Conceptual Reexamination of “Infiltration” in the Holy Qur’an Based on the Semantic Structure of Hypocrisy (Nifāq)

Document Type : Conceptual paper (Political Thought)

Author

PhD OF Political Science, Tehran, Iran

10.30497/ipt.2025.249309.1059

Abstract

This study presents a semantic–exegetical investigation of the concept of infiltration (nufūdh) in the Holy Qur’an, analyzed through its structural correlation with hypocrisy (nifāq) and the broader Qur’anic discourse on spiritual deception (ghurūr) and immunity (muṣūniyyah). This research reconstructs the ontology of infiltration as a multi-layered process — intellectual, moral-cultural, and political. Methodologically, the paper adopts a semantic-exegetical and comparative analytical approach, combining lexical study, contextual analysis, and intertextual synthesis of key Qur’anic terms, including waswasa (whispering temptation), nazgh (satanic provocation), ghurūr (deceptive allure), and amātah maʿnawiy (spiritual death). These are contrasted with Qur’anic counter-concepts such as taqwā (God-consciousness), furqān (discernment), ikhlāṣ (sincerity), dhikr (remembrance), and waḥdah (unity). The findings demonstrate that, in the Qur’an, infiltration is not merely a sociopolitical strategy but an ontological process aimed at paralyzing the human heart and silencing prophetic consciousness through deception and spiritual sedation. Conversely, the Qur’an constructs a dynamic model of immunity that integrates epistemic, moral, and spiritual dimensions — anchored in taqwā, ikhlāṣ, and dhikr. 

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Volume 12, Issue 3 - Serial Number 27
September 2025
Pages 171-201
  • Receive Date: 26 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 23 November 2025
  • Accept Date: 23 November 2025