A Verse Hidden in the Light: Rethinking the Meaning of the Word khuluq in the Qur’an with Special Reference to 68/Sūrat al-Qalam:4

The meaning of the word khuluq in the Qur’anic verse “wa-innaka la-ʿalā khuluqin ʿaẓīmin” (68/al-Qalam: 4) has been related in most tafsīr works and almost all religious literature to the Prophet Muhammad’s moral character. However, one can hardly find any evidence that would coherently support the idea that the word khuluq has anything to do with the moral character of the Prophet. On the contrary, the occasion of the revelation of the verse, its context, the relevant tafsīr reports, the wujūh-nazāir literature, and linguistic findings reveal that the word khuluq has been connected to the term ‘religion’ instead. Based on these data, I offer an analysis towards clarification of the historical semantics of the word khuluq and argue that the verse in question, contrary to popular and widespread opinion, has nothing to do with the Prophet’s character and only encourages and strengthens the Prophet’s spiritual motivation by reassuring that he “stands on a great religious tradition.”