Sa‘y in the Qur’an and Modern Sciences: A Systematic Integrative Review (1988–2025)

Abstract

The concept of sa’y (striving) has long been central to Islamic thought, extending beyond physical exertion to encompass intention, orientation, and moral responsibility. This systematic review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, pursued four objectives: clarifying the Qur’anic meaning of sa’y, comparing it with scientific analogues, tracing its development across four phases (1988–2025), and constructing an integrative model. The study employed quantitative, qualitative, and interdisciplinary tools, reviewing classical and modern studies in Islamic thought, psychology, economics, and physics. Findings indicate that in the Qur’an, sa’y represents a composite ethical framework grounded in accountability and reform, while in modern sciences it corresponds to grit in psychology, human capital and productivity in economics, and work as energy transfer in physics. The temporal analysis shows that the Foundation phase emphasized moral reform, the Emergence phase introduced psychological and economic perspectives, the Expansion phase broadened to resilience and non‑cognitive skills, and the Integration phase integrated ethics, institutional reform, advanced measurement, and social justice. The study concludes that sa’y functions as a comprehensive construct bridging Qur’anic interpretations with scientific analogues, positioning it as a framework that links values, perseverance, productivity, and directed effort across time. Although the study employed mixed quantitative and qualitative synthesis, limitations include the descriptive nature of the quantitative analysis and imbalance across domains. Future research should incorporate meta-analytical statistical techniques to provide stronger quantitative validation and broader interdisciplinary inclusion.