University of Tehran Press Philosophy of Religion 2008-7063 23 1 2026 03 02 The Dialectic of Worship and Certainty in the Qur'an: An Explanation of the Ontological Praxis of Understanding and a Response to the Hermeneutical Circularity Challenge The Dialectic of Worship and Certainty in the Qur'an: An Explanation of the Ontological Praxis of Understanding and a Response to the Hermeneutical Circularity Challenge 73 85 105906 10.22059/jpht.2026.409087.1006178 FA Ramezan Mahdavi Azadboni Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Islamic Theology and Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran Journal Article 2026 01 05 This philosophical-Qur’anic study elucidates the dialectical relationship between worship (<em>ibadah</em>) and certainty (<em>yaqin</em>) within the Qur’an’s epistemological framework. It posits that certainty is not merely theoretical but is actualized through the existential practice (<em>praxis</em>) of worship. Analyzing key verses, the study argues that worship, as an “ontological praxis,” transforms the human mode of being, thereby creating the conditions for attaining certainty. This attained certainty, in turn, enhances the quality of worship, forming a virtuous ascending spiral rather than a vicious circle. Addressing the challenge of committing to worship before certainty, the research distinguishes knowledge levels (from <em>'ilm al-yaqin</em> to <em>haqq al-yaqin</em>) and employs concepts of innate disposition (<em>fitrah</em>) and pre-understanding. This model initiates with basic propositional knowledge and existential motivation, culminating in comprehensive, existential knowledge through practical commitment, offering an authentic framework for understanding the interplay of knowledge and action in religious epistemology. This philosophical-Qur’anic study elucidates the dialectical relationship between worship (<em>ibadah</em>) and certainty (<em>yaqin</em>) within the Qur’an’s epistemological framework. It posits that certainty is not merely theoretical but is actualized through the existential practice (<em>praxis</em>) of worship. Analyzing key verses, the study argues that worship, as an “ontological praxis,” transforms the human mode of being, thereby creating the conditions for attaining certainty. This attained certainty, in turn, enhances the quality of worship, forming a virtuous ascending spiral rather than a vicious circle. Addressing the challenge of committing to worship before certainty, the research distinguishes knowledge levels (from <em>'ilm al-yaqin</em> to <em>haqq al-yaqin</em>) and employs concepts of innate disposition (<em>fitrah</em>) and pre-understanding. This model initiates with basic propositional knowledge and existential motivation, culminating in comprehensive, existential knowledge through practical commitment, offering an authentic framework for understanding the interplay of knowledge and action in religious epistemology. https://jpht.ut.ac.ir/article_105906_68b724f0269ca688067b6b46fa425c41.pdf