A Study of Quranic Narrative Grammar: A Narratological Approach to the Accounts of the Creation Story in the Quran

Document Type : Original Research

Author

English Department, Faculty of Letters and Languages, Arak University, Arak-Iran

10.22081/ttais.2025.70121.1041

Abstract

This article explores the narrative structure in the Quranic surahs related to the story of creation. It begins with a brief introduction to the theoretical concepts of narrative grammar. The study then examines how this narrative grammar functions within the selected surahs at both micro and macro levels. At the micro level, the main events of each surah are outlined, identifying their fixed and variable elements. Additionally, the composition of these narratives is analyzed in terms of temporal, spatial, and causal principles. At the macro level, the study highlights the connection between these surahs, the prophetic biography, and the core teachings of Islam, including monotheism (Tawhid), prophethood (Nubuwwah), resurrection (Ma‘ad), and divine justice (‘Adl). These stories align seamlessly with the overarching themes and objectives of their respective surahs. Through Adam’s creation, God affirms His oneness (Tawhid) and appoints prophets to guide Adam's descendants. In contrast, Iblis and his followers oppose the prophets and the righteous. However, divine justice ultimately ensures that victory belongs to the righteous, and Adam and his progeny return to God (resurrection). Thus, the core theme of Adam’s story revolves around three key axes: the call to worship, arrogance and rejection, and the salvation of believers alongside the downfall of disbelievers—an axis that extends to other Quranic narratives as well. The findings of this study deepen our understanding of the Quran’s narrative structures and their connection to divine teachings. Furthermore, they provide a foundation for further research in narratology, semantics, and the intertextual analysis of religious texts.

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©2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, as long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publishers.

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International Journal of Textual and Translation Analysis in Islamic Studies
Volume 2, Issue 2 - Serial Number 6
April 2024
Pages 138-155

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History

  • Receive Date: 26 October 2023
  • Revise Date: 22 November 2023
  • Accept Date: 11 March 2024
  • Publish Date: 01 April 2024

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