American International Journal of Social Science

The Conceptual Elements of the Development Worldview in the Qur’an: A Study of Thematic Exegesis
Mohd Shukri Hanapi

Abstract
This paper aims to identify and analyze chosen verses of the Qur'an that are related to the conceptual elements of the development worldview (tasawwur). Development worldview here refers to the comprehensive view and a true and correct picture of Islamic-based development (IbD). It aims to explain the whole characteristics of the IbD holistically, as the basis of all development activities in human life. In the Qur'an, the verses of the conceptual elements of the development worldview are actually located separately in many chapters (surah). The question then is which ones of the verses could be accounted as the verses of the development worldview? What are the conceptual elements of the development worldview in the Qur'an that could be constructed from these verses? This paper attempts to seek for the answer through three main purposes. Firstly, to identify the chosen verses of the Qur'an that is related to the development worldview. Secondly, using a thematic exegesis approach, to analyze the identified Quranic verses of the development worldview; and thirdly, to develop the conceptual elements of the development worldview based on the identified verses of the Qur‘an. The main objects studied in this paper are the Quranic verses themselves. This is assisted by other references, especially those related to Quranic exegesis. All these are analyzed using a content analysis method. It will be shown that there are six conceptual elements of development worldview found in the Qur‘an. They are Oneness of Allah, servitude of self/worship to Allah, vicegerent on earth, natural resources, time frame – world of al-ruh, present world, and the world hereafter, and pleasures of Allah. It is based on these six conceptual elements of development worldview that the IbD worldview is constructed.

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