Examining the Coherence and Interconnectedness of Qur’anic Verses and Chapters with Emphasis on Intratextual Evidence

Abstract

The issue of coherence (tanāsub) among the verses of the Holy Qur’an constitutes one of the branches of Qur’anic sciences and is regarded as one of the manifestations of the Qur’an’s miraculous nature. It examines the relationships and connections among verses, chapters (sūrahs), and various sections of the Qur’anic text. The aim of this study is to conduct a detailed investigation of the different forms of coherence and the intratextual evidence embedded within the structure of Qur’anic verses and chapters. The present research employs a descriptive–analytical method and, through a close examination of the Qur’anic text and the views of Qur’anic exegetes, identifies and analyzes semantic and lexical relationships. The findings indicate that the coherence among verses and chapters can be classified into two principal categories: lexical coherence (explicit relationships) and semantic coherence (implicit relationships). Within the semantic dimension, concepts such as analogy (tanẓīr), parable (tamthīl), contrast (muḍāddah), digression (istiṭrād), consolidation (tamkīn), and thematic resumption (taṣdīr) play a fundamental role in establishing the internal cohesion of the text. The results of the analysis conducted on groups of chapters, including al-Ḥāmidāt, the disconnected letters (alif-lām-mīm), al-Ṭawāsīm, al-Musabbiḥāt, al-Ḥawāmīm, al-ʿAzāʾim, and the thirtieth part (Juzʾ 30), reveal the existence of 50 instances of semantic coherence and 13 instances of combined lexical-semantic coherence. These findings demonstrate the structural interconnectedness of the chapters and their overarching thematic purposes. The study concludes that, contrary to the claims of some Orientalist scholars, the Holy Qur’an is not a fragmented text; rather, it possesses an internal, coherent, and purposeful organization in which each part contributes to the meaning of the whole.