The Religious and the Qur’anic Phenomenon: A Critical Approach to the Arkounian Project

Abstract

The Qur’an, as the central sacred text of Islam, is examined through a critical and deconstructive lens inspired by modern Western epistemology. Mohammed Arkoun approaches the Qur’an as a historical and linguistic phenomenon shaped by social and cultural contexts, emphasizing symbolism, myth, and collective imagination. His method applies comparative and critical tools to understand the Qur’an alongside other sacred texts, highlighting its evolving meanings. While offering new insights, this approach raises debates about the limits of applying Western methodologies to a text considered divine and sacred in Islamic tradition.