معرفت ادیان (Ma`rifat Adyan)

This study analyzes the concept of "the wish for death" (tamannā al-mawt) in verse 6 of Sūrat al-Jumuʿa and elucidates the reasons for the Jews' refusal to accept this Qur'anic challenge. The aim is to re-read the verse within an interdisciplinary framework utilizing Olson's theory of "collective action." The central problem is why the Jews defied this demand despite their claim to "exclusive guardianship" (wilāya). The research employs an analytical-comparative approach with a combined method (exegetical, historical, and theory-driven). The findings indicate that "the wish for death" can be formulated along four axes: 1. An instrument for measuring attachment to the world and purity of intention; 2. A divine test for evaluating true faith and its connection to righteous action; 3. A critical approach in confronting claims of superiority and exclusivism; 4. A manifestation of mubāhala for exposing unfounded claims. In Olson's theory, the Jews' refusal to wish for death is an instance of "free-riding" and "individual rational calculation" vis-à-vis collective costs; the Qur'an, by raising the cost of the claim to guardianship to the level of life itself, reveals the hidden logic of their collective behavior. "The wish for death," beyond theological challenges, serves as an analytical tool for examining the behavior of religious groups—a novel and interdisciplinary reading of the Qur'an in conjunction with modern social science theories.