Critical Analysis of Types of Interpreting Verses in Qushairī’s Latā’if al-’Ishārāt

Among the unexplored aspects of “interpretation” in the Islamic tradition, an important area is the origin of “hermeneutics” from the heritage of exegesis. It can shed light on the dimensions, capabilities, and unexplored chapters of Muslim commentators while highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. In this way, it paves the way for the introduction of new hermeneutical themes. To pursue this broader perspective, a critical analysis of the different ways of interpreting verse in Latā’if al-'Ishārāt serves as a crucial step. By typologizing Qushairī's interpretations and subjecting them to a critical reading using the analytical-descriptive method, this study concludes that Qushairī occupies a prominent literary, artistic, and Sufi position within the Latā’if al-'Ishārāt. As a result, his aesthetically pleasing interpretations are more common than his precise and principled ones. In the case of precise interpretations, the majority focus on presenting the underlying semantic layers of the verses, followed by giving objective examples. However, the notion of "possible meaning among several possible meanings" is missing. Despite his ability to captivate audiences with his sensationalism and effectiveness in conveying the teachings of the Quran, some of his superficial, far-fetched, and simplistic interpretations do not live up to his scholarly reputation and cannot be justified.