Quranic Covenants: An Introduction

The message of the Qur'an has been interpreted through Qur'anic studies or Ulūm al-Qur'ān by many authors over centuries. The legal aspects of the Qur'an have been explored through the jurisprudence of the Sharīʿah or the Uṣūl al-Fiqh, and the moral and ethical code for believers has been researched or ascertained through works often referred to as Aḥkām-e-Qur'an. However, the legal architecture of it being a covenant between a believer and the One Believed in has not been explored as much as it should have been, and experts have acknowledged this as a gap in the existing scholarship. This work is an attempt to start bridging that gap.

The reason why this research is significant is twofold. Firstly, studying the Qur'an is not just a religious endeavor but also a socio-cultural and legal one. The Qur'an is not just a Holy Book for almost two billion people worldwide; it also forms the basis of legal and social systems in many societies. Therefore, understanding its structure and underlying message can offer invaluable insights into these societies and their legal frameworks.

Secondly, while the interpretation of the Qur'an has been the subject of numerous studies, the question of whether there is a fundamental feature underlying its message and whether its structure embodies a unique contractual identity has been less explored. Investigating this aspect can provide a fresh perspective and deepen our understanding of the Qur'an. A believer will find it challenging to resist appreciating how numerous covenants identified in this work bring them in incredible proximity with no less than Allah Himself.

Author's Introduction

Ahmer Bilal Soofi is a well-known international lawyer from South Asia and former federal law minister of Pakistan. He is currently a Member of the ICC Court of Arbitration, Paris. He has represented before ICJ and other international judicial forums. He chaired the Advisory Council of Human Rights in Geneva. He also remained President of WWF Pakistan. Mr. Soofi leads a globally ranked law firm, ABS & Co. He founded a leading think tank, the Research Society of International Law (RSIL), that emphasizes the necessity of understanding international law. His most recent project is the Qur'an Covenant Research Center (QCRC) an initiative that highlights the 'covenant' structure of the Qur'an and, consequently, the divine legal implications on the believers via enhanced obligation to uphold private contracts, legislative covenants, and international treaties.