into account. By comparing Qur’anic warnings with those found in the Gospel, he further maintains that changes in the geographical conditions of the place of revelation lead to changes in the language of warning. However, some objections have been raised against Ibn Barrajān’s views, particularly regarding his reliance on expressions from the Gospel. His explanation does not necessarily imply that the Qur’an was influenced by the environment of its revelation, since although the Qur’an addresses the society of the time of revelation, its message remains universal and enduring.
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