The Diversification of Qur’anic Verses in Ethics and Dealings: In the Light of Malaak al-Ta’weel by Ibn al-Zubayr al-Gharnati

Abstract

Taṣrīf al-Āyāt—commonly rendered as “the diversification of Qur’anic discourse”—constitutes a pivotal discipline within the classical ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān (Qur’anic sciences). Imām Badr al-Dīn al-Zarkashī identifies this field as ʿIlm al-Mutashābihāt, which examines recurrent and thematically related verses, including variations in wording, structure, and stylistic expression. This discipline investigates both partial and complete repetitions within the Qur’anic text and explores how a single thematic concept is articulated through multiple linguistic, rhetorical, and semantic forms. Such variation is a hallmark of Qur’anic inimitability (iʿjāz): by expressing a single idea through diverse modes of discourse, the Qur’an engages the intellectual, psychological, and spiritual plurality of its audience, ensuring that divine guidance—aimed at securing God’s pleasure and ultimate salvation—remains universally accessible. Among the most prominent scholars in this discipline is Ibn al-Zubayr al-Gharnāṭī, an eminent Andalusian authority in Qur’anic exegesis, ḥadīth studies, qirāʾāt (variant readings), and jurisprudence. His magnum opus, Malāk al-Taʾwīl, is devoted entirely to analyzing verses that appear repetitive, parallel, or closely interconnected. In this work, he systematically elucidates the rationale behind variations in diction, structure, and rhetorical form across verses that address similar themes. A selection of verses dealing with ethics (akhlāq) and interpersonal transactions (muʿāmalāt) is examined in this study to illustrate Ibn al-Zubayr’s methodological approach. His multilayered analysis demonstrates that Qur’anic variation is not redundant; rather, it functions as a deliberate rhetorical device that enriches meaning, deepens interpretive insight, and amplifies the moral and theological force of the Qur’anic message.