Beyond Tradition

Abstract

This article examines the tradition of Qur’ānic exegesis before Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī (d. 1897) and the innovative approaches, he introduced, to the discipline. Using an inductive method, it analyses his books, articles, and speeches. Before him, Qur’ānic exegesis was dominated by classical methods focused on syntax, grammar, jurisprudence, and theology, failing to meet contemporary needs. Al-Afghānī did not write any Qur’ānic commentary in the classical style. Still, his articles on Qur’ānic themes in al-‘Urwah al-Wuthqā resemble independent exegeses, following a late Ottoman style. He advocated for a subjective and critical reading, centring only on the Qur’ān and rejecting linguistically focused exegesis. He emphasized the Qur’ān’s relevance to contemporary issues, highlighting its social, cultural, anthropological, and political messages.