The Qur’an as an Open Text: The Plural Dimension of Meaning

Abstract

This study addresses the theme of "the Qur'an as an open text" from a contemporary hermeneutical perspective. It seeks to analyse the plural dimension of meaning within the Qur'anic text through an engagement with linguistic, philosophical, and hermeneutical approaches. The research proceeds from the Western concept of the open text as developed by Roland Barthes and Umberto Eco, examining the possibility of applying this framework to the Qur'anic text without compromising its sacredness. The study further surveys the history of interpretation within the Islamic intellectual tradition, from the Muʿtazilites and philosophers to the Sufis and proponents of the maqāṣid approach, before advancing to a contemporary reading that engages with the challenges of modernity and questions of renewal. The paper concludes that, despite its textual fixity, the Qur’an remains open to a plurality of significations and that a renewed understanding of the text does not negate its sanctity but rather activates its enduring capacity to address humanity.