Abstract
Society is among the basic subjects of the Qurʾān. In the human societies where the prophets were sent to build a classless and fair society, the upper strata of mala’, mutraf and mustakbir classes made systematic efforts to oppose the divine messages and prevent the prophets. After the prophets, the class of akhbār, ruhbān and arbāb, consisting of followers of religion in the social structure, made an effort to disrupt the mission of prophethood and falsify the revelation for their interests. Compared to the followers of the previous revelations, the Qurʾān is a book of self criticism for Muslims. For this reason, there are similarities between the malaʾ and mutraf typology in the upper strata and the akhbār, ruhbān and arbāb, which form the upper stratum within the religious People of the Book. While one of them opposed the mission of the prophet who were alive, the other one tried to disrupt the mission of the prophethood, after the prophet passed away. On the other hand, in the lower strata: the mustad’af, scoundrals, slaves, and the poor have existed throughout history. The concepts of malaʾ, mutraf and mustakbir, akhbār, ruhbān and arbāb, which the Qurʾān criticize, express stratification. In the Qurʾān the class of malaʾ, mutraf and mustakbir are mentioned together with akhbār and the class of ruhbān and arbāb are also severely condemned. For this reason, the Qurʾān is a book of criticism for Muslims as well as for the followers of the previous revelation. In this study, the phenomenon of stratification in the Qurʾān is examined in the context of concepts expressing social class and groups.