A Comparative Study of the Three Stories of Surah Al-Kahf Based on the Model of Vladimir Propp

Document Type : Academicm and Research

Authors

1 PhD student in the Department of Quran and Hadith Sciences, University of Arak

2 theology,Humanities,arak university

3 Professor, Department of Quran and Hadith Sciences, Faculty of Theology, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

4 Professor, Department of Theology, Arak University, Arak, Iran

10.22091/ptt.2026.15188.2579

Abstract

Surah Al-Kahf contains three stories from the Quranic stories that provide a suitable context for examining narrative structures. Analyzing the narrative structure of Quranic stories not only helps in better understanding educational and moral messages, but also can show how the Quran, by utilizing narrative elements, conveys deep and multi-layered concepts to the audience. Therefore, in this paper, a comparative study of the stories of Surah Al-Kahf was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method based on Vladimir Propp's model in order to identify the common and distinctive structures of these three stories and narratives by matching Propp's functions (self-functions) with the structure of each story. The results of this study revealed that out of the 31 self-functions considered by Propp, we are faced with 23 self-functions in the stories of Surah Al-Kahf. The design of the self-functions obtained from these three stories showed that these self-functions do not necessarily follow the sequence of Propp's model. In comparing the narratives, it became clear that in all three narratives, the role of the hero is colorful and the role of the villain does not have a wide scope of action. It is only in the narrative of Dhul-Qarnayn that the villain (Gog and Magog) is explicitly mentioned.

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Comparative Interpretation Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 16 August 2026

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