Quranic concepts that are formed into terms in Islamic sciences

This study aims to identify the "Qur'anic Concepts that Became Terms in Islamic Sciences" and to analyze the processes of their terminologization. The Holy Qur'an is the foundational text and primary reference for the Islamic civilization and its core scholarly disciplines, such as Tafsir (exegesis), Fiqh (jurisprudence), Hadith (prophetic traditions), Kalam (theology), and Tasawwuf (Sufism). The terminological infrastructure of these sciences has been largely built upon the words and concepts found in the Qur'an. In this context, the main research problem of this study is shaped around the question: "Which Qur'anic concepts have become terms in the Islamic sciences, and how did this process of terminologization occur?". The research employed qualitative methods, particularly historical-semantic analysis, document review, and critical text analysis. Within this methodological framework, over one hundred key concepts that have become central terms in the main Islamic sciences were identified. The semantic journey of each concept was examined in three fundamental stages: 1) The lexical and cultural usage of the concept in the Arabic language during the pre-Islamic (Jahiliyya) period, 2) The new or specialized religious (shar'i) meaning assigned to the concept by the Holy Qur'an (through processes of takhsis [specification], ta'mim [generalization], or naql [transference]), 3) The specific technical (terminological) identity that the concept acquired within the relevant Islamic science. For these analyses, a wide range of literature was reviewed, including classical Arabic dictionaries, major works of tafsir, collections of pre-Islamic poetry, classical and modern foundational texts of the relevant sciences, and contemporary academic studies. The identified concepts were thematically classified according to the disciplines to which they belong (Tafsir, Fiqh, Kalam, Tasawwuf, etc.). The research concludes that the conceptual structure of the Islamic sciences was not formed coincidentally but was directly shaped by the guidance and transformative influence of the Holy Qur'an. It has been demonstrated how fundamental concepts of worship such as salât (prayer), zakat (almsgiving), sawm (fasting), and hajj (pilgrimage) evolved from their general lexical meanings into religious terms with specific conditions and pillars. It has been shown how ethical concepts like sabr (patience), shukr (gratitude), tawakkul (trust in God), and zuhd (asceticism) became terminologized as "stations" (maqam) representing spiritual stages in the Sufi tradition. It was also determined that concepts such as İman (faith), kufr (disbelief), shirk (polytheism), nifaq (hypocrisy), and fisq (transgression) formed the core topics of Kalam, while concepts like halal (lawful), haram (unlawful), and fard (obligatory) constituted the foundation of Fiqh methodology. In conclusion, this study reveals that the Qur'an is not merely a passive text that uses an existing language, but a constitutive agent that transforms the language, constructs conceptual frameworks, and lays the foundations for a new world of thought. It is emphasized that understanding this process of terminologization is vital for correctly comprehending both the Qur'anic text and the rich scholarly tradition that emerged from it. Keywords: Arabic Rhetoric, The Holy Qur'an, Concept, Term (Terminology), Semantics, Tafsir (Qur'anic Exegesis), Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), Kalam (Islamic Theology), Sufism (Islamic Mysticism), Pre-Islamic Poetry.