<Article>A Semantic Analysis of the Concept of ‘Majority’ (akthar) in the Conclusions (fadhlakas) of the Qur'anic Verses

Abstract

This paper explores whether the concept of majority (akthar) in the conclusions (fadhlakas) of the Qur’anic verses and certain prominent characteristics of this majority refer to the majority of a certain group of people who lived in a certain period, or to a majority in a general sense. These questions were addressed with reference to particular Qur'anic verses related to communities that lived in different periods of human history. The study concentrated on two salient characteristics of the majority described in the Qur'anic verses: people ‘who do not believe’ (lā yuᵓminūn) and ‘who do not think’ (lā yaᶜlamūn). It is important to gain insight into the nature of these descriptions of akthar as they are ubiquitous in fadhlakas throughout the Qur'an. In this study, an in-depth semantic analysis of the relationship between words and syntax was performed based on the conclusions of Qur'anic verses relevant to the majority and their attributes.