Fazlur Rahman's Hermeneutics: Comparing Verses with and without Asbab al-Nuzul
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33511/alfanar.v7n2.78-93Keywords:
Fazlur Rahman, hermeneutics, double movement, quranic interpretationAbstract
The growing emphasis on historical context in contemporary Quranic studies has stimulated the development of various interpretive approaches, including Fazlur Rahman’s double movement hermeneutics. This article aims to compare the interpretation of Quranic verses with and without Asbab al-Nuzul through the lens of Fazlur Rahman’s hermeneutical framework. The article is written using a qualitative approach with content analysis as its primary method. The data are drawn from Fazlur Rahman’s major works, classical and contemporary tafsir literature, and relevant academic publications. The analysis employs a descriptive-comparative approach by examining the historical context of revelation, identifying universal moral principles, and exploring their relevance to contemporary issues. The analytical findings reveal that both categories of verses are interpreted through the same methodological process, namely moving from the socio-historical context of revelation to the extraction of universal Quranic values and their application to present-day realities. However, verses accompanied by Asbab al-Nuzul provide a clearer historical foundation for interpretation, whereas verses without Asbab al-Nuzul require a more comprehensive and critical socio-historical reconstruction. This study demonstrates that Fazlur Rahman’s hermeneutics offers a systematic and contextual framework for bridging the normative teachings of the Quran with the challenges of contemporary society.
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