وجوه معنایی اِبن در قرآن کریم با روی کرد معناشناسی تاریخی: تکمله ای بر سنّت تفسیری وجوه و نظائر (مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
درجه علمی: نشریه علمی (وزارت علوم)
آرشیو
چکیده
اِبن از جمله کهن ترین واژه های سامی است که با درنظر گرفتنِ اَشکال مختلف صرفی، 162 بار در 132 آیه از قرآن کریم به کار رفته است. تصور غالب نزد عالمان لغت و تفسیر آن است که اِبن واژه ای تک وجهی در قرآن کریم است که تنها بر معنای پسر (فرزند مذکّر) دلالت دارد. به همین جهت است که در کتب وجوه و نظائر باب مستقلّی درباره آن گشوده نشده، و برخلاف واژه های هم حوزه نظیر أب و اُمّ و أخ به بحث درنیامده است. بااین حال مُداقّه در کاربردهای قرآنیِ واژه اِبن ازیک سو و پی جویی هم زادهای آن در زبان های سامی از سوی دیگر نشان از آن دارد که برخلاف تصور اولیه، اِبن واژه ای با وجوه معنایی متعدد است. بر همین اساس، در پژوهش حاضر کوشش می شود با بهره بردن از روش معناشناسی تاریخی، سابقه واژه اِبن و سیر تحولات معنایی آن از زبان های نیا تا عربی قرآنی کاویده، و وجوه معناییِ آن در قرآن کریم بازشناخته شود. برآیند این پژوهش آن است که کاربردهای قرآنی واژه اِبن نه بر یک معنا، که بر چهار معنا دلالت دارد که عبارتند از: پسر (فرزند مذکّر)، فرزند (اعمّ از فرزندان ذُکور و اِناث)، عضوی از یک جماعت، و مَرد.The Polysemy of the Qurʾanic word Ibn from the Viewpoint of Historical Semantics: A Supplement to the So-called Interpretive Subgenre al-Wujūh wa al-Naẓāʾir
This study investigates the semantic plurality of the Qurʾanic term ibn through the lens of historical semantics, situating its analysis within the interpretive tradition of al-wujūh wa al-naẓāʾir. Rather than treating ibn as a static lexical item denoting biological descent or genealogical affiliation, the article traces its conceptual evolution across various exegetical contexts, highlighting its polyvalent functions in theological, eschatological, and symbolic registers. The inquiry begins by problematizing the assumption of semantic stability in Qurʾanic vocabulary, arguing that diachronic shifts in interpretive frameworks—especially those shaped by sectarian, philosophical, and mystical currents—have led to layered understandings of key terms. The term ibn, often rendered simply as ʿson,’ emerges as a site of exegetical tension, particularly in verses where its referent is ambiguous, metaphorical, or embedded within polemical discourse. Drawing on a wide range of classical tafsīr sources from both Sunni and Shiʿi traditions, the article identifies several semantic clusters associated with ibn, including its use in expressions of spiritual affiliation, moral typology, and eschatological categorization. For instance, the designation ibn al-sabīl is examined not merely as a legal category but as a conceptual node linking themes of mobility, vulnerability, and divine care. Similarly, the phrase ibn al-dunyā is shown to function as a moral epithet, indexing a particular orientation toward worldly life. These usages suggest that ibn operates not only as a relational marker but also as a vehicle for ethical and theological valuation. The article further explores how exegetes have negotiated the tension between literal and figurative readings of ibn, especially in verses involving divine sonship, where polemical concerns vis-à-vis Christian doctrine have shaped interpretive strategies. The methodological framework employed combines historical semantics with a comparative hermeneutic approach, allowing for the reconstruction of semantic trajectories across time and across interpretive communities. The study pays particular attention to the genre of al-wujūh wa al-naẓāʾir, which catalogues Qurʾanic terms with multiple meanings and attempts to systematize their semantic range. While this genre has often been dismissed as lexically reductive, the article argues that it provides valuable insight into the epistemic assumptions of early exegetes and their efforts to stabilize meaning in the face of textual ambiguity. By revisiting this genre with contemporary semantic tools, the study reveals its latent potential for tracing conceptual shifts and mapping exegetical priorities. In addition to its lexical focus, the article engages broader questions about the nature of Qurʾanic language and the dynamics of meaning-making in Islamic intellectual history. It suggests that semantic plurality is not a defect to be resolved but a feature to be interpreted, one that reflects the Qurʾān's dialogical engagement with its audience and its layered modes of address. The term ibn, in this regard, serves as a prism through which to examine the interplay between language, theology, and community formation. The article also considers how later mystical and philosophical readings reconfigure the term within metaphysical frameworks, such as the notion of spiritual filiation or ontological dependence, thereby extending its semantic field beyond its original lexical bounds. By offering a diachronic and cross-sectarian analysis of ibn, the study contributes to ongoing debates in Qurʾanic semantics, tafsīr methodology, and the historiography of Islamic thought. It challenges the tendency to treat Qurʾanic terms as semantically fixed and instead advocates for a more dynamic understanding that accounts for historical context, interpretive plurality, and genre-specific conventions. The article concludes by reflecting on the implications of semantic instability for contemporary Qurʾanic studies, particularly in relation to translation, interfaith dialogue, and the construction of meaning in pluralistic settings. It calls for renewed attention to the semantic lives of Qurʾanic terms and the interpretive traditions that have shaped them, arguing that such inquiry is essential for a nuanced and historically grounded understanding of the Qurʾanic text.
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