Stylistics Studies of the Holy Quran

Stylistics Studies of the Holy Quran

A Historical-Descriptive Semantic Analysis of the Word Rajīm in the Holy Qur'an

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, Bu -Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
2 Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
Abstract
Semantics, as a pivotal branch of linguistics, has opened new horizons for a profound understanding of sacred texts, particularly the Holy Qur'an. This study, adopting a descriptive-analytical approach and utilizing the principles of structural semantics, investigates the word rajīm, one of the prominent epithets for Satan in the Qur'an. The research traces the semantic evolution of this term from its Semitic roots and its usage in the pre-Islamic era to its conceptual network within the text of the Holy Qur'an.
The root r-j-m and its derivatives appear 14 times in the Qur'an across four primary semantic domains: 1) driving out and expelling ), 2) killing by lapidation 3) repelting 4) speech based on conjecture and speculation. The foundational meaning of this root is "to throw" or "to cast," from which the other meanings have branched out, either literally or metaphorically.

The analysis reveals that the word rajīm has undergone semantic evolution, expansion, and specification within the Qur'anic context. This epithet is used exclusively to describe Satan as a being expelled from divine mercy. the concept of rajm has also been specified as a term in Islamic jurisprudence. The analysis of semantic relations demonstrates that rajīm is synonymous with mal‘ūn (the cursed), stands in antonymy to concepts such as "admission into mercy," and falls under the hyponymy of the broader concept of kufr (disbelief). This research highlights the significance of linguistic analyses in uncovering the deeper semantic layers of the Qur'an and achieving a more precise understanding of its conceptual system.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 September 2025

  • Receive Date 07 August 2025
  • Revise Date 16 September 2025
  • Accept Date 17 September 2025
  • Publish Date 17 September 2025