Mengenal Muhammad Abu Zahrah Sebagai Mufassir

Abstract

In the history of interpretation of the Qur’an we find that the study of Qur’anic interpretation started from the time of the Messenger of Allah until the present time. From the period in which the commentary is learned and studied through the riwayat (narration) and talqin (indoctrination) from a teacher to his student until the time when every person ‘feel’ to have the authority to interpret the verses of the Qur’an. The study of Qur’anic intepretation has undergone the tremendous growth in the fourth phase of the compilation period (tadwin). That was the phase in which the interpretation of the Qur’an wass controlled by the interpretation based on reason and the opinion of the interpreter (mufassir); interpretations coloured by various sects and schools of thought. The development of this kind of interpretation, although believed to be a logical consequence of the development history of science, but then not necessarily be accepted by the ulamas and received positive appreciation of them. Like Muhammad Husein adh Dhahabi, Muhammad Abu Zahrah, and so forth. For Imam Muhammad Abu Zahrah (1898-1974/1315-1394) the interpretation of the Quran which is based on a variety of goals and interests as well as a variety of comprehension and thinking like that, in fact was often away from the substance of Al-Quran; obscure its miracle power, destroying the real meaning and even provide commentary on the sometimes contradictory with the fundamentals of Islamic teaching. This is awakening his awareness and encourage him to try to straighten out and provide an alternative of more actual interpretation. So he finally wrote a book of tafsir named “Zahratu al Tafasir”. This interpretation is different from the books of the previous tafsir books. At least, he did not want to simply follow the tradition (taqlid), the method or the way used by previous mufassir.