Qur’an 4:34 (Surah al-Nisa) is among the most intensely debated verses in classical and contemporary Islamic discourse, particularly concerning power relations within the family, gender constructions, and the legitimacy of corrective measures toward wives. These debates address not only legal questions but also how the Qur’an communicates with human social realities. This article examines Qur’an 4:34 from the perspective of Qur’anic communication, highlighting the relationship between textual and contextual approaches. The study employs a qualitative, library-based research method, drawing on thematic exegesis, linguistic analysis, and normative communication analysis. The findings indicate that the verse represents divine communication that is pedagogical, gradual, and ethical, in which the text is inseparable from its historical context and the moral objectives of the Qur’an. Accordingly, the tension between textual and contextual interpretations constitutes not a contradiction but an integral part of the Qur’anic communication strategy for guiding social transformation.
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Sabari et al. (2026) studied this question.
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