Analysis of Quranic Counter-discourse in Two Miniatures of Joseph in Prison and Jonah and the fish from Shah Tahmasebi’ s Falnama

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Condidate in Islamic Art University of Tabriz & Faculty member of University of Birjand, Iran.

2 Islamic Art University of Tabriz, Iran.

3 University of Tehran.

Abstract

Quranic discourse of miniature requires understanding the relationship between the text (Quran) and miniatures. Semiotics reveals the meaningful relationships of miniatures by discovering the relationship of signs with each other. Accordingly, the most important questions of the present research are: How did the counter-discourse or divine support mentioned in the Quran appear in the miniature of the two Prophets? And what pictorial relations reflect the Quranic discourse meaning?
Aim: This study is an attempt to show how the meaning is received in a pictorial narrative provided by miniature; because divine counter-discourse is analyzable in miniatures of Prophets.
Methodology: This study used discourse semiotics analysis as methodology and data were collected from available sources and two miniatures were selected from an English catalogue titled "Falnama" prepared by Masoumeh Farhad.
Results: The results of this study can be summarized as follows: 1. Discourse semiotics establishes a relationship between Quranic concepts and miniature. 2. Divine support from a Prophet is identified not only by presenting a miracle, but also divine support could appear in a dark prison or through swallowing by a whale.
In this semantics, the conflict between the dark and halo around the head of the Prophet, the contradiction between the plans, the action and connection of the angels’ hands with Prophet Jonah, the rotating composition and etc. are involved in understanding the interfacing factor.

Keywords


Abbasi, A. & Karimi Firoozjani, A. (2012). Karkard- e ravaee- ye fara ravi dar dastan- e hazrat- e adam [Narrative Function in the Story of Adam]. Journal of Quran and Hadith Studies, 6 (1): 159-185.
Ahmadpanah, A. Jabbari, E. (2014). The Analysis of the Miniature "The Court of Kiumars" by Sultan Mohammad based on Greimas’s Functional Pattern and Semantic Square. Pazhuhesh-e Honar, 4(7): 75-86.
Azhand, Y. (2015). Tabriz and Qazvin - Mashhad painting. Tehran: Farhangestan Honar.
Davoudimoghadam, F., Shaeiri, H. & Ghotbi, S. (2017). The Role of Anti-Discourses in the Discursive Analysis of Surah Kahf (Anti-Discourse; Discursive Analysis; Quran; Kahf). Linguistic Research in The Holy Quran, 6 (11): 1-16.
Farhad, M. (2010). Falname, The Book of Omen. New York: Thames Hudson.
Kahnamooipoor, Z. (2007). Roland Barthes va neshaneha- ye tasviri [Roland Barthes and Visual Signs]. Proceedings of Barthes and Derrida. Tehran: Farhangestan Honar.
Parcham, A. (2010). Discourse Study and Analysis on Koran and Bible. Comparative Theology, 1(1): 36-89.
Renda, G. (2006). Naqashi- ye dini dar Islam: Negargari- ye kotob- e dini [Religious Painting in Islam: Painting of Religious Books]. Proceedings of the International Congress of Islamic Arts and Crafts. Tehran: Alhoda.
Rezayi, R., Mashhadi, M. A., Shayiri, H. R. & Nikbakht, A. (2017). Studying and Analyzing the Function of Metadiscourse in Nima Youshij' Letters. Persian Language and Literature, 25 (82): 143-153.
Shairi, H. (2009). Passing from a predetermined relationship of signifier and signified to a processional discursive meaning. Literary Criticism, 2 (8): 31-55.
Shairi, H. & Vafaee, T. (2009). Rahi be neshane ma’nashenasi- ye sayal: ba barresi- ye moredi Ghoghnoos- e Nima [A Way to Fluid Semiotics, Case Study: Nima’s Phoenix]. Tehran: Elmi va Farhangi.
Shairi, H. (2013). Neshane ma’nashenasi- ye didari: nazarye va tahlil- e gofteman- e honari [Visual Semiotics, Theories and Functions]. Tehran: Sokhan.
Shairi, H. (2016). Semiotics of literature theories and practices of literary. Tehran: Daftar- e nashr- e asar- e elmi.
Shaker, M. & Akbari, A. (2013). Dialogue in the Quran: types and themes. Journal of Ketab-e- Qayyem, 3(8): 27-49.
Sojoodi, F. (2011). Neshaneshenasi- ye karbordi [Applied Semiotics]. Tehran: Elm.