Mapping out the Concept of Wisdom (Ḥikmah) in the Qur’an: Shifting Interpretations in Classical and Modern Exegesis

The concept of ḥikmah (wisdom) appears twenty times in nineteen different verses across twelve chapters in the Qur’an, yet its interpretation has undergone significant evolution over the centuries. Classical exegetes such as al-Ṭabarī (d. 923) and Ibn Kathīr (d. 1373) viewed wisdom primarily through a prophetic and theological lens, linking it to divine revelation and religious instruction. Their interpretations emphasize ḥikmah as a form of guidance granted to prophets, with a strong focus on legalistic and doctrinal teachings. In contrast, the rationalist theologian Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 1209) expanded the meaning of wisdom beyond prophecy to include intellectual discernment, ethical reasoning, and philosophical inquiry. This rationalist shift is further developed in modern exegesis, particularly in the works of Muḥammad Rashīd Riḍā (d. 1935) and al-Ṭāhir Ibn ʿĀshūr (d. 1973), who reframe ḥikmah as an essential ethical and social principle applicable to all believers. By tracing these exegetical shifts, this paper explores the broader transformation of Islamic thought, from a strictly theological understanding of wisdom to a more human-centered, rational, and ethical perspective.