Call for Papers
REINTERPRETING THE QUR’AN IN THE 21st CENTURY AND ASSESSMENTS OF TODAY’S QUR’AN STUDIES (2000-2025)
Rationale and Thematic Scope
The Qur’an, which is the foundational text of Islam, presents itself as a source of light and guidance for humanity. Throughout Muslim intellectual history, the Qur’an has been approached through diverse hermeneutical lenses, including literal, traditional, legal, mystical, sectarian, scientific, historical, secular, political, liberal, and contextualist. The question of interpreting the Qur’an is not a new matter.
In today’s technologically advanced, hyper-connected society—driven by the internet, digital spaces, social media, blogs, and vlogs—there is an urgent need to establish consistent, valid, and new interpretive frameworks. Fresh, current perspectives on the Qur’anic text that highlight its universal principles are essential for shaping the future and contributing meaningfully to human civilization.
The Qur’an and its verses, which are internally consistent, can be interpreted as normatively objective within the unity of its entire text. While the Qur’anic text constitutes a self-contained and complete system, it simultaneously remains open to continuous interpretation. The International Symposium on Reinterpreting the Qur’an will focus on emerging alternative hermeneutical methodologies to meet contemporary demands, alongside critical evaluations of recent interpretive trends. This scientific meeting will reveal that the verses of the Qur’an can be effectively and soundly reinterpreted from within the text’s own intrinsic value system and worldview.
The symposium aims to address two primary thematic tracks:
Track 1: New Methodological and Interpretive Approaches
This track explores innovative analytical methodologies concerning the vocabulary, syntax, and synchronic or diachronic dimensions of the text, as well as the structural and thematic relationships between verses (āyāt) and chapters (suwar). The goal is to determine the relevance of the Qur’an in the contemporary world by linking its stylistic and structural features to its core semantic content.
Track 2: Critical Evaluation of Current Works (2000–2025)
This track invites critical assessments of recent works, commentaries, and diverse hermeneutical voices produced between 2000 and 2025. Submissions should offer rigorous critical analyses of these perspectives while presenting viable alternative outlooks.
A new authentic interpretation consistent with the holistic worldview of the Qur’an requires dynamic, comprehensive, and comparative approaches capable of capturing its divine intent and wisdom. We are always able to grasp new insights in interpreting the text with questionable and sound methods.
We welcome original paper proposals on any topic within the thematic scope of the conference.
