Journal of Interreligious Studies on the Quran and the Bible

Journal of Interreligious Studies on the Quran and the Bible

The Scattered Nature of the Text and its Divine Origin: A Necessary Connection or Not? (A Case Study of the Quran and the Testaments)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Hadi Gholamrezaii 1
javad Baghbani Arani 2
1 PhD in Quran and Hadith Studies. Tarbiat Modarres University. Tehran, IRAN.
2 Assistant Professor of the Department of Religions, The Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute, Qom, IRAN.
10.22034/qb.2025.2055946.1038
Abstract
The Noble Quran and the Testaments share the common feature of being composed of various parts or chapters. These chapters are called "Surahs" in the Quran and "Books" in the Testaments. Unlike the Testaments, whose content mostly possesses a linear order similar to human books, with each book usually centered on a specific or general topic, the Surahs of the Quran—with the exception of the shorter Surahs and some collectively-revealed ones—typically lack a specific topic and order, appearing as if diverse and varied subjects are scattered throughout them (the "Scattered" nature of the Quran). Some believe the human-like order of the Testaments indicates their human origin, while the non-human order of the verses in the Quran's Surahs is a sign of its divine origin. However, according to this research, conducted using library resources and critical analysis method, neither the structure of the Testaments and their similarity to human books is proof of their non-divine origin, nor is the scattered structure of most long Quranic Surahs and their dissimilarity to the order found in most human books proof of its divine origin.
Keywords
Quran
Testaments
Arrangement of Verses
Linear Order of the Bible
Coherence and Order of Verses
Scattering of Verses
Interrelation of Verses
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Journal of Interreligious Studies on the Quran and the Bible
Volume 2, Issue 1 - Serial Number 3
October 2025
Pages 261-296