HISTORY OF TAFSĪR MAUḌŪ’Ī

HISTORY OF TAFSĪR MAUḌŪ’Ī

Looking at history, the birth of tafsīr mauḍū’ī is one kind of effort to get out of the difficult problems associated with the awwām (common man) in understanding or capture the purpose of Qur’ān easily, because the existing interpretation is fully stuffed by a lot of things that actually not the core of the conversation of Qur’ān. Such as, Arabic grammar, philosophy, a view of religion schools (madzhāb) etc.

The example of them can be seen clearly in the Tafsīr Al-Kashāf by al-Zamakhshāri (467-538 H), Al-Anwār Al-Tanzīl by al-Baidāwī (d. 791 H), Ruh al-Ma’ānī by al-Alusi (d. 1270 H), Al-Bahr al-Muḥīt by Abu Hayyān (d. 754 H) and soon. This ways which are following by them, make the Qur’ān that was easily understood become some kind of science discipline that is difficult to understand. Because their books contain the deep discussion, but it is far away from the Qur’ānic guidance that truly touches the soul, also rational.14 So their interpretation as if out of the original function; namely uncovering the guidance of God. This is one strong reason for the birth of tafsīr mauḍū’ī.

Tafsīr mauḍū’ī term has never been used in tafsīr literature until the 14th century of Hijr or 20th century of AD. This term firstly introduced and used by some scholar who experts in tafsīr from Ushuluddin faculty of al-Azhār University, Cairo. The development of this idea was initiated by Prof. Dr. Sayyid Ahmad al-Kumiy and several lecturers in the late 1960s.

By some tafsīr scholars, tafsīr mauḍū’ī suspected as an alternative method which is suitable with the needs of people today. Beside it can give answers to various problems of the ummah (Muslim society), this method also considered as the most objective, of course within certain limits. Through this method the interpreter as if invited Qur’ān to speak for itself through the verses and also vocabulary which used in a certain issues. ‘Alī ibn Abī Ţālib call it with istanțiq al-Qur’ān (invite Qur'an to speak).

In this method, the interpreter who lives in the mid of the reality of life with a number of human experience sit cross-legged in front of Qur’ān for dialogue, raise the question and try to get the answer. It is said with objective, because when a mufassir mauḍū’ī explaining the meaning of the Qur’ān bide by the meaning and certain issues related, try to allow every verse to talk.

Mauḍū’ī method developed by some scholars by because they see that tafsīr tahlīlī method (detail and consist a lot of discussion) which almost used by all interpreter is considered resulting a partial and incomplete interpretation. Even, there are some interpreters who use the verses as an excuse or justification for his personal opinion or tendency. In addition, tahlīlī interpretation also found cannot provide the complete answers to the society problems.

Until the modern era (early of 20th century), the interpretation that appropriate with tartīb musḥaf (order) Qur’ān still dominate. Such as, Al-Manār by Muḥammad Abduh and Rashid Riḍā, also some tafsīr from Hamaluddin Qāsimī, Musţafā Ahmad al-Marāghī, Abdul Hamīd bin Bādith and Izzat Darwazah. Something which distinguishes the modern interpreter works with classic interpretation is the modern interpretation no longer trapped in the theoretical interpretation, but more practical. Not talk in more in about all of problem but wanted to quickly discuss the focus and the purpose of the Qur’an to solve the people problems.

But though this tafsīr mauḍū’ī just have born in the 20th century AD, but the seed of mauḍū’ī have started growing since the beginning of the prophet era. Some of tafsīr scholar, such as Al-Farmāwī, Alī Khalīl and M. Quraish Shihab argued that the seed of tafsīr mauḍū’ī is tafsīr alma’thūr (based on the riwāyah, story about the verses), namely trying to understand the vocabulary of the verse with reference to the use of Qur’ān itself. Here are the stages of mauḍū’ī method development from the Prophet’s era until the birth, at the 20th Century AD.

in the Prophet Muhammad Era

In this period tafsīr develop generally, including the seed of tafsīr mauḍū’ī, that is interpreting a verse with other verses or with the ḥadīth which is known as tafsīr bil ma’thūr.

First, interpreting the Qur’ān with the Qur’ān. In the Qur’ān found many verses that interpret or explain other verses related to a theme or issue. Such verses can be properly understood only after a combined with another. According to Abdul Sattār this is an early indication of the importance of thematic views on the interpretation of the Qur’ān.

The example of this interpretation, such as, al-Nahl/16:118, which reads “And to the Jews We prohibited such things as We have mentioned to thee before.” To understand this verse we have to re-refer to verse that has the same theme or problems with this verse and revealed previously. Namely al-‘An’ām/6:146, which reads “For those who followed the Jewish Law, We forbade every (animal) with undivided hoof, and We forbade them that fat of the ox and the sheep, except what adheres to their backs or their entrails, or is mixed up with a bone: this in recompense for their willful disobedience: for We are true (in Our ordinances).”

Second, interpreting Qur’ān with the ḥadīth/sunnah (prophet tradition). There are many verses of Qur’ān which interpreted based on the hadis. For example, a ḥadīth narrated by Bukhāri, Muslim23 and others which came from Ibnu Mas’ūd saying. Ibn Mas’ūd said that when this verse was revealed (al-‘An’ām/5:82) “It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong or injustice" many people are confused, then they asked the Prophet: O prophet who is the man who never do injustice to himself? Then prophet answer the means of zalim in that verse that is shirk as explained in Luqmān/31:13 “ for false worship (belief in more than a God, Allah) is indeed the highest wrong-doing (injustice).”

Alī Khalīl said that with an advance interpretation as mentioned above, the prophet has given lessons to the friends (ṣaḥābāt) that his actions to collect a number of verses that it is in unclear meaning (mutashābihāt) could clarify the subject matter and eliminate any doubt. In other words the Prophet himself had shown the importance of mauḍū’ī interpretation with seedlings the seed, as mentioned above. For this reason, according to al-Farmāwī, all interpretation of the Qur’ān with the Qur’ān, beside a tafsīr bi al-ma’thūr is also a preface to the emergence of mauḍū’ī interpretation.

 In the Ṣaḥabāt (companions) and tabi’īn (successors) era

Over time, the issues related to sharīa, aqīdah and any problems in Islamic society appear more. If in the before they can get the answer from the prophet, after the prophet death his friend and scholar who is considered an expert and has the advantage get a lot of questions from the public. The leading scholars from the companions and successors was imitated the way to interpret with what has been done by the prophet, which collects a number of verse that is almost similar and compare it to obtain legal conclusions, such as the verses about khamr, ribā, iddah etc.

For example, the iddah problems about woman who not menstruating or has in menopause period. Some scholar were asked about the purpose of the word requirement “in irtabtum (if you are in doubt)” in the al-Ţalāq/65: 4 “And the women are no longer menstruating (menopause) among women-girl, if you doubt (about his iddah time), so their iddah time is three months, and so (also) the women who are not menstruating.” Those scholars are finally collecting the verses that in one theme, namely al-Baqarah/2:228 “The women who get Ţalāq (divorce) should refrain (waiting) three times qurū25. They should not hide what God created in her womb, if they believe in Allah and the Hereafter”. And al-Baqarah/2:234 “The people who died in your midst by leaving the wives, (the wives let them) to suspend him (for iddah) four months and ten days.”

The scholars finally get the means of word “inirtabtum” after seeing the information of asbāb al-nuzūl, there is a information from a one Anṣār man, he said: in the past there are two number of iddah, three months for a divorced woman who is life her husband and four months and ten days for a woman who dead her husband dead. As for women not menstruating is not clear numbers, which is follow. Then come down a fourth verse of Al-Ṭālaq/65.

At this time the scholars also find or establish a qāidah (rule) of uṣūl al-tafsīr or interpretation basic extracted, based from the verses which is often used to determine the meaning of other verses. The rule, among others read “Famā ajmala fī makānin fuṣṣila makānin ākhar” and “mā uṭliqa fī sūratin muqayyadun fī sūratin.” Ibn Taymiyyah, as cited by Musţafā Muslim, said “Truly the best way of interpreting the Qur’ān is to interpret Qur’ān by Qur’ān. The things which explained globally in one place actually have been explained detail in another place, and what is explained in summary or abbreviate in one place actually has been described elsewhere”.

in the codification and development era

During this era, the seeds of tafsīr mauḍū’ī were scattered in the books of tafsīr. But, it is just still in simple form, it don not take a more assertive form yet, which can be called as a stand-alone or independent method. Sometimes its form is still very brief form, as found in the book of tafsīr by Fakhruddīn al-Rāzī, al-Qurtubī and Ibn al-Arabī. Some scholars who suspected use the method of interpretation which is close to mauḍū’ī are:

1.      Ibn al-Qutaibah (d. 276 H) in Ta’wīl Mushkīl al-Qur’ān.

2.      Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyah (d. 751 H) in al-Bayān fī Aqsām al-Qur’ān which take special discuss the oath in the Qur’ān.

3.      Abū Ubaidah in Majāz al-Qur’ān.

4.      Al-Raghīb al-Isfahānī (d. 502 H) in Mufradāt al-Qur’ān.

5.      Abū Ja’fār al-Nahās in al-Nasīkh wa al-Mansūkh fī al-Qur’ān.

6.      Al-Wāḥidī in Asbāb al-Nuzūl.

7.      Al-Jaṣṣās with Ahkām al-Qur’ān.30

Those are mentioned above wrote his book with a method close to the existing mauḍū’ī today. For example, in the book asbāb al-nuzūl asbab, al-Wāhidī collects all verses being down in certain way. The verses then are explained. In the book of al-Nasīkh wa al-mansūkh fī al-Qur’ān Abū Ja’fār also collect all verses that assessed mansūkh or deleted or replaced its legal function, as well as include a nasīkh (substitution) verse. Also Abū Ubaidah, in the Majāz al-Qur’ān he describes in the words of the Qur’ān, which have other meanings besides the meaning generally or called majāz.

Thus, the idea of mauḍū’ī interpretation method has been used since the beginning of interpretation time with a simple form, has not been intended as a method which has a methodological character that stands alone. Nevertheless, it is, at least show us that the style and method of this commentary is not new in the history of the Qur’ānic studies field. The new one is not the method but the attention of the scholars for use and develops its method. An independent method, different to other methods and could be a solution to search or solve the problems of Moslems quickly and completely.

In the birth of mauḍū’ī era

From the early of tafsīr codification (which by some experts believed initiated by al-Farrā’ (d. 207 H)) until the 1960s, the commentators are still interpret the Qur’ān verse by verse, in accordance with the arrangement in the musḥaf. According to M. Quraish Shihab, this kind of interpretation could make the instructions (purpose) Qur'an fragmented, not whole and complete. Whereas in the Qur'an there are many things that separate on some sūra. As riba (usury) issues raised in the al-Baqarah, ‘Āli ‘Imrān and al-Rūm. So, to find out the view of Qur’ān exactly needed thorough study which includes all the verses that discussing it.

Al-Farmāwī said as far as his known, no one has conducted in interpretation study which collects all the verses that talk about one subject matter even though the place and time of the revelation vary. Then take a chronological sort to find out the main points of discussion. Thus, allegations which stated that Qur’ān in vain repetition rejected.

Al-Farmāwī say if there is, scholar who are people discuss a sūra as a whole is little, which introduce and explain the meaning globally and linking the verses to one another, so that the sūra appeared intact and perfect. And one of those people (and possibly the first) who conducted concern in this study is Fakhruddīn al-Rāzī.

However, although Fakhruddīn al-Rāzī (d. 606 H/1210 AD) already realized the importance of correlation between the verses, he also asked the commentators to devote his attention to this study. He himself in his two book of tafsīr was also not mentioned much about the discussion of this correlation. This is because his attention was too devoted to discussions of philosophy (theology) and astronomy. Such understanding is also realized by Umar al-Biqā’ī (809-885 H), so that he compiled a book titled Naẓm al-Durār Fī Tanāṣub Al-Āyāt wa al-Suwar about this. But the importance of correlation discussed in his book that he was related to systematic placement of verses and sūras in the Qur’ān. This is to show placement of words, verses and sūras that fit perfectly and is one kind of mu’jizāt al-Qur’ān. At once also dismissed the notion of some people who say there is a lot of repetition and wrong placement in the Qur’ān. Correlation between the verses and sūras in Nażm al-Durār not prepared to describe aspects of the guidance and God aims in the Qur’ān, which can be picked and exploited by Muslim in everyday life.

One of the few scholars who concern to the problem of correlation among verses within a sūra is Al-Shātibī (d. 1388 AD). In his book, almuwāfaqāt, he said that every sūra, even though the issues appear in different but there is one central which binding and linking of different problems. So someone who wants to understand the purpose of verses in a sūra completely, he should not only consider the preface of sūra but also the back, and vice versa.

Almost in the same with al-Shātibī opinion, at January 1960, Mahmūd Shaltūt compiled a book entitled Tafsīr Al-Qur’ān Al-Karīm. Previously M. Abdullāh Darrāz also have made similar interpretations entitle Al-Nabā’ Al-Aẓīm. The work of these two interpreters (who are student of Muḥammad Abdūh), arguably the embodiment of Abdūh and al-Shātibī ideas about the existence of a central theme which united a sūra.

Shaltūt and Darrāz no longer interpret verse by verse, but rather discuss the sūra after sūra. He discusses the themes or a particular part in one sūra, then linked it with central themes in the sūra. Then this method called mauḍū’ī or thematic. 36 This method is called tafsīr mauḍū’ī in first form in term of Al-Farmāwī, this method also will be the topic of this research.

But, according to Quraish Shihab, though the methods used by Shaltūt has many shortcomings to avoid the old method (taḥlīlī), still cannot make the guidance of the Qur’ān presented in the complete form and comprehensive, is still fragmented. As mentioned above, one problem could be found in several sūras. On this basis arose the idea to collect all the verses that talk about one particular issue, then linking them to each other, and interpret the full and comprehensive. This idea was developed by prof. Dr. Sayyid Aḥmad al-Kumiy and colleagues at the Ushuluddin faculty, al-Azhār University. This idea is in essence a continuation and refinement of mauḍū’ī methods used by Shaltūt above.

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