Scripture and Politics in Malaysia: The Qur’ānic Exegesis of Abdul Hadi bin Awang

Abstract

Abstract The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) is the only official political organisation in the country that propagates the political Islam agenda and strives to establish the Islamic state. In harnessing public support, the Qurʾān is extensively utilised by the party leaders to justify their political agenda. In this regard, it is important to note the significant contribution of its prolific president, Abdul Hadi bin Awang. Despite the extensive influence of his Qurʾānic exegesis, it has yet to be sufficiently analysed. Therefore, this paper discusses the methodological trend of his political interpretation of the Qurʾān and analyses its widespread impact on the society. Notwithstanding the complexity of the subject matter, it is hoped that the outcomes will shed some light on the role of Qurʾān as a scripture in the present-day political scene of Malaysia.