Document Type : Original
Author
Assistant Professor of Islamic Education, Rudsar Branch, Islamic Azad University
Abstract
The concept of the “enduring word” (kalimatun bāqiyah) in Qur’anic verse 28 of Sūrat al-Zukhruf has long been debated among Qur’anic exegetes. Interpretations of the referent of the pronoun hā in jaʿalahā kalimatan bāqiyah and the meaning of the “enduring word” include the word of divine unity, Islam, Abraham’s testament, prophethood, and imamate. Using an analytical-comparative method and the principle of interpreting the Qur’an through the Qur’an, this study examines verses 26–29 of Sūrat al-Zukhruf in relation to Abraham’s supplications in Sūrat al-Baqarah (2:126) and Sūrat Ibrāhīm (14:37). The findings show that these passages share a threefold structure: declaration of disavowal, supplication, and divine response. Accordingly, the “enduring word” can be understood as a supplication arising from Abraham’s disavowal of polytheism, expressed in his request for security and sustenance for the Sacred Sanctuary and its inhabitants. God’s response extends worldly sustenance to disbelievers as well, albeit temporarily. The study also evaluates relevant exegetical traditions through the criteria of conformity with the Qur’an and assessment of their chains of transmission. It concludes that, in the apparent meaning of the verse, the “enduring word” is not merely a doctrinal proposition but a divinely established tradition rooted in Abraham’s supplication, whose enduring historical effects provide a context for humanity’s return to monotheism.
Keywords
- Enduring Word (Kalimatun Bāqiyah)
- Abraham’s Supplications
- Abrahamic Disavowal
- Sūrat al-Zukhruf 43:28
- Sūrat al-Baqarah 2:126
Main Subjects
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