A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Discourse of Qurʾanic Orientalism (Case Study: Orientalists and the Qurʾan by Dr. Muhammad Hasan Zamani)

Objective: This study was conducted to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the structure and content of the book Orientalists and the Qurʾan by Dr. Muhammad Hasan Zamani. The book is recognized as one of the most significant Persian works offering a systematic critique of Orientalist views on the Holy Qurʾan. The present article seeks to elucidate its strengths, innovations, and possible shortcomings.
Method: This study was carried out using an analytical–critical approach and a qualitative research method (content analysis) .
Results: The research corpus consists of the complete text of the aforementioned book, comprising 590 pages and six main chapters. The data were collected through an in-depth reading of the work and the extraction of its structural and substantive components, and were subsequently analyzed according to the criteria of critical research and Qurʾanic studies. With a coherent structure, the book critiques a broad spectrum of Orientalist activities and viewpoints in areas such as translation, dating, origin, compilation, literary structure, and the teachings of the Qurʾan. The findings indicate that the author’s integrative approach—combining historical, linguistic, and theological data—together with a fair critique, constitutes one of the principal strengths of the work. The book achieves twelve key contributions, including delineating a comprehensive map of Orientalism, dissecting its presuppositions, presenting a reasoned defense of the revelatory nature and preservation of the Qurʾan, and offering the first systematic Persian critique of the Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾan (Leiden). Dr. Zamani’s book goes beyond a merely defensive response and offers a model for indigenous critical research and scholarly dialogue with Western studies,
Conclusion: thereby strengthening rational–critical discourse in contemporary Qurʾanic studies. Nevertheless, for further enrichment, the expansion of contemporary linguistic analyses and updating in light of new trends in Western Qurʾanic studies is recommended. The work constitutes a reliable source for researchers seeking to provide scholarly responses to doubts and to develop critical research.