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The passive voice in the Holy Quran: an exploratory study

Author

Listed:
  • Abdallah Abu Qub’a

    (King Faisal University, KSA)

  • Mohammed Nour Abu Guba

    (University of Sharjah)

  • Shehdeh Fareh

    (University of Sharjah)

  • Ghaleb Rabab’ah

    (University of Sharjah
    The University of Jordan)

Abstract

The passive voice represents a marked syntactic construction in language, and its usage requires a systematic analysis to fully comprehend its complexities. The role of the passive voice in the Holy Quran has not been adequately explored in previous studies. This research aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of all passive verbs found in the Holy Quran. We identified 1107 passive verbs using the categorization provided by the Quranic Corpus. These verbs were analyzed in terms of tense, agents, and functions. The results indicate that the passive voice is employed sparingly in the Quran, accounting for only approximately 5% of the total 19,356 verbs. Furthermore, the agent-less passive form emerged as the default, while the most frequently occurring agents were Allah (the Almighty), indefinite agents, Satan or the self, prophets, unbelievers, and believers. The findings suggest that the passive voice in the Quran serves multiple functions, often operating simultaneously. The primary functions of passive constructions include brevity and conciseness, emphasizing the action or object, and expanding meaning.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdallah Abu Qub’a & Mohammed Nour Abu Guba & Shehdeh Fareh & Ghaleb Rabab’ah, 2025. "The passive voice in the Holy Quran: an exploratory study," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-025-04622-4
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-04622-4
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