interpretation method

abstract: The social interpretation approach is a method that was developed in the 13th and 14th centuries by Islamic scholars, particularly led by Seyyed Jamaluddin Asadabadi, with the slogan of returning to Islam. This approach became dominant during those periods through the efforts of his disciples, such as Mohammad Abdouh. Other approaches, such as scientific and rational approaches, emerged alongside the social approach and continued through subsequent ages, including the present era. “A Ray from the Quran” by Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleghani is one of the interpretations that represents both social and scientific approaches. In this article, while examining examples of the approaches and interpretation methods in “A Ray from the Quran,” we will critique some interpretations presented by the esteemed scholar using a descriptive-analytical method. The author believes that a portion of the scientific interpretation of “A Ray from the Quran” is not consistent with rational and narrative evidence, and these mistakes can lead to intellectual distortions regarding the prophets and the order of creation.

In the interpretations of the Qurʾān, a part of the increased information formed in relation to the text of the verses is a product of an analytical process, and another part is created by relying on other texts. In order to introduce these texts, the text of other verses, narrative texts and texts of former religions are often mentioned in the sources of interpretative research. In addition to the mentioned sources, part of the interpretation activities of the commentators have been in such a way that instead of directly communicating with Allah’s Word or within the context of direct communication with it, they have referred to the texts themselves that have been interpreted from the Holy Qurʾān; therefore, we can talk about another kind of conception and understanding, which is "based on interpretative tradition". In this type of understanding, the interpreter examines the interpretations instead of directly referring to the text of the verses. Based on a hindsight, and with a descriptive-analytical method, this research sought to introduce the styles of understanding based on the interpretative tradition, and further introduced the interpretive trends that are separate from the interpretive tradition. Collecting and quoting interpretive opinions, summarizing and purifying interpretations, explaining and combining interpretations, leveling and explaining interpretive opinions, and commenting on interpretive opinions are the main styles of understanding based on the interpretative tradition.

The interpretation of the teachings of the Holy Quran in practical life scenes is presented in Tafsir an-Noor, establishing a connection between people and the Quran by applying its recommendations. Since there is widespread public interest in this interpretation and there are some considerations in its interpretations, its credibility needs to be examined. This research examines the credibility of the content of Tafsir an-Noor using descriptive-analytical methods based on the principles that interpreters have employed to achieve the purpose of God. The examination of 25 chapters of the Quran in Tafsir an-Noor shows that the author did not investigate multiple recitations in any case, did not have an Ijtihadi method in examining the meanings of Quranic words, expressed the meanings of words in some verses and did not refer these meanings to a source. In the interpretation of the verses, Arabic rules are considered. In many cases, the interpretation relies more on harmonizing the verses and narrations rather than intellectual and scientific principles, and its primary source is the verses and narrations. The author has classified similar concepts under appropriate headings, divided the concepts, analyzed them, presented them in logical forms, appropriately divided the verses, and paid attention to similarities. The methodology of this interpretation is a combination of traditional and slightly independent methods, and in many cases, it incorporates personal insights in the form of messages and Quranic points. The tendency of this interpretation is mainly educational and social.

In the most prevalent definition of the term "method of interpretation", the source of interpretation and in other definitions, concepts such as principles, rules and interpretive tendencies have been stressed. Such definitions need to be redefined due to the inconsistency of the method, failure to justify the expression of these definitions, confusion of concepts, limitation of the general concept of the interpretation method to specific and narrow concept and ignoring the systematic form of methods. Informed by the definition of each concept, the interpretation method embraces all of them systematically. That is, each interpretation method originates from principles recognized by the exegete, and based on the rules that protect the exegete from errors, utilizes reliable sources to provide a methodical interpretation. In the interpretation process, the exegete’s tendency and expertise in his interpretation of the verses with emphasis on a set of principles or rules, are highlighted over other principles or rules, constituting his interpretive tendency. Each of these components, having a bearing on the method of interpretation, are coordinated as components of a structure.

Research into ibn Badis's intellectual plan illuminates that, as much as possible, he based his thoughts and views on the Quran and the Prophetic tradition. Believing in the inability of the human mind to comprehend the unseen, he enumerates logical conditions for sound rational reasoning. In general, ibn Badis paid special attention to the interpretation of the Quran and dealt with educational, corrective, and cultural issues in this context. Even during the time Algeria was occupied by French colonialists, relying on the Quran and the Prophetic tradition, he solidified the Algerians’ ideas to make them fight against the domination of the colonialists and to stimulate their Islamic-Arab identity. Therefore, his enlightening method in interpreting the verses of the Quran is first based on the Quran and the Prophetic tradition, and then, in the absence of evidence from these two, he turns to the hadiths of the Companions and the Successors. In still later stages, he clarifies the meaning by using the words and their roots, taking advantage of the proportions among the verses, relying on the cause of Revelation or using the context of the verses and the Arabic poems and literature, etc. In general, he has a social orientation in “Majalis al-Tazkir min Kalam al-Hakim al-Khabir” commentary. Using the content analysis method, the present study examines ibn Badis's interpretation method by explaining each of the above-mentioned issues.

Muhammad Abed al-Jaberi, a Moroccan modernist and thinker in the field of Islamic studies, has adopted a special attitude in interpreting the holy Quran. The revival of Mu’tazilism can be considered one of his beliefs and observations. In the preface to his commentaries entitled ‘Madkhal ila al-Quran al-Karim fi al-Ta’rif bil-Quran’ and ‘Fahm al-Quran al-Hakim’, he has introduced his interpretation principles and method. Consideration of the order of the descending of the Quranic surahs along with their revelation to the Prophet (p.b.u.h) is one of al-Jaberi's interpretation principles. Given this issue, al-Jaberi's interpretation method can be considered as an ijtihadi interpretation method. In adopting this method, al-Jaberi has utilized several techniques in the interpretation of the Quran: the separation of the text from glosses, the consideration of the context, the necessity of arranging the verses in chronological order to ease their correct understanding, the use of the verses within the framework of the context, the determination of the surahs' positions in their order of descent, paying attention to the course of Mohammedan invitation in the interpretation of the verses, the interpretation of the verses of the Quranic stories and parables with the aim of giving proof and expressing and supporting the goals of the invitation, and making conditional use of the narrations related to the occasion of the revelation of the Quranic verses.

An investigation into the interpretations of the Quran reveals that the understanding and interpretation of some former interpreters on some Quranic verses are somewhat different from those of contemporary interpreters. This issue leads to these questions: Why do basically such controversies and view changes occur about understanding and interpreting some Quranic verses? And how can such occurrences be scientifically explained and explicated? In response to these questions, Quranic scholars have often spoken of epistemological factors and have less been concerned with non-epistemological factors. One of the most influential non-epistemological factors in the transformation of the opinions of the interpreters is the concept of discourse in linguistics. In this study, the transformation taken place in the interpretation of some Quranic verses in the contemporary period in comparison with that of former periods has been investigated using the concept of discourse. The obtained results reveal that formation of new discourses in the contemporary period has transformed the understanding and interpretation of contemporary interpreters.

As one of the greatest theoligians of his time Sheikh Toosi had been under the influence of other great theoligions like Sheikh Mofid and Seyyed Mortaza and had focused specificly on Kalam (theological)-rational issues in his analytic work, the Tebyan. Sheikh Toosi has always had a particular stance on the matter of Kalam (disabiguation) which can be aprehended by realizing the focus he has put on kalaam in the Tebyan. Sheikh Toosi has also greatly influenced later Quranic scholars such as Tabarsi. The rationalism which is visible in the Tebyan can most likely be linked to the school of Kalam in Baqdad and the intellecual school of Mutalism. These links can also be found in the Majmaul Bayan but they are not quite as strong as the links in the Tebyan. The intellectual developements in the fifth and sixth centuries and Sheikh Toosi and Tabarsi's perspectives towards these developements can be analysed through the explanatory and critical works of these two scholars on a long parade of differrent intellectual- ideological Mutazilism groups and ideologies. The three major stances toward the interpretational votes of mutazila in this research are explanatory, realistic and critical. Moreover the research is a cross-sectional study. Both of the scholiasts have tried to defend the theological Kalaam foundations of Shiiat.

There are many concepts of the quran which needsn to be interpretation and Imam Ali who himself is the speaking quran in his speeches including Nahjulbalaghe has interpreted the quran. What has been explained in this article is the basiss and methods of interpreting quran in nahjulbalaghe. According to this research result which is done in an analytical and explaining method it has been declared that imam Ali interpreted quran in nahjulbalaghe in two ways implicitly and explicitly according to basis such as the necessity of reviewing and thinking about ayas of quran and the necessity of returning to real interpreters and the homogeneity of the quran and methods such as quran to quran interpretation , interpreting in accordance with prophetic traditions and according to the time and situation in which quran is revealed and identifying and explaining the meaning of the words and some other special methods based on his own understanding of the quran.