The Conceptualization of Jurisprudential Exegesis as the Intersection of Tafsir and Fiqh: A Critical Approach
This article comprehensively analyzes the conceptual and methodological differences between tafsīr and fiqh, two core disciplines in Islamic scholarship, emphasizing their respective relationships with the Qur’ān. The study employs a historical and comparative approach to explore key Islamic texts,...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Religions
Year: 2025, Volume: 16, Issue: 2 |
| Further subjects: | B
doctrinal approach in fiqh
B methodological distinctions between tafsīr and fiqh B Aḥkām al-Qur’ān B tafsīr fiqhī B tafsīr al-Aḥkām |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | This article comprehensively analyzes the conceptual and methodological differences between tafsīr and fiqh, two core disciplines in Islamic scholarship, emphasizing their respective relationships with the Qur’ān. The study employs a historical and comparative approach to explore key Islamic texts, highlighting the evolution of each discipline and their distinct approaches to Qur’ānic interpretation. The primary objective is to clarify the unique intellectual aims, methods, and outcomes of tafsīr and fiqh, despite both disciplines engaging with the Qur’ān as their foundational text. The research concludes that tafsīr, as an exegetical field, is dedicated to interpreting the Qur’ān’s verses by examining their original meaning within their historical, linguistic, and theological contexts. In contrast, fiqh focuses on deriving legal principles from the Qur’ān, addressing the pragmatic needs of the Muslim community through ijtihād. This foundational methodological divergence has led to the frequent merging of tafsīr and fiqh, especially in the formulation of fiqh-based tafsīr (tafsīr fiqhī), which the study contends distorts the independent scholarly character of tafsīr and obscures the distinct functions of both disciplines. This article contributes to the academic discourse by challenging contemporary interpretations of fiqh-based tafsīr, urging a more precise differentiation between tafsīr as an exegetical discipline and fiqh as a juridical field. The study advocates for a more thorough and methodical approach to Qur’ānic interpretation, stressing the importance of maintaining tafsīr’s independent role in understanding the Qur’ān in its original context, without the influence of the legal frameworks that often shape fiqh interpretations. Additionally, the article encourages further scholarly investigation into the historical progression of the Aḥkām al-Qur’ān literature, particularly about the influence of madhāhib (legal schools) on Qur’ānic exegesis. The study proposes that such future research would significantly enrich contemporary Islamic scholarship and offer a deeper understanding of tafsīr and fiqh’s roles in Qur’ānic interpretation. |
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| ISSN: | 2077-1444 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religions
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.3390/rel16020254 |