Qurʾānic interpretation in the Islamic tradition is grounded in a set of theoretical and methodological principles whose primary aim is to uncover the divine intent embedded in the revealed text. In the contemporary period, examining these principles in relation to modern linguistic and semiotic theories makes it possible to critically reassess the scope and mechanisms of textual understanding. Adopting an analytical–comparative approach, the present study examines the hermeneutical and semiotic components of meaning and text interpretation in the Islamic exegetical tradition and in the philosophical semiotics of Umberto Eco.



The analytical findings indicate that Islamic exegesis is based on principles such as the revelatory nature of the text, the authority of apparent meanings, intratextual coherence, and the multilayered structure of meaning, with the role of the exegete defined within linguistic and religious norms. By contrast, Eco conceives meaning as the product of interaction between the semiotic structure of the text and the “model reader,” and, while acknowledging interpretive plurality, delineates the boundary between legitimate interpretation and overinterpretation. The findings suggest that despite fundamental differences regarding the source of interpretive legitimacy and the role of the reader, both approaches emphasize the guiding function of the text, the structural organization of meaning, and the rejection of arbitrary interpretation—thereby opening the way for a systematic dialogue within contemporary Qurʾānic studies.