The book “An Examination and Critique of Orientalist Studies on the Subject of Moral Virtue and Vice in the Quran,” authored in Persian by Seyyed Mohammad Akbarian, has been published by the Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy in 332 pages. This work offers a critical review of the approaches taken by Orientalist studies in the field of Quranic ethics.
According to the book’s introductory content, understanding ethics in the Quran and its related concepts, including moral virtue and vice, has been a significant area of research in Orientalist studies. Within these approaches, some researchers, utilizing modern semantic methods and comparative analysis with other ethical schools, have arrived at interpretations of the Quran’s moral system that, in certain instances, extend beyond the traditional focus of Islamic exegetes and thinkers.
At the same time, these new methodological and comparative approaches have also faced critiques and challenges. Consequently, a portion of these studies has been evaluated as having shortcomings and flaws in terms of conceptual accuracy, methodological coherence, and alignment with exegetical principles.
Within this framework, the present book, while reviewing the perspectives of Orientalists, critically analyzes their foundations, methods, and conclusions in the realm of Quranic ethics. It endeavors to provide a more coherent picture of the capacities and limitations inherent in this type of research.
