VERSES OF AL-FATḤ IN THE HOLY QUR'AN

Abstract

This study examines the term al-Fatḥ in the Holy Qur'an as one of the Qur'anic terms rich in meaning, since it is not confined to a single sense but varies according to Qur'anic context. The study aims to enumerate the meanings of al-Fatḥ in the Qur'an, survey the verses in which the term and its derivatives occur, and then classify them and set out the exegetes' statements concerning them. The study opens with an introduction establishing the merit of the subject, given its connection to the Holy Qur'an, and clarifies that its purpose is to trace the term al-Fatḥ throughout the Qur'an and then divide its meanings according to their differing senses. It also presents the structure of the study, comprising a preliminary section, two sections, and a conclusion that sets out the principal findings. In the preliminary section, the study treats the linguistic meaning of al-Fatḥ, showing that it originally denotes the removal of closure yet carries multiple meanings such as victory, governance, decree, sending, clarification, and others, according to context. The first section classifies the meanings of al-Fatḥ into seven: concrete opening, decree and governance, victory, sending, gradual entrapment (istidrāj), clarification and instruction, and fatḥ connected to historical events; each verse is interpreted on the authority of the books of exegesis. The second section sets out the link between each original meaning of al-Fatḥ and its contextual meaning in the books of exegesis, citing the exegetes' statements and showing that they are diverse yet broadly agree on these meanings. In the conclusion, the study finds that al-Fatḥ is broad in signification, that context is the basis for determining its meaning, and that the diversity of interpretation reflects the richness of the Qur'anic text. The study thus constitutes a useful analytical contribution to understanding the significations of Qur'anic terms.