A Comparative Analysis of Metallurgical Terms Found in The Holy Qur’an

Abstract

This article presents a comparative linguistic analysis of metallurgical terms and metallurgy-related lexical units found in the Holy Qur’an. The study aims to identify their lexical-semantic, functional, contextual, and linguocultural characteristics and to examine their equivalents in Uzbek and other languages. Particular attention is paid to lexical units denoting metals, metal materials, molten substances, metal objects, protective equipment, and processes associated with metalworking. The analysis focuses on such Qur’anic terms and expressions as ḥadīd (حديد), nuḥās (نحاس), qiṭr (قِطْر), zubar al-ḥadīd (زُبَرُ الْحَدِيد), muhl (مُهْل), as well as lexical units associated with metal products and their functional use. The study demonstrates that these units cannot always be regarded as direct equivalents of modern metallurgical terminology. Rather, their interpretation depends on their lexical meaning, Qur’anic context, historical-cultural background, and functional role in the text. A comparative approach is therefore employed to distinguish between the historical meanings of Qur’anic lexical units and their modern technical equivalents. The study also examines semantic differentiation between metal names, descriptions of the physical state of metals, metalworking processes, metal products, and metaphorical or symbolic meanings. The findings indicate that metallurgy-related vocabulary in the Qur’anic text forms a semantically interconnected lexical field associated with material culture, craftsmanship, labor, strength, protection, wealth, adornment, and social relations. The study contributes to the investigation of historical Arabic lexicology, terminology, Qur’anic linguistics, translation studies, and the linguistic representation of ancient material culture.