Rethinking Qur’an 4:157: A Qur’an-Only Linguistic and Contextual Analysis in Light of Historical Evidence Abstract Qur’an 4:157 has long been understood in Islamic tradition as a categorical denial of Jesus’ crucifixion. However, a close reading of the verse’s grammar, syntax, and rhetorical structure — without reliance on post-Qur’anic tafsīr or theological constructions — suggests a more nuanced interpretation. This article argues that the verse does not deny the occurrence of a crucifixion event, but rather refutes the claim by a specific group among Banī Isrāʾīl that they had successfully killed the Messiah. Such a reading keeps the Qur’anic text intact, aligns with linguistic conventions, and removes the need to reject well-attested historical evidence. It also situates the verse within the broader Qur’anic theme of the divine vindication of prophets, in which God’s messengers are never truly overcome by their opponents. 1. Introduction Among the Qur’anic verses that have generate...
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Interpretive Inflation in Classical Tafsīr of Qur’an 4:157 A Comparative Text–Exegesis Analysis Abstract Classical Islamic exegesis of Qur’an 4:157 overwhelmingly asserts that Jesus was neither crucified nor killed, often advancing detailed substitution narratives and physical ascension doctrines. This study undertakes a comparative analysis between the Qur’anic text and representative classical tafsīr works, including al-Ṭabarī, al-Rāzī, and Ibn Kathīr, to demonstrate a pattern of interpretive inflation: the systematic expansion of sparse Qur’anic language into elaborate historical and metaphysical claims. By isolating what the Qur’an explicitly states from what exegetes supply, this paper argues that classical tafsīr repeatedly transforms epistemic ambiguity into narrative certainty, thereby importing theological commitments not grounded in the Qur’anic text itself. 1. Methodological Framework This analysis operates under four constraints: Textual Primacy : Only claims explicitly sta...