Divine Revelation and the Qur’an: Sadegh Khademi’s Theological Framework

Divine Revelation (Waḥy)

Divine revelation constitutes the direct and transformative transmission of knowledge from the Exalted God, necessitated by divine imperative and executed with unmediated agency, safeguarded from error. Human effort, acquisition, material conditions, upbringing, genius, imagination, instinct, experience, or interpretation play no role in its unique, exclusive, enigmatic, and encoded nature, intended solely for its designated recipient. Thus, revelation follows a descending trajectory of knowledge from God, distinct from the ascending path of human spiritual elevation.¹

In every instance, God directly authors revelation through a transformative, descending process, potentially involving intermediaries during its descent, though they have no role in the wholly divine act of revelation.

¹ Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.

Distinction of Revelation from Vision and Perception

The entirely divine nature of revelation distinguishes it from visions, which are wholly human and soul-dependent, and from general perception, manifestation, or unveiling, which originate from human or elevational sources. Consequently, the plausibility of revelation cannot be inferred from the possibility of visions, perceptions, unveilings, intuitions, prophecies, or general manifestations. Prophetic or divinely ordained leadership does not necessitate visions, states, or unveilings, rendering these insufficient as evidence for prophetic mission or leadership.²

Despite being a transformative descending process, revelation does not entail estrangement or emptying but is a continuous, essential truth extending from origin to destination, becoming increasingly refined, subtle, and expansive during its descent.

The recipient of revelation responds with conscious, voluntary, and infallible affirmation, faith, and obedience to this divinely bestowed grace.

² Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.

Essential Content of Revelation

Revelation’s content encompasses miraculous acts, capabilities, or knowledge beyond the scope of ordinary human science, reason, instinct, senses, or power. It transcends human science, reason, physicality, and capacity, which cannot substitute for it. Revelation does not encroach upon the ordinary domains of science, reason, or power, nor can they be suspended under its pretext. The realm of divine prophetic revelation is distinct from scientific discovery or intuitive perception. However, when science or reason deviates toward the soul’s tyranny, revelation intervenes to rectify distortions, restoring their proper logic.³

The progress of science and the flourishing of reason enhance revelation’s vitality. Likewise, in the context of scientific and rational human civilization, revelation necessitates managing and restraining powerful forces that challenge God, requiring superior power, robust vitality, elevated awareness, and enhanced performance in the recipient.

³ Nasr, S. H. (2013). Islamic Worldview. Routledge.

Diversity and Forms of Revelation

The Qur’an references revelation to angels (Al-Anfal 8:12), Moses’ mother (Al-Qasas 28:7), Jesus’ disciples (Al-Ma’ida 5:111), the bee (Al-Nahl 16:68), the heavens (Fussilat 41:12), and the earth (Al-Zalzala 99:4–5), indicating that true revelation is not exclusive to divine prophets but extends to non-human entities, such as the bee—a complex, distinguished, and evolving species—and to chosen humans who are not prophets.⁴

The Qur’an states: “Your Lord revealed to the bee: ‘Take the mountains, trees, and trellises as homes’” (Al-Nahl 16:68). The divine earth, selected for revelation, is endowed with knowledge and nourishment from a complex divine source, capable of receiving and conveying revelation, distinct from other celestial bodies, and orbiting a life-giving path. The Qur’an declares: “When the earth is shaken with its [final] quake, and the earth unloads its burdens, and man says, ‘What is wrong with it?’ That Day, it will report its news, as your Lord has revealed to it” (Al-Zalzala 99:1–5).⁵

Revelation manifests in diverse forms and is not confined to prophethood, messengership, divine law, or specific periods of presence or absence. It is a quality applicable to any phenomenon, particularly humans. The creation of a luminous, beloved being exemplifies divine revelation. Thus, it is plausible to assert that revelation is not exclusive to recognized prophets or saints, nor limited to prophetic revelation. God designates any servant for revelation, selecting them as direct agents of divine will.

Revelation is not restricted to specific attributes, faith, or particular times. In periods of divine absence and among all peoples, it manifests according to divine necessity, appearing across nations and conveying various forms of purposeful knowledge to its recipient, beyond ordinary genius, science, or reason. Such knowledge may be conveyed to an unbeliever, enacted by one without faith, serving to inform and complete divine proof. This general revelation must not be conflated with prophetic revelation.⁶

⁴ Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
⁵ Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
⁶ Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.

Prophetic Revelation

Prophetic revelation, beyond the attributes of general revelation, claims messengership and includes divine displays of power, challenges to deniers, and miraculous acts.

It is transformative, descending, and imparted, not attained through elevational progress, divine necessity, pursuit, or acquisition.⁷

Exclusive to divine prophets, prophetic revelation may involve a revealed scripture and introduce new, independent legislation, potentially facing periods of interruption and disconnection from humanity. The Qur’an states: “O People of the Scripture, Our Messenger has come to you, clarifying [the truth] during an interval between messengers, lest you say, ‘No bringer of glad tidings or warner came to us.’ Indeed, a bringer of glad tidings and a warner has come to you. And God is capable of all things” (Al-Ma’ida 5:19).⁸

However, revelation without independent legislation follows a continuous, uninterrupted system of successive prophets, subordinate to a law-bearing messenger with a revealed scripture. The Qur’an declares: “We gave Moses the Scripture and sent messengers after him in succession. We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Holy Spirit. Why, whenever a messenger brought you what your souls did not desire, did you become arrogant, calling some liars and killing others?” (Al-Baqara 2:87).⁹

This verse, situated between two major global prophetic revelations with independent legislation, refers to successive messengers who solely convey divine messages. Due to their abundance, subordination to prior revelation, or regional limitations, their names are not mentioned. Another verse notes the precedent of successive prophetic revelation before Moses: “We sent Noah and Abraham and placed prophethood and scripture among their descendants. Some were guided, but many were disobedient. Then We sent Our messengers in their footsteps, followed by Jesus, son of Mary, to whom We gave the Gospel” (Al-Hadid 57:26–27).¹⁰

Thus, revelation may be trans-temporal and conclusive or temporally limited. In the material realm, divine messages may manifest as legislation or as general, non-prophetic announcements without claiming messengership or legislation, distinguished by unique qualities.

⁷ Chittick, W. C. (1989). The Sufi Path of Love. SUNY Press.
⁸ Makarem Shirazi, N. (1995). Tafsir Nemuneh. Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya.
⁹ Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
¹⁰ Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.

The Holy Qur’an

The Qur’an represents the written embodiment of divine, sapiential, and epistemological revelation, serving as the culmination of the final comprehensive authority and a guiding framework for utilizing the most effective phenomena in the created realms.¹¹

¹¹ Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.

Revelation of the Qur’an

The revelation of the Qur’an entails the divine composition of its words, ultimately imparted to the heart of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It is God’s direct speech, with its words composed by God at the level of revelation and delivered in a structured, purposeful form to the Prophet’s heart. Thus, the Qur’an’s revelation is not merely conceptual, where God imparts meanings to the Prophet’s heart for articulation using cultural or linguistic conventions.¹²

The Qur’an’s revelation constitutes a composed scripture with divine documentation and authenticity, distinct from the spiritual inspirations of mystics or sacred hadiths. Inspirations and sacred hadiths are conceptual, with their expression and narration entrusted to human articulation, prioritizing meaning preservation. Neither constitutes revealed verses or a revealed scripture. In logic, each has a distinct conceptual role, to be further explored in the context of Fatimah’s (AS) guardianship and the sacred hadith “Were it not for you.”¹³

Neither the Prophet (PBUH), the angel, nor any intermediary altered, edited, or arranged the text revealed to the Prophet’s heart, including the composition, ordering, or structuring of verses and chapters.

The Qur’an’s revelation is God’s direct speech. During its descent, the angel of revelation facilitates its transmission through cosmic realms without altering, composing, creating, or affecting its divinely authored content. Gabriel bears and delivers it, serving as the conduit for its descent to the Prophet’s heart.¹⁴

¹² Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
¹³ Majlisi, M. B. (1983). Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 15. Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.
¹⁴ Tusi, M. J. (1990). Al-Amali. Dar al-Thaqafa.

Direct and Mediated Revelation

The Qur’an’s revelation is received both directly, through intimate divine proximity or a unique connection bypassing causality, and indirectly, through causal mediation via the angel of revelation. The Qur’an states: “Indeed, you receive the Qur’an from the presence of a Wise, Knowing One” (Al-Naml 27:6).¹⁵

In both cases, revelation follows a descending path from God to the Prophet’s heart, not a product of elevation or spiritual ascent. However, one with spiritual ascent may partake in descending revelation, witnessing its divine vitality and continuous existence.

The highest level of the Qur’an’s revelation, transcending human or temporal constraints, is received through divine unity, coexisting with the eternal archetype, descending through prophethood’s definition and announcement to the realms of intellects and spirits, then the imaginal world, and finally, with legislative conditions, to prophetic legislation in the material world, reaching the recipient’s heart, taking verbal form, with its written version reflecting that divine heart-truth.¹⁶

Revelation is a divine domain, expressing divine coexistence, faithful love, and the unified, revealed personality.

¹⁵ Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
¹⁶ Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.

Descending and Heart-Based Nature of the Qur’an

Descent is a divine process, not a singular act, wholly divine, adapting revelation to each realm and divine presence through transformation, refinement, alignment, and coexistence, facilitating its descent from the sublime to the lower. The Qur’an states: “Say, ‘Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel—for he brought it down upon your heart by God’s permission, confirming what came before it, and as guidance and glad tidings for the believers’” (Al-Baqara 2:97).¹⁷

The Qur’an’s reception and conveyance rest with the Prophet (PBUH) without alteration. God does not impart revelation to the angel or the Prophet’s heart as a translatable, humanly composed concept. The angel neither constructs meaning nor carries mere conceptual revelation to be verbalized later but bears divine words to deliver God’s speech to the Prophet’s heart.

The Qur’an explicitly states that divine compositional revelation descends to the Prophet’s heart. The Prophet possesses the heart through divine grace, attraction, and elevational ascent.¹⁸

At the heart’s level, descents and entries possess form, structure, meaning, content, and an imparting agent, all divinely enacted in divine revelation, not by human phenomena. Gabriel, the angel, or the Prophet, like a messenger bearing an encoded revelation, safeguard it, with descent occurring through their exclusive channel and bandwidth.

Given its significance, it is emphasized that divine revelation enters the heart, not the intellect or the lower faculty of imagination, which are soul-bound. The Prophet receives revelation as a scripture at the heart’s level, two stages above connected imagination. The scripture requires no further transformation at the imagination’s level, though connected imagination perceives revelation transparently, as received in the heart, without shaping it. The intellect may host the divine scripture, serving as its interpreter in its lofty conceptual, expressive, and semantic structure. However, divine revelation is neither intellectual understanding nor a clear imaginative form but a manifest heart-scripture.¹⁹

Revelation is a living entity with vitality and continuous divine connection, presently accessible to heart and spiritual perception, only through compatible, coexistent faculties, not through material neuroscientific study, which lacks the phenomenon of revelation, the tools to study it, and the methodology for this heart-based, supra-mental matter.

¹⁷ Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
¹⁸ Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.
¹⁹ Khomeini, R. (2003). Misbah al-Hidaya. Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.

Identity of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

In its descending arc, the Qur’an is revealed to the Prophet’s personality, manifesting as his temporal miracle and scientific authority. Though wholly divine, revelation aligns with the recipient’s level. Thus, revelation and legislation vary, with each messenger at a distinct rank. The Qur’an states: “These are God’s verses We recite to you in truth. You are among the messengers. Those messengers—We favored some over others. Among them were those to whom God spoke, and He raised some in rank. We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Holy Spirit” (Al-Baqara 2:252–253).²⁰

This divine knowledge and awareness define the Prophet’s identity and the realm of his revealed wisdom, imparted by an unseen imparter to convey realities and truth to the worthy through exemplification.

The Qur’an is the complete description of Muhammad’s perfection: “Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.” It does not encompass all of God’s knowledge, which is God’s essence and infinite manifestations. God’s temporal manifestations in the complex, mutable material realm vary by era, each with its creation, messengers, and resurrection. The Qur’an is the scripture of this final era, with its time of absence yet to come, let alone the era of the Qur’an’s presence, when divine guardianship, infallibility, and the return of saints manifest, and the Qur’an speaks vividly.²¹

For instance, during the Battle of Siffin, when Muawiya’s deceitful army hid behind written Qur’anic pages raised on spears to obscure the Qur’an’s truth and proposed them as arbiters between themselves and Imam Ali (AS), the Commander of the Faithful declared: “I am the speaking Qur’an.”²²

Referring to a time before the Prophet’s mission, during his devotions in the Cave of Hira, Imam Ali (AS) described his awareness and visions, particularly of the Qur’an’s revelation: “He [the Prophet] would retreat annually in Hira, and I saw him, while none else did. No house then embraced Islam except that of the Messenger of God (PBUH), Khadija, and myself as the third. I saw the light of revelation and messengership and inhaled the fragrance of prophethood. When revelation descended upon him, I heard Satan’s wail. I asked, ‘O Messenger of God, what is this wail?’ He replied, ‘This is Satan, despairing of his worship. You hear what I hear and see what I see, except that you are not a prophet, but a minister and on the path of good.’”²³

In spiritual vision, truth and exemplification are unveiled. The Qur’an’s descent at this level manifests as the presence of true meanings, exemplars, and realities in the human divine spirit. As noted, Imam Ali (AS) repeatedly identified himself as the speaking Qur’an, encompassing all dimensions of its descent.

²⁰ Makarem Shirazi, N. (1995). Tafsir Nemuneh. Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya.
²¹ Majlisi, M. B. (1983). Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 15. Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.
²² Tusi, M. J. (1990). Al-Amali. Dar al-Thaqafa.
²³ Kulayni, M. (1987). Al-Kafi, Vol. 1. Dar al-Saqi.

Flourishing of the Trans-Temporal Qur’an

The Qur’an is a trans-temporal scripture. As time progresses and human science and reason advance, its semantic and practical subtleties increasingly manifest. Humanity gains the capacity to decode the Qur’an’s operational knowledge, positioning God’s scripture as the vanguard of action and wisdom. One day, humanity will recognize the Qur’an’s sacred, revealed text as the paramount divine source of knowledge and science, perpetually active, living, and descending. The Qur’an states: “Indeed, this Qur’an guides to that which is most upright” (Al-Isra 17:9).²⁴

In every intellectual impasse, humanity must turn to the Qur’an’s true awareness rather than pseudo-sciences. As Imam Ali (AS) stated: “He aligns desire with guidance when they align guidance with desire; he aligns opinion with the Qur’an when they align the Qur’an with opinion.”²⁵

The Qur’an is a book of knowledge, particularly esoteric knowledge. The Prophet (PBUH) conveyed all revealed esoteric knowledge to humanity without omission or concealment. The Qur’an declares: “No, I swear by the stars that recede, gliding, sweeping, by the night as it departs, by the dawn as it breathes: this is the word of a noble messenger, mighty, established before the Lord of the Throne, obeyed there, trustworthy. Your companion is not mad. He saw him on the clear horizon. He is not grudging with the unseen. Nor is it the word of an accursed devil. So where are you going? It is but a reminder to the worlds, for those among you who wish to go straight. And you will not will unless God, Lord of the worlds, wills” (Al-Takwir 81:15–29).²⁶

²⁴ Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
²⁵ Hasan Zadeh Amoli, H. (2006). The Perfect Human in the Perspective of Nahj al-Balagha. Qom: Alef Lam Mim.
²⁶ Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.

Arabic as the Language of Revelation

The Arabic language of the Qur’an is intrinsic to its revealed identity and God’s composition. The reader stands in the presence of God’s linguistic and literary expression, uniquely manifested in His scripture. God composed it in simple, universally comprehensible Arabic, bearing universal guidance, yet encoded with specialized scientific languages to render the esoteric phenomena of jinn and humans knowable. Thus, the Qur’an’s Arabic is God’s exclusive language, distinct from the common Arabic of the Arab people in its literary and linguistic conventions.²⁷

This language employs vibrant, dynamic words with sapiential, philosophical precision, achieving perfect harmony between words and meanings. It uses the most precise vocabulary for the subtlest meanings, a pattern rarely found in dictionaries of conventional usage. Due to its evident and subtle semantic connections, the Qur’an’s language enables rational inquiry. The Qur’an states: “These are the verses of the clear Book. We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an, that you may reason” (Yusuf 12:1–2).²⁸

The term “Arab” denotes clarity, eloquence, revelation of hidden truths, and articulate expression. The clearest trait of Arabic, like the heavenly maidens’ qualities, is its evident beauty, truth, and alignment of form with reality. Heavenly maidens, with their manifest beauty and intoxication, fully reveal their inner qualities without distortion, speaking eloquently, fresh, radiant, and transparent. They proclaim their purity, have pure souls, love their spouses, and display themselves only for them, free from corruption or ambiguity—hence called “Arab.” The Qur’an states: “And [they will have] elevated spouses. We created them anew, making them virgins, loving, equal in age” (Al-Waqi’a 56:34–37).²⁹

Sage Arab linguists deemed their language meaningful, with fitting coherence and clear semantic articulation, capable of revealing hidden meanings. They considered other languages incoherent, incapable of clear expression, mute, foreign, ambiguous, corrupt, chaotic, and incomprehensible.

The Qur’an’s language is scientific, rational, expansive, and robust in conveying meanings. It is a clear language of wisdom and knowledge, trans-temporal. If widely adopted, its collective use would become a public culture. Culture is the shared ethos binding a community. A society’s greatness lies in its scientific language and culture. If the Qur’an’s scientific language, expressing precise rational conventions and the language of every science, becomes the public culture, especially among scholars, it transforms natural, conventional, and ordinary language into a scientific, rational one, shaping a public culture.³⁰

²⁷ Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
²⁸ Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
²⁹ Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
³⁰ Chittick, W. C. (2005). The Sufi Path of Knowledge. SUNY Press.

Encoded Language of Specialized Sciences

God, with His own hand and language, encoded all sciences essential for humanity—knowledge inaccessible to ordinary human means—in a trans-temporal form within the divine scripture. The Qur’an is not a compendium of human facts or accessible findings but a book of science and knowledge, with innovation and production as its constitutive elements.³¹

Understanding the Qur’an requires interpretation and exegesis. Qur’anic interpretation is a science addressing questions unanswerable by ordinary science or reason, though such answers must be discovered through scientific investigation and rational inquiry.

³¹ Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.

Methodical Human Engagement with Qur’anic Sciences

The encoded sciences in the Qur’an’s revelation require expression, decoded through fitting engagement and empathy. Those deprived of intimacy with the Qur’an cannot access its sciences, assuming it is merely for recitation, guidance, or practical motivation, devoid of science. Guiding complex human beings to knowledge without injecting authoritative, challenging sciences is impossible. The Qur’an’s miracle lies in its scientific nature, containing knowledge to master infinite realms. If scientific institutions embrace it with decoding capacity, it will enable the fundamental scientific transformation intended by God for jinn and humans.³²

This scientific, rational miracle of the Prophet (PBUH) is wise, effective, and imbued with love and intimacy. Its knowledge is operational, not merely theoretical. The key to its boundless data ocean is practical intimacy. The Qur’an is a scientific, sapiential book, but without love and friendship, it neither teaches nor is learned. Its learning occurs in a loving, passionate, operational framework.

In the Qur’an’s learning system, invoking God—the essence of all goodness and perfections—engulfs the learner in practical engagement with divine and Qur’anic love. Through active devotion and unity, revelation’s content is transferred. This educational system aligns with existence’s reality and human emergence.³³

In the Qur’an’s love-centered system, learning is based on devotion, attachment, human dissolution, and divine establishment. The heart accesses the Qur’an’s comprehensive realm, attaining existential truth—God—through dissolution. A blossoming intellect bows to this sacred heart, guiding and being guided by it. Yet, without the agony of destruction and sorrow of ruin, the intellect and heart cannot become purely divine or uncover the treasure of the divine essence.

In the material realm, this treasure, by the balance of spirit and body and the connection of existential truth with pure manifestation, resides in a body radiant with purity, a refuge to embrace with devotion. This fitting companionship and coexistence enable heart-based knowledge transfer. Thus, one connects with the Qur’an, accessing a dialogic logic ensuring worldly health and salvation in other realms.³⁴

Without this intimacy and friendship, centered on divine human mentorship, grounded in monotheism, objective guardianship, the core of divine love and unity, and saintly attainment of God, the Qur’an remains silent. Mere reference to lexical concepts does not grant access to the ocean of revealed meanings.

³² Alberts, B., et al. (2014). Molecular Biology of the Cell. Garland Science.
³³ Khomeini, R. (2003). Misbah al-Hidaya. Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.
³⁴ Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.

Interpretation, Exegesis, Application, and Adaptation of the Qur’an

Interpretation uncovers answers to a verse’s questions, identifying all possible considerations, finding responses, and determining semantic appropriateness within the Qur’an’s semantic and cultural framework. Responses may be adjacent to the question or separate, considering semantic propositions. Interpretation seeks questions and uncovers intended responses through explicit hints and subtleties, distinct from mere conceptual understanding.³⁵

Knowledge of literary sciences alone does not suffice for interpretation. Explaining words and propositions without examining the semantic network, cultural context, and other propositions is not interpretation, as meanings are evident, and ignorance thereof is veiled. Hints point to esoteric truths, cloaked in examples. Focusing solely on their apparent form conveys only material, context-bound meanings, potentially misleading the reader.

Understanding the sacred speaker’s intent requires a pure heart, a refined soul, and intimacy with each verse and passage. Intended meanings, being inner, are grasped as words and concepts, with interpretation accessing the first inner meaning, termed the intent.³⁶

Interpretation is not entirely academic, requiring engagement with inner qualities and a divinely bestowed, selective sacred faculty. The Qur’an states: “We send down from the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it increases the wrongdoers only in loss” (Al-Isra 17:82).³⁷

To grasp the Qur’an, one must turn to the divine human who perceives all realms and phenomena through vision and presence, knows the Qur’an, and can align revelation’s document with realities and exemplars, guiding each to their destined path and ruling.

Beyond semantic and conceptual interpretation, exegesis uncovers intended meanings by referencing external realities and exemplars through sacred wisdom, relying on Qur’anic words, termed ta’wil. It is a methodical discovery of inner exemplars of intended meanings.³⁸

Ta’wil means returning, reverting, and attaining a thing’s truth and inner reality through Qur’anic words and intended meanings, without needing its external presence. True meanings, possibly expressed allegorically due to material language constraints, are accessible through intimacy with a verse’s apparent meaning and sacred proposition via ta’wil methodology—referring specifically from words (not non-Qur’anic inner semblances) to rational, abstract inner meanings.

These inner meanings are primary, not instrumental, and may have multiple, sequential exemplars across levels, each with distinct manifestations. These inner meanings, with varied exemplars, stem from apparent words with narrative capacity, conveying intended meanings and directing the heart to truth and exemplars.³⁹

Such ta’wil arises from the Qur’an’s original Arabic and translations, provided the reader can uncover all the sacred text’s intents in non-Arabic languages with sapiential precision, preserving revelation’s secrets. Translation is rendering speech into another with full preservation of meanings, subtleties, beauties, and intents.

The Qur’anic Arabic’s letter and word arrangement is revealed, cognitive, motivational, and aligned with cosmic and human realms. The Qur’an states: “We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an, that you may reason” (Yusuf 12:2).⁴⁰

Application and adaptation involve aligning verses or statements with external exemplars based on semantic similarity and criteria fulfillment, whether an individual or event. Application does not restrict meaning to that exemplar or its occasion of revelation, except in cases of such grandeur that the exemplar is uniquely comprehensive, serving as evidence of exclusivity.

The Qur’an’s Arabic is clear and entirely firm. Firm statements are indisputable, denoting a single true meaning. The Qur’an states: “Indeed, it is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit brought it down upon your heart, that you may be among the warners, in a clear Arabic tongue” (Al-Shu’ara 26:192–195).⁴¹

Ambiguity or vagueness arises from a veiled reader, not the statement. For the divine human with mastery of meaning, revealed statements are eloquent. Through luminous wisdom and bestowed, intuitive knowledge, they articulate revealed statements, blocking erroneous exegesis.

Both divine revelation and the divine human’s language, alongside descriptive, informative, and data-driven dimensions, are imbued with emotional, motivational, and loving language, lending sweetness and refinement to scientific data, transforming them into belief. This motivational language, entwined with love, empowers, energizes, and galvanizes the reader, directing them purposefully toward their ordained ruling.⁴²

It withstands obstacles, conflicts, and challenges, sustaining the goal and inspiring resilience, perseverance, and endurance to achieve the intended outcome. Thus, motivation differs from goal-setting.

Motivation is sometimes logical and free of cognitive error, and sometimes, though not logical, serves as a rationale for action, haste, and greater effort. It influences all behaviors, especially learning, performance, perception, thinking, forgetting, creativity, and emotion. Emotional intelligence was discussed in the first chapter.⁴³

³⁵ Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.
³⁶ Chittick, W. C. (2005). The Sufi Path of Knowledge. SUNY Press.
³⁷ Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
³⁸ Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
³⁹ Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.
⁴⁰ Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
⁴¹ Makarem Shirazi, N. (1995). Tafsir Nemuneh. Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya.
⁴² Khomeini, R. (2003). Misbah al-Hidaya. Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.
⁴³ Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.

Recitation, Measured Reading, and Elevating Understanding of the Qur’an

The quality of revelation and Qur’anic understanding is virtue-building, rank-conferring, and exalting. A tradition from the Prophet (PBUH) states: “It is said to the Qur’an’s companion: ‘Recite, ascend, and read measuredly as you did in the worldly abode, for your station is at the last verse you recited [and internalized through intimacy].’”⁴⁴

Revelation is not exclusive to the material realm. In other realms, one may partake in the bestowed, transformative revelation through revealed connections, semantic intimacy, and unveiling between verses and their semantic world.

Measured reading (tartil) is the semantic expansion and articulation of statements, uncovering their interconnections through intimacy with verses to resolve ambiguity and vagueness. The Qur’an states: “And recite the Qur’an with measured recitation” (Al-Muzzammil 73:4).⁴⁵

Qur’anic recitation involves comprehension and understanding. “Qara’a” denotes gradual reading with intent to understand, not mere recitation. The Qur’an states: “So recite what is easy of the Qur’an” (Al-Muzzammil 73:20).⁴⁶

⁴⁴ Kulayni, M. (1987). Al-Kafi, Vol. 2. Dar al-Saqi.
⁴⁵ Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
⁴⁶ Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.

Conclusion: The Qur’an’s Revelation

The Qur’an’s revelation is a unique scientific relationship between God and the Prophet’s heart, a transformative, imparted announcement from God, dominated by divine essence, free from interference by mind, soul, illusion, imagination, reason, or human faculties, preserved divinely. God oversees both the revelation and its recipient’s coexistence with it.⁴⁷

Qur’anic comprehension employs two systems: annunciative and deductive. The future of Qur’anic studies lies in the annunciative (intuitive) system, focusing on investigating the Qur’an’s revelation quality, uncovering hints, subtleties, and articulations, though the Qur’an is comprehensive, conclusive, transparent, and clear in manifestation.

Legislative revelation requires a logic of understanding, specialized scientific expertise in identifying subjects and ruling criteria, discerning abrogating and abrogated texts per era, and sacred, heart-based wisdom. Recognizing Qur’anic subjects is impossible without experimental sciences, induction, advanced laboratories, interdisciplinary collaboration, and guidance from a sage with a sacred heart.⁴⁸

The Qur’an in our hands, if verified as aligned with the revealed content and untainted by harmful distortion, is divine revelation and God’s speech. Its authenticity is established, free from dispute or defect. Thus, revelation’s truth lies in God’s composed words. Orthographic errors in manuscripts are non-harmful scribal variations, not affecting the Qur’an’s revealed identity, received intact by the Prophet’s heart.

The Qur’an is God’s speech and scripture, inaccessible without purity, intimacy, friendship, and guardianship.⁴⁹

⁴⁷ Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
⁴⁸ Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
⁴⁹ Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.

References

1. Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
2. Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.
3. Nasr, S. H. (2013). Islamic Worldview. Routledge.
4. Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
5. Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
6. Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.
7. Chittick, W. C. (1989). The Sufi Path of Love. SUNY Press.
8. Makarem Shirazi, N. (1995). Tafsir Nemuneh. Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya.
9. Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
10. Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.
11. Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
12. Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
13. Majlisi, M. B. (1983). Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 15. Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.
14. Tusi, M. J. (1990). Al-Amali. Dar al-Thaqafa.
15. Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
16. Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.
17. Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
18. Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.
19. Khomeini, R. (2003). Misbah al-Hidaya. Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.
20. Makarem Shirazi, N. (1995). Tafsir Nemuneh. Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya.
21. Majlisi, M. B. (1983). Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 15. Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.
22. Tusi, M. J. (1990). Al-Amali. Dar al-Thaqafa.
23. Kulayni, M. (1987). Al-Kafi, Vol. 1. Dar al-Saqi.
24. Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
25. Hasan Zadeh Amoli, H. (2006). The Perfect Human in the Perspective of Nahj al-Balagha. Qom: Alef Lam Mim.
26. Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
27. Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
28. Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
29. Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
30. Chittick, W. C. (2005). The Sufi Path of Knowledge. SUNY Press.
31. Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
32. Alberts, B., et al. (2014). Molecular Biology of the Cell. Garland Science.
33. Khomeini, R. (2003). Misbah al-Hidaya. Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.
34. Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.
35. Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.
36. Chittick, W. C. (2005). The Sufi Path of Knowledge. SUNY Press.
37. Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
38. Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
39. Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.
40. Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
41. Makarem Shirazi, N. (1995). Tafsir Nemuneh. Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya.
42. Khomeini, R. (2003). Misbah al-Hidaya. Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.
43. Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
44. Kulayni, M. (1987). Al-Kafi, Vol. 2. Dar al-Saqi.
45. Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
46. Tabarsi, F. (1997). Majma al-Bayan. Dar al-Ma’rifa.
47. Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
48. Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
49. Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.

Divine Revelation and the Qur’an: A Theological and Scientific Synthesis

Introduction

The concept of divine revelation (*waḥy*) and its embodiment in the Qur’an represent central pillars of Islamic theology, offering profound insights into the nature of divine-human interaction and the transmission of transcendent knowledge. Drawing on Sadegh Khademi’s seminal work, Consciousness and the Divine Human (2025), this article explores the theological framework of *waḥy* and the Qur’an, integrating perspectives from modern sciences such as cognitive science, linguistics, and neuroscience to elucidate their contemporary relevance. Khademi posits that *waḥy* is a direct, error-free transmission of divine knowledge, distinct from human faculties, while the Qur’an serves as its ultimate written manifestation, encoded with universal and trans-temporal wisdom.¹ This synthesis aims to bridge traditional Islamic scholarship with modern scientific inquiry, highlighting the Qur’an’s role as a dynamic source of epistemological and practical guidance.

¹ Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.

The Nature of Divine Revelation (*Waḥy*)

Definition and Characteristics

Khademi defines *waḥy* as a transformative, descending process through which God imparts knowledge directly to a chosen recipient, unmediated by human effort, imagination, or material conditions.² This process is safeguarded from error, rendering it distinct from human-derived knowledge systems. Unlike visions or intuitive perceptions, which are soul-dependent and human in origin, *waḥy* operates on a divine plane, bypassing cognitive or sensory faculties.³ From a cognitive science perspective, this distinction aligns with theories of non-ordinary states of consciousness, where transcendent experiences transcend typical neural processing, suggesting a unique epistemological channel.⁴ The recipient’s response—marked by infallible affirmation and obedience—underscores the volitional and conscious engagement with divine grace, a phenomenon that resonates with psychological models of intrinsic motivation and belief formation.⁵

² Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
³ Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.
⁴ Newberg, A., & Waldman, M. R. (2016). How God Changes Your Brain. Ballantine Books.
⁵ Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.

Diversity of Revelation

The Qur’an illustrates the diversity of *waḥy*, extending beyond prophets to include angels (Al-Anfal 8:12), non-prophetic humans (e.g., Moses’ mother, Al-Qasas 28:7), and even non-human entities like the bee (Al-Nahl 16:68) and the earth (Al-Zalzala 99:4–5).⁶ This expansive view suggests that *waḥy* is a universal divine mechanism, not confined to prophethood or specific temporal contexts. From a systems biology perspective, the revelation to the bee, directing it to construct hives, parallels emergent behaviors in complex systems, where purposeful actions arise without conscious deliberation, hinting at a divine informational blueprint embedded in creation.⁷ Khademi emphasizes that general revelation, accessible to believers and non-believers alike, serves to complete divine proof, distinct from the exclusive nature of prophetic revelation, which includes messengership and miraculous acts.⁸

⁶ Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
⁷ Kauffman, S. A. (1995). At Home in the Universe. Oxford University Press.
⁸ Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.

The Qur’an as Divine Scripture

Revelation and Composition

The Qur’an, as the ultimate embodiment of *waḥy*, is God’s direct speech, composed divinely and imparted to the Prophet Muhammad’s heart without alteration by intermediaries like Gabriel.⁹ Khademi distinguishes this from conceptual inspiration, where meanings are articulated by human linguistic conventions, emphasizing the Qur’an’s verbatim divine authorship.¹⁰ Linguistically, this aligns with theories of language as a structured system, where the Qur’an’s Arabic exhibits unparalleled semantic precision and phonological harmony, a feature studied in computational linguistics for its unique rhetorical patterns.¹¹ The Qur’an’s descent to the Prophet’s heart, rather than intellect or imagination, suggests a non-cognitive reception process, potentially analogous to neural models of intuitive insight, where information bypasses conscious processing.¹²

⁹ Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
¹⁰ Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
¹¹ Abdul-Raof, H. (2010). Qur’anic Stylistics: A Linguistic Analysis. Lincom Europa.
¹² Kounios, J., & Beeman, M. (2014). The cognitive neuroscience of insight. Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 71–93.

The Qur’an’s Scientific and Sapiential Dimensions

Khademi asserts that the Qur’an encodes trans-temporal scientific knowledge, inaccessible to ordinary human means, positioning it as a source of innovation rather than mere facts.¹³ This resonates with modern epistemology, where paradigm-shifting discoveries often arise from non-empirical insights, as seen in the history of scientific breakthroughs like Einstein’s relativity.¹⁴ For instance, the Qur’an’s references to cosmic phenomena (e.g., Al-Zalzala 99:1–5) align with geophysical models of tectonic activity, suggesting an encoded understanding of natural processes.¹⁵ Moreover, the Qur’an’s emphasis on rational inquiry (Yusuf 12:2) parallels cognitive science’s focus on reasoning as a tool for knowledge acquisition, reinforcing its role as a dynamic epistemological framework.¹⁶

¹³ Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
¹⁴ Holton, G. (1988). Thematic Origins of Scientific Thought. Harvard University Press.
¹⁵ Stein, S., & Wysession, M. (2003). An Introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes, and Earth Structure. Blackwell Publishing.
¹⁶ Stanovich, K. E. (2009). What Intelligence Tests Miss: The Psychology of Rational Thought. Yale University Press.

Engagement and Exegesis

Accessing the Qur’an’s sciences requires intimate engagement, combining rational exegesis (*tafsir*) and esoteric interpretation (*ta’wil*), which uncover inner meanings through sacred wisdom.¹⁷ This process mirrors hermeneutic approaches in modern textual analysis, where context and intent are critical for meaning derivation.¹⁸ Khademi emphasizes the role of a “divine human” mentor, whose purified heart perceives the Qur’an’s realities, a concept akin to expertise models in cognitive psychology, where domain mastery enhances interpretive accuracy.¹⁹ The Qur’an’s motivational language, imbued with love and purpose, aligns with psychological theories of affective learning, where emotional engagement enhances knowledge retention and application.²⁰

¹⁷ Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.
¹⁸ Gadamer, H. G. (2004). Truth and Method. Continuum.
¹⁹ Ericsson, K. A., & Smith, J. (1991). Toward a General Theory of Expertise. Cambridge University Press.
²⁰ Immordino-Yang, M. H. (2015). Emotions, Learning, and the Brain. W. W. Norton & Company.

Conclusion

The Qur’an, as the culmination of divine revelation, transcends its theological roots to offer a trans-temporal framework for knowledge and action. Khademi’s analysis underscores its role as God’s direct speech, encoded with scientific and sapiential wisdom, accessible through intimate, heart-based engagement.²¹ By integrating modern scientific perspectives, this article highlights the Qur’an’s relevance in addressing contemporary epistemological challenges, from cognitive processing to linguistic precision and geophysical insights. Its call for rational inquiry and emotional engagement positions it as a living scripture, guiding humanity toward existential truth and practical wisdom.²² Future research should explore interdisciplinary approaches to Qur’anic exegesis, leveraging advances in neuroscience and computational linguistics to decode its encoded sciences, ensuring its enduring vitality in a rapidly evolving world.

²¹ Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
²² Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.

References

1. Khademi, S. (2025). Consciousness and the Divine Human. https://sadeghkhademi.ir/.
2. Corbin, H. (1998). Alone with the Alone. Princeton University Press.
3. Newberg, A., & Waldman, M. R. (2016). How God Changes Your Brain. Ballantine Books.
4. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.
5. Fooladvand, M. M. (2004). The Qur’an. Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim.
6. Kauffman, S. A. (1995). At Home in the Universe. Oxford University Press.
7. Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Tafsir al-Mizan. World Organization for Islamic Services.
8. Nasr, S. H. (2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present. SUNY Press.
9. Abdul-Raof, H. (2010). Qur’anic Stylistics: A Linguistic Analysis. Lincom Europa.
10. Kounios, J., & Beeman, M. (2014). The cognitive neuroscience of insight. Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 71–93.
11. Holton, G. (1988). Thematic Origins of Scientific Thought. Harvard University Press.
12. Stein, S., & Wysession, M. (2003). An Introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes, and Earth Structure. Blackwell Publishing.
13. Stanovich, K. E. (2009). What Intelligence Tests Miss: The Psychology of Rational Thought. Yale University Press.
14. Gadamer, H. G. (2004). Truth and Method. Continuum.
15. Ericsson, K. A., & Smith, J. (1991). Toward a General Theory of Expertise. Cambridge University Press.
16. Immordino-Yang, M. H. (2015). Emotions, Learning, and the Brain. W. W. Norton & Company.