Death-related rituals in Muslim societies often reflect the dynamic interaction between Islamic teachings and local cultural practices. In Indonesia, particularly within Minangkabau society, such traditions are shaped by the integration of religious values and customary norms, creating distinctive forms of lived religious expression. This study aims to examine the practice of morning-evening grave talqin in Nagari Sialang Gaung, Dharmasraya Regency, as a manifestation of the Living Qur’an. Employing a qualitative field research design, the study draws on in-depth interviews and observations involving local religious leaders (urang siak) and family members of the deceased. The findings reveal that the talqin ritual, performed systematically for seven consecutive days after burial, functions not merely as a mortuary tradition but as a medium for embodying Qur’anic values in everyday life. The recitation of Qur’anic verses, supplications, and tahlil serves both as a spiritual effort to seek mercy and tranquility for the deceased and as a mechanism for reinforcing faith, social solidarity, and collective religious awareness among participants. From a Living Qur’an perspective, this practice illustrates how the Qur’an operates as a “living text,” continuously interpreted and enacted within specific socio-cultural contexts. The study contributes to broader discussions on lived Islam by demonstrating how scriptural teachings are negotiated, localized, and sustained through communal ritual practices in response to the existential reality of death.

This article examines The Living Qur’an phenomenon at the Pondok Pesantren Al-Qur’an Asy-Syahadah Surabaya, which has been taking place since 2018 and is carried out through the tradition of reciting five selected surahs after the obligatory prayers. The surahs recited include al-Fīl, al-Inshirāh, al-Nasr, al-Falaq, and al-Mu’minūn [23]: 29. This phenomenon reflects a routine practice that is consistently carried out, thereby fostering a spiritual culture within the boarding school environment. This research is important because it demonstrates how the Qur’anic text is alive in the daily reality of the pesantren through deeply rooted collective practices. The objective of this study is to describe the process of carrying out the tradition and to understand its meaning for the caretakers, administrators, and students. The method used is qualitative, specifically field research. The Living Qur’an approach is combined with Karl Mannheim’s Sociology of Knowledge analytical framework. Data sources were obtained through observation, interviews, documentation, and supporting literature. The research findings indicate that the tradition of reciting five selected surahs is performed in congregation and in sequence according to specific protocols. Surah al-Fīl is recited seven times, al-Inshirāh once with certain phrases repeated in both surahs al-Nasr once, al-Falaq three times, and al-Mu’minūn [23]:29 eleven times. From the perspective of Karl Mannheim’s Sociology of Knowledge, the meaning of this tradition encompasses three dimensions: objective meaning as an obligatory practice; expressive meaning as a form of worship, self-protection, and inner peace; and documentary meaning as a collective culture deeply rooted in the lives of the students.

Over time a dialectic has emerged between tradition and a purer understanding of religion. Some people now view the mandi safar tradition not as a fate-determining ritual (avoiding idolatry), but rather as an effort to preserve customs (culture) and a means to strengthen bonds of brotherhood among residents. This article aims to examine the internalization of the Qur’an within the cultural ritual of mandi safar and to explore its religious and cultural meanings among the community of Air Hitam Laut Village, Sadu Subdistrict, East Tanjung Jabung Regency, Jambi Province. The article employs a qualitative method with a descriptive-interpretative approach within the Living Qur’an perspective. Data were collected through field observations, in-depth interviews with religious leaders, customary figures, and community members, as well as documentation studies. The findings indicate that the mandi safar tradition represents an integration of Qur’anic values and local tradition, symbolically manifested through the use of seven salamun verses (QS. Yasin: 58, QS. As-Saffat: 79, QS. As-Saffat: 109, QS. As-Saffat: 120, QS. As-Saffat: 130, QS. Az-Zumar: 73, QS. Al-Qadr: 5) as a medium of worship, supplication for protection (repelling calamity), and social cohesion. Beyond its religious significance, the ritual also serves cultural and economic functions, reflecting the dynamic and contextual character of Islamic religiosity in Indonesia.

Inheritance remains one of the most contested legal domains in Indonesia’s pluralistic society, where Islamic law and customary (adat) law frequently intersect and, at times, conflict. This tension is particularly pronounced within the Toba Batak community, which upholds a patrilineal inheritance system that prioritizes male heirs and often excludes women. This study aims to examine the concept of justice in Islamic inheritance law through a thematic exegesis (tafsīr mawdū‘ī) of Surah An-Nisā’ verses 7, 11, and 12, and to assess its relevance to the Batak Toba customary inheritance system. Employing a qualitative descriptive-analytical method and drawing primarily on Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī, the study finds that the Qur’an establishes a framework of proportional justice in which both men and women are granted inheritance rights based on social and financial responsibilities. The main finding of this study is that the exclusion of women in the Batak Toba inheritance system is not only inconsistent with Qur’anic principles but can be critically reconstructed through a justice-oriented interpretive approach. The findings reveal a significant gap between Qur’anic principles and the exclusionary nature of customary practices. This study argues that Islamic inheritance law offers not only a normative legal framework but also a transformative ethical foundation for reconstructing customary inheritance systems toward greater inclusivity and gender equity in contemporary society. Future research is recommended to incorporate empirical field studies to examine community responses and the practical challenges of implementing more equitable inheritance models.

The development of Qur’anic exegesis reflects the dynamic interaction between revelation and the evolving intellectual, social, and political contexts of Muslim societies. The mutaakhkhirin (post-classical) period, spanning approximately the 4th to 12th centuries Hijri, represents a critical phase in this trajectory, marked by increasing methodological complexity and epistemological expansion. This study aims to analyze the historical dynamics, methodological transformation, and epistemological configuration of tafsir during this period. Employing a qualitative library research approach, the study draws on primary exegetical works and relevant secondary literature, analyzed through historical, methodological, and epistemological frameworks. The findings demonstrate that the development of tafsir in the mutaakhkhirin period cannot be adequately understood as a linear shift from tafsir bi al-ma’thur to tafsir bi al-ra’y. Rather, it reflects an integrative process in which transmitted knowledge and rational inquiry are systematically combined. This integration is further reinforced by the incorporation of linguistic, philosophical, and scientific disciplines, resulting in more analytical, structured, and context-sensitive interpretations. The study argues that this period represents a maturity in the evolution of tafsir, characterized by the reconfiguration of epistemic authority and the emergence of a synthetic interpretive framework. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of post-classical exegesis and highlight its relevance for modern Qur’anic interpretation.

The phenomenon of fatherlessness has increasingly attracted scholarly attention as a complex social issue affecting family structures across different cultural contexts, including Muslim societies. Rather than assuming a uniform impact, contemporary research highlights that the absence or weakening of paternal roles whether physical or relational interacts with broader social and ethical dynamics in shaping children’s development. This study examines the concept of paternal leadership and responsibility in the Qur’an through a thematic (mawdū’ī) exegetical approach, with particular focus on Rashid Rida’s Tafsir al-Manār. Using qualitative library research, the study analyzes key Qur’anic passages related to fatherhood, including Q. 4:34, Q. 2:233, and Q. 31:13-19. The findings indicate that the Qur’an conceptualizes fatherhood as a multidimensional form of responsibility encompassing financial provision, moral guidance, and spiritual education. Rida’s interpretation frames paternal leadership not merely as authority, but as an ethical and socially embedded responsibility shaped by his reformist perspective. However, the study also shows that the application of this framework to contemporary contexts requires critical consideration, particularly in light of diverse modern era family structures. This research contributes to the development of socially engaged Qur’anic exegesis by offering a more integrative understanding of Islamic fatherhood that bridges textual interpretation and contemporary social analysis. It also provides a conceptual framework for re-evaluating paternal roles in Muslim families without reducing the issue of fatherlessness to a single causal explanation.

This study is motivated by the theological and sociological tensions in contemporary hijab phenomena, where symbols of piety are often reduced by the commodification of the fashion industry. This study aims to deconstruct the static understanding of hijab and reformulate the concept of decency amidst the currents of lifestyle trends. Employing a qualitative library research method with a comparative approach, this research synthesizes the critical thought of Fatima Mernissi (historical deconstruction) and the tawhidic hermeneutics of Amina Wadud (substance reconstruction). The results indicate that the hijab is not an ahistorical dogma, but a dynamic cultural medium. The main finding of this study is the concept of “contextual ethics of decency” as a middle path; a synthesis positing that clothing forms may change according to the context of the times (per Mernissi’s historical critique), provided that the principles of moral integrity and piety remain its core essence (per Wadud’s interpretation). This study concludes that the desacralization of hijab by the market need not be responded to with anti-modernity rejection, but rather with the strengthening of women’s moral agency. Consequently, the parameters of piety shift from visual formalism to dignified public ethics, providing theoretical legitimacy for modest fashion as a valid yet spiritual expression of identity.

The interpretation of the inheritance verses in Surah An-Nisa cannot be separated from the social and cultural context surrounding the interpreters. This study aims to uncover the socio-cultural impressions in the interpretation of the inheritance verses by three Indonesian exegetes: Zainuddin Hamidy, Fachruddin HS, and Mahmud Yunus. All three lived during the period of the development of modern Islam in Indonesia, marked by efforts to rationalize Islamic teachings and adapt to societal dynamics. The analysis was conducted through a qualitative-descriptive approach using the content analysis method of their exegetes, particularly their interpretations of the inheritance verses in Surah An-Nisa. This study highlights how social conditions, customs, and Islamic legal discourse in Indonesia during their time influenced their interpretation of the principles of justice, gender equality, and inheritance distribution. The results show that the three exegetes provide nuanced interpretations that demonstrate an awareness of the socio-cultural context. Overall, their interpretations reflect an effort to balance sharia norms and social reality, thus enriching the treasury of Indonesian interpretations that are moderate and responsive to changing times.

This research examines the concept of nafsin wahidah in Surah An-Nisa verse 1 through Asma Barlas's anti-patriarchal theological perspective to address the dominance of classical exegesis that exhibits gender bias. This verse is often used to justify gender hierarchy through the narrative of Eve's creation from Adam's rib, despite the Qur'an not explicitly mentioning this. The significance of this study lies in its attempt to deconstruct the patriarchal legacy within the exegetical tradition that has resulted in social and legal inequalities against Muslim women. This research employs a qualitative approach with text analysis methods based on Asma Barlas's hermeneutics of tawhid, involving linguistic and historical analysis of QS. An-Nisa verse 1, as well as comparisons between classical exegesis and Barlas's approach in Believing Women in Islam. The analysis reveals that nafsin wahidah refers to the non-gendered and equal essence of humanity, rather than representing Adam as a superior male. Barlas dismantles patriarchal assumptions in classical exegesis by demonstrating that the concept of zaujaha emphasizes mutuality, not subordination. The hermeneutics of tawhid developed by Barlas positions the principle of God's oneness as the ethical and theological foundation for understanding gender equality. This research affirms that the Qur'an, when read contextually and justly, supports egalitarian relations between men and women. It is recommended that the hermeneutics of tawhid approach be applied more broadly in exegetical studies to build an inclusive and gender-just Islamic theology.