THEOLOGICAL AND POLEMICAL RECEPTION ON WESTERN SCHOLARSHIP IN AL-QUR’ĀN AND TAFSĪR STUDIES IN INDONESIA

Yusuf Rahman

doi:10.24014/jush.v27i1.5184

Abstract

This study aims to examine responses and receptions of Indonesian Muslim scholars on Western non-Muslims scholarship in the study of al-Qur’ān and tafsīr. Generally, the reception of their works can be divided into two responses: positive and negative. Yet, this study focuses on negative responses. The findings indicate that the responses are theological and polemical. The main sources of this study are works - printed and online - written by the opponents of Western scholarship in Indonesia. These works are analyzed chronologically to see the reasons behind their rejection. This study shows that Indonesian Muslim scholars responded negatively to Western scholarship on Qur’ānic studies because Western scholars have a hidden agenda in their works. This attitude, the article argues, is very polemical because it essentially generalizes the whole Western scholars have an ulterior motive for destroying Islam and al-Qur’ān. Basically, the research findings state that Western non-Muslim scholars are very diverse, and sometimes even contradictory. Thus, Muslim scholars are expected to participate in enriching Qur’ānic studies by supporting or refuting their findings, or providing new findings

Highlights

The Qur’ān, as the main source of Islam, has been studied by non-Muslim scholars
3 It is Encyclopaedia of the Qur’ān that has various themes on al-Qur’ān and its interpretations discussed by scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim scholars, who are experts in the fields
It is to be noted that these two scholars, along with Karl-Heinz Ohlig,60 participated in Inarah Institute for Research of Early Islamic History and Quran group in Germany, which has “unconventional revisionist interpretations of the origins of Islam and the Qur’ān.”. Such works have been criticized by other Western scholars in the framework of “scholarly discourse” by proposing various academic methodologies and theses which are supported by historical arguments and evidences

Summary

Introduction

The Qur’ān, as the main source of Islam, has been studied by non-Muslim scholars. To find the richness of non-Muslim studies on the Qur’ān, one can find it in The Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd Edition (1960-2005) that has been classified, summarized, and well discussed by A.T. The publication of IEQ, as can be seen, shows the negative receptions of Muslim scholars towards Western scholarship in Qur’ānic studies and tafsīr In 2012, Journal of Qur’anic Studies published a special edition discussing the various responses of Muslim scholars to Western scholarship on the Qur’ān and tafsīr, that includes Muslims responses in Turkey, Iran and Arab countries. Izutsu used an empathetic and sympathetic approach to the study of Islam and the Qur’ān This special edition of Journal of Qur’anic Studies does not discuss the reception of Indonesian Muslim scholars towards Western scholarship, even though Indonesia is the largest Sunni Muslim majority country that is different compared to the majority Syi’i Iran. This article discusses the reception of Indonesian Muslim scholars towards Western scholarship, especially the negative responses

Negative Reception of Indonesian Muslim Scholars towards Western Scholarship

Conclusion