Semantics of Leadership in the Qur’an

A Possible Reading

Abstract

Although the notion of leadership is semantically inflated, its meaning and semiotic potential are fading; Muslim societies await a saviour, but detailed studies on leadership are scarce. The article opens new avenues of interpretation for this and other Qur’anic terms, configuring geographic considerations and interpretational hot spots, starting from universal laws (sunnatullah), and addressing leadership references in religious practice and daily life. It highlights the most prominent leadership concepts in the Qur’anic text, and questions their core meanings and extended semantic fields. The conclusions develop more inclusive approaches to plural exegesis, and broaden the discourse of Qur’anic Studies.