Tanzil: Jurnal Studi Al-Quran

Power Relations in the Family

Rizamul Malik Akbar — 2026-10-13

The concepts of qiwāmah, nushūz, and wa-ḍribūhunna in Q.S. An-Nisā’ [4]: 34 remain debated in tafsir studies because they are closely related to household power relations, family leadership, and domestic violence. This study aims to analyze and compare Hamka’s and Husein Muhammad’s interpretations of the verse using Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). This qualitative study employs a literature study approach, focusing on Tafsir al-Azhar by Hamka and Islam Agama Ramah Perempuan by Husein Muhammad. The findings reveal three main points. (1) At the textual level, Hamka employs naturalization by presenting qiwāmah as part of a normative family order, nushūz as disobedience, and ḍaraba as a physically permissible act subject to ethical limits. Husein Muhammad employs recontextualization by relating qiwāmah to social responsibility, nushūz to unequal gender relations, and ḍaraba to firm non-violent action. (2) At the level of discursive practice, Hamka’s authority is constructed through continuity with classical exegetical sources, whereas Husein Muhammad’s is developed through engagement with contemporary Islamic thought and contextual approaches. (3) At the sociocultural level, Hamka maintains the normative structure of male leadership while ethically restricting violence, whereas Husein Muhammad opens greater space for reinterpreting husband-wife relations amid social change. This study demonstrates the usefulness of Fairclough’s CDA for examining the relationship between textual meaning, interpretive authority, and social change in Qur’anic interpretation.

AI Hermeneutic Competence in Qur’anic Exegesis

Indra Wahyuddin — 2026-10-13

The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed various fields of knowledge, including Qur’anic exegesis. AI can rapidly process Islamic data, analyze language, connect classical and contemporary tafsir sources, and present interpretive information systematically. These advances have raised scholarly debates concerning whether AI possesses the hermeneutic competence required to interpret the Qur’an. This study examines AI’s hermeneutic competence by evaluating it against the qualifications of a mufassir within the tradition of ‘ulūm al-Qur’ān. It employs a qualitative library research approach. The findings reveal that AI demonstrates considerable strengths in processing large datasets, retrieving references, recognizing linguistic patterns, and organizing interpretive information efficiently. Nevertheless, these capabilities remain technical and computational rather than epistemological. AI cannot fulfill the essential qualifications of a mufassir, including spiritual maturity, religious experience, scholarly intuition, contextual understanding of socio-religious realities, and ethical responsibility in interpreting divine revelation. Consequently, AI should not be regarded as a replacement for human mufassirs, but as a complementary tool that supports research, documentation, and access to tafsir sources. This study argues that the integration of AI into Qur’anic exegesis must remain grounded in the epistemological principles of ‘ulūm al-Qur’ān. Maintaining a balance between technological innovation and authoritative interpretive methodology is essential to ensure that Qur’anic interpretation remains academically rigorous, contextually sound, ethically responsible, and faithful to the intellectual tradition of Islamic scholarship.

Dhikr and Cognitive Neuroscience

Wildanul Kholis Alhadi — 2026-10-13

The increasing prevalence of anxiety and psychological distress in the post-pandemic era has intensified interest in spiritual and religious sources of mental tranquility. Although previous studies have discussed the psychological and spiritual benefits of dhikr, the relationship between the Qur’anic concept of tranquility and its cognitive-neuroscientific mechanisms remains insufficiently explored through an integrated interdisciplinary framework. This study examines the relationship between dhikr and ṭuma’nīnah in Q.S. Al-Ra‘d [13]: 28 by integrating Qur’anic linguistic-semantic analysis, spiritual exegesis, and cognitive neuroscience. Using qualitative library research, the study analyzes the linguistic structure of the verse, examines interpretations of selected classical and modern mufassir, and reviews relevant findings from neuroscience and cognitive psychology. The findings show that ṭuma’nīnah is presented as a dynamic and continuous process, linguistically reflected in the verbal structure of taṭma’innu. Exegetically, dhikr involves not merely verbal repetition but the internalization of divine awareness within human consciousness. From a cognitive-neuroscientific perspective, repetitive religious and contemplative practices may support emotional regulation, reduce stress reactivity, and promote physiological relaxation. The novelty of this study lies in proposing an integrative framework connecting the linguistic meaning of ṭuma’nīnah, Qur’anic interpretations of dhikr, and contemporary cognitive-neuroscientific perspectives, contributing to an interdisciplinary understanding of Qur’anic spirituality in addressing contemporary psychological challenges.

The Illusion of Control and Human Fragility

Setyawan Setyawan — 2026-10-13

The present-day fragility of humans raises a Qur’anic issue of attribution: people are mandated to exert effort, reflect, and engage, yet they often misinterpret their limited agency as control over consequences. This article outlines a Qur’anic paradigm of theocentric attribution by exploring the connections among human exertion, divine decree, triumph, defeat, appreciation, pride, endurance, tawakkul, and aspiration. It applies qualitative library research through thematic Qur’anic commentary (al-tafsīr al-mawḍū‘ī), semantic-contextual reading, inter-verse synthesis, and comparative analysis with al-Ṭabarī, Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, Ibn ‘Āshūr, al-Rāghib al-Aṣfahānī, and M. Quraish Shihab. The theory of psychological attribution and the idea of illusion of control function solely as supplementary heuristic facilitators, not as dominant interpretative frameworks. The analysis reveals two interconnected distortions: inflationary self-attribution, illustrated by Qārūn and the owner of the two gardens, which reframes immediate causes as declarations of independence; and punishing self-attribution, wherein loss or failure is seen as a comprehensive assessment of human value. The Qur’an’s discourse amends by upholding responsible agency while placing conclusive outcomes under divine dominion. The essay articulates the ATQ-5 framework: agentic initiative, awareness of control constraints, outcome-driven tawakkul, management of appreciation and patience, and transformative aspiration. The analysis finds that theocentric attribution represents a unified Qur’anic ethic of causality that challenges both self-aggrandizing control and fatalistic resignation.

Reinterpreting Ḥadīd in Q.S. Al-Ḥadīd [57]: 25

Muhammad Hafidhul Ihsan — 2026-10-13

This article is motivated by the differing interpretations of the term ḥadīd and its associated manāfi‘ in Q.S. Al-Ḥadīd [57]: 25 among classical and modern Muslim scholars. Classical scholars interpreted the term ḥadīd as iron used for armour and weapons of war, whereas later scholars understood the term ḥadīd as iron that serves as the foundation for industrial development and as a basis for the prosperity and strength of nations. Stemming from this difference in interpretation, the terms ḥadīd and manāfi‘ carry the potential for polysemic meaning, allowing them to be understood in various contexts. This research adopts a library research design using contextual interpretation methods and descriptive-analytical analysis. Through Abdullah Saeed’s contextual linguistic analysis—examining the historical context surrounding the identification of universal ethical principles and interpreting contemporary realities to derive a more holistic meaning—the research reveals that the term ḥadīd in Q.S. Al-Ḥadīd [57]: 25 is not merely understood as iron in the material sense; rather, it represents strength, means of defense, technology, and instruments for the advancement of human civilization. In the contemporary context, this meaning may be understood as symbolizing technological development, which should be utilized in a just, responsible, and human welfare-oriented manner. Accordingly, Q.S. Al-Ḥadīd [57]: 25 provides us with an ethical basis that technology should not be employed as a means of destruction, oppression, or exploitation but should instead be directed towards promoting justice and social welfare.

Al-Mīzān Conceptual Framework for Ecological Mitigation

Abdul Zaenuri — 2026-10-13

The hydrometeorological crisis in Indonesia, marked by the catastrophic flash floods and landslides that struck Sumatra and Aceh in late 2025, has been demonstrated to originate primarily from large-scale deforestation and upstream land-use conversion rather than from extreme rainfall anomalies alone. Although disaster mitigation studies in Southeast Asia have advanced substantially in their technical, infrastructural, and institutional dimensions, the spiritual and religious values that motivate community behavior toward ecosystems remain largely overlooked. Likewise, existing studies on Islamic ecotheology have yet to be operationalized into a systematic disaster mitigation framework. This study aims to identify and synthesize the hermeneutical clusters derived from the Qur’an that constitute the al-mīzān conceptual framework, examine their conceptual relevance to the causal roots of the 2025 Sumatra–Aceh disaster, and formulate their operational implications for strengthening value-based disaster mitigation. The study employs a qualitative approach using thematic Qur’anic exegesis (tafsīr mawḍū‘ī) as its primary methodological framework, complemented by an extensive literature review and empirical-contextual analysis, integrated through three mutually reinforcing analytical layers: hermeneutical-exegetical, comparative-academic, and empirical-contextual. Collectively, they constitute a coherent normative system operating across four analytical dimensions: theological-cosmological, etiological-diagnostic, structural-normative, and responsive-preventive. This framework exhibits a clear normative-conceptual resonance with the empirical realities of the 2025 Sumatra–Aceh disaster, functioning as an ethical lens through which the structural drivers of the disaster can be critically diagnosed and evaluated, including widespread deforestation, failures in environmental governance, and the inequitable distribution of disaster risks. The study concludes that the al-mīzān conceptual framework provides a relevant normative-theological instrument for addressing the underlying crisis of values that drives ecological degradation. Its principal academic contribution lies in bridging the discourse between Islamic ecotheology and disaster mitigation studies, developing a methodological model that integrates thematic Qur’anic exegesis with empirical disaster data, and offering practical relevance for the formulation of value-based disaster mitigation policies in disaster-prone Muslim communities.

Al-Bakhs in Tafsīr al-Munīr

Muhammad Sufiyan — 2026-10-13

Justice in the Qur’an is expressed through both commands to fulfil rights and prohibitions against their unjust diminution. This study examines the contextual meanings of al-bakhs in Wahbah al-Zuḥaylī’s al-Tafsīr al-Munīr and reconstructs a specific anti-bakhs principle. It employs qualitative library research, theory-guided content analysis, Charles J. Fillmore’s Frame Semantics, and limited exegetical comparison. The primary corpus comprises al-Zuḥaylī’s interpretations of seven Qur’anic occurrences of the root term al-bakhs. Each occurrence is analyzed through its grammatical construction, participants, object, standard of comparison, realization relationship, polarity, and normative evaluation. The findings identify three configurations. Four occurrences prohibit the diminution of acknowledged debts and other people’s rights, forming the violation configuration. One characterizes the price in Q.S. Yūsuf [12]: 20 as falling below its commensurate value, forming the assessment configuration. Two negate diminution in worldly recompense and the reward for good deeds, forming the guaranteed configuration. These uses share a relationship between an identifiable object, a contextually grounded standard, and a shortfall that is prohibited, described, or explicitly excluded. The study designates this relationship the normative-deficit frame. By interpreting the prohibitions against under-fulfilment alongside the relevant standards of rights and value, it reconstructs the anti-bakhs principle: legitimately grounded rights and values should be fully and proportionately realized without unjustifiable diminution. This principle offers a specific perspective on justice rather than a comprehensive account of Qur’anic justice. Applications for employment, professional recognition, and institutional procedures are distinguished from direct exegetical findings and require independently defensible standards.

From Domestic Confinement to Public Agency

Ilzam Hubby Dzikrillah Alfani — 2026-10-13

This study examines the interpretation of Q.S. Al-Aḥzāb [33]: 33, particularly the phrase waqarna fī buyūtikunna (remain in your homes), which has traditionally been used to restrict women’s public participation. The research problem centers on the tension between literal readings that confine women to domestic spaces and the need for contextual interpretations responsive to modern social dynamics. The study aims to re-examine Q.S. Al-Aḥzāb [33]: 33 through Abdullah Saeed’s contextual approach, an analytical framework previously underexplored in existing scholarship. Using a qualitative methodology with Saeed’s contextual framework, the analysis proceeds through six stages: classical to contemporary exegesis, linguistic analysis of three key terms (qarna, tabarruj, ahl al-bayt), micro and macro analysis, parallel textual examination, hierarchical value mapping, and contemporary contextualization. The findings reveal that Q.S. Al-Aḥzāb [33]: 33, when analyzed linguistically, historically, and through Saeed’s hierarchical value theory, falls under instructional values rather than obligatory values, making its directives historically contingent rather than universally binding. The study concludes that the verse emphasizes ethical conduct, dignity, and modesty rather than physical confinement, thereby affirming women’s right to participate actively in public life. The significance of this research lies in offering a fresh interpretive framework that reconciles the verse’s textual meaning with contemporary realities. The study is limited to textual analysis of a single verse without empirical research, and future studies are encouraged to conduct fieldwork and comparative analysis of related verses.

Validation of Indonesian Qur’anic Exegesis on Isrā’ Mi‘rāj

Aula Fahimatul Haq — 2026-10-13

The difference in the ambition of sanctification is evident in the validation of the Isrā’ Mi‘rāj event between Tafsir Ilmi Kemenag and Nalar Ayat-Ayat Semesta, written by Agus Purwanto. Both share the same interpretive orientation but arrive at different conclusions in interpreting the events of Isrā’ Mi‘rāj. This study aims to analyze and elucidate the validation patterns and epistemological reasoning employed in Tafsir Ilmi Kemenag and Nalar Ayat-Ayat Semesta. This study employs a qualitative approach using a descriptive-comparative design to compare these two works. The research was analyzed using content analysis techniques with ‘Ābid al-Jābirī’s epistemological reasoning typology as the analytical framework. The analysis focuses on how both works construct their arguments to validate the Isrā’ Mi‘rāj event, as well as their tendencies in employing bayānī and burhānī resoning. The research results show the use of the same epistemological reasoning, namely bayānī and burhānī, but what distinguishes the two is their proportion. As for the presentation of the validation model, there are several differences and similarities, such as the choice of surahs cited and the scientific theories used by both authors. Meanwhile, when viewed from the perspectives of linguistic analysis and the depth of sanctification, Nalar Ayat-Ayat Semesta demonstrates greater depth than Tafsir Ilmi Kemenag. The validation patterns identified in both works have implications for a shift in the understanding of the Isrā’ Mi‘rāj, accompanied by a shift in epistemic authority from bayānī reasoning to burhānī reasoning.

Tafsīr al-Mīzān as a Representation of Shī‘ī Exegesis

Ahmad Sayyid Al Adam — 2026-10-13

This article examines the development of Qur’anic exegesis within the Shī‘ī tradition, focusing its analysis on the book al-Mīzān fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān by Muḥammad Ḥusayn Ṭabāṭabā’ī. Rather than treating Shī‘ī exegesis only as a by-product of early political conflict, this research also foregrounds the tradition’s own theological self-understanding, in which the imām’s authority as naṣṣ grounds a periodization running from the era of the imāms through ghaybah ṣughrā and kubrā, shaping the shift from riwāyah-based to ijtihādī-rational exegesis. Al-Mīzān emerges as the pinnacle of this trajectory, employing tafsīr al-Qur’ān bi al-Qur’ān, in which verses are read against other verses while ḥadīth and reason serve as secondary instruments. Through a qualitative, library-based approach engaging the primary Arabic text alongside recent scholarship (2017–2026), this article analyzes how Ṭabāṭabā’ī applies that method to imāmah (Q.S. Al-Baqarah [2]: 124, cross-read with Q.S. Ibrāhīm [14]: 35–36), ‘iṣmah (the verse of purification, Q.S. Al-Aḥzāb [33]: 33), and mut‘ah marriage (Q.S. An-Nisā’ [4]: 24), comparing each conclusion against classical and contemporary Sunnī exegesis and against critical scholarship on al-Mīzān itself. The article also engages the methodological question of whether this approach is more accurately classified as tafsīr bi al-Qur’ān or as a sophisticated instance of ijtihādī reasoning. The results show that al-Mīzān presents a moderate, argumentative exegesis that renders Shī‘ī doctrine academically discussable, even as its distinctly Shī‘ī conclusions remain intact beneath that inclusive style—a finding that contributes to comparative Sunnī–Shī‘ī exegetical scholarship and to a more precise mapping of where the two traditions genuinely converge and diverge.

From Text to Transformation

Rina Darojatun — 2026-10-13

This study examines how millennial Muslims in Banten interpret Qur’anic hijrah verses and how these interpretations drive spiritual transformation and identity construction. Focusing on two communities—Ta‘lim Cloud Al Bantani and Bikers Subuhan Banten—this qualitative phenomenological study involved ten informants. The findings reveal that members interpret hijrah not merely as physical migration but as a holistic spiritual transformation encompassing four dimensions: cognitive restructuring (fikriyyah), faith reinforcement (i‘tiqādiyah), emotional change from reluctance to longing for worship (shu‘ūriyyah), and moral improvement (sulūkiyyah). Their interpretation of Q.S. Ar-Ra‘d [13]:11 underscores the mandate for internal change, while Q.S. An-Nisā’ [4]: 100 is understood as a promise of spiritual abundance for those who emigrate for Allah’s sake. Classical tafsir by al-Qurṭubī and al-Zamakhsharī informs their understanding, particularly the view that hijrah encompasses sincere intention, seeking knowledge, and the pursuit of obedience to God. These textual meanings function within the community as normative foundations that legitimize and sustain members’ transformation. The communities’ da‘wah strategies include credible young preachers with egalitarian approaches, messages covering ‘aqīdah, sharī‘ah, and akhlāq, and the integration of word-of-mouth and social media. The implications are threefold: cognitive effects (enhanced understanding of tauhid), affective effects (shift from apathy to spiritual enthusiasm), and behavioral effects (consistent congregational prayers, Qur’anic recitation, improved speech, and transition away from harmful environments). This study concludes that hijrah communities in Banten construct an inclusive, moderate Islamic identity through contextual interpretation of Qur’anic texts, challenging stereotypes of exclusivism while demonstrating that community-based religious transformation is sustained through supportive networks, consistent mentorship, and adaptation to members’ evolving life circumstances.

Ecotheological Interpretation of the Story of the People of Saba’ (Q.S. Saba’ [34]: 15–17) to Minimize the Food Waste Crisis in Indonesia

Suni Subagja — 2026-10-16

This study aims to examine the ecotheological interpretation of the story of the Saba’ people in Q.S. Saba’ [34]: 15–17 to minimize the food waste crisis in Indonesia. The study employs a descriptive qualitative approach, drawing primary sources from the Qur’an (particularly Q.S. Saba’ [34]: 15–17), supported by verses addressing tabdhīr (wastefulness), isrāf (excessiveness), resource reuse, and the prohibition of environmental degradation. Secondary sources include classical and contemporary exegetical works, literature on Islamic environmental jurisprudence (fiqh al-bī’ah), ecotheology, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and food waste studies. This study’s novelty lies in its attempt to link TPB with Qur’anic values as an ethical framework for food waste management. The results of the study show that the food crisis is not only rooted in technical distribution issues, but also in a crisis of spiritual values. Integrating eco-theology and TPB shows that attitudes (the belief that wastefulness is wrong), subjective norms (social encouragement through preaching and community), and behavioral control (regulatory and facility support) can strengthen changes in people’s behavior toward a zero-waste lifestyle. These findings confirm that solutions to food issues in Indonesia require both a technical approach and a spiritual transformation based on the values of the Qur’an. Accordingly, this study recommends empirically testing the proposed Qur’anic-TPB model through field surveys or case studies to assess the extent to which Qur’anic ecotheological values can translate into measurable behavioral changes in food waste management.

Constructing Cosmological Meaning in Q.S. Al-Anbiyā’ [21]: 30

Muhammad Sirril Wafa — 2026-10-20

Studies of Q.S. Al-Anbiyā’ [21]: 30 have largely focused on correspondences between the Qur’anic concepts of ratq (joining or closure) and fatq (opening or separation) and modern cosmological theories, especially the Big Bang, while the linguistic and cognitive processes through which cosmological meaning is constructed remain less examined. This study analyzes the construction of cosmological meaning in Q.S. Al-Anbiyā’ [21]: 30 by integrating al-Jurjānī’s contextual semantics with Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory. Using qualitative library research, the study employs a two-stage integrative procedure. First, naẓm analysis identifies the syntactic and semantic relations that constrain the ratq–fatq construction. Second, Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory maps only those textually licensed relations into source–target conceptual structures, after which the cognitive interpretation is checked against the Arabic linguistic structure. The findings show that the ratq–fatq relation forms a transformational semantic pattern from unity to differentiation. This pattern is conceptualized through three interconnected metaphors: The cosmos is a unified entity, creation is separation, and divine creation is cosmic transformation. The study proposes a Semantic-Cognitive Integrative Model in which naẓm provides textual constraints for conceptual mapping, while Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory explains how those relations are cognitively represented. Accordingly, the relationship between the verse and Big Bang cosmology is understood as limited conceptual correspondence rather than empirical scientific validation. The model offers a controlled interdisciplinary framework for analyzing Qur’anic cosmological meaning.

The Shifting Visibility of Tafsīr Authority in the AI Era

Rochmad Rochmad — 2026-10-20

The digitization of the Qur’an has reconfigured how Qur’anic interpretation (tafsīr) is produced, mediated, and perceived, particularly as artificial intelligence (AI) enters a tradition grounded in sanad, the chain of scholarly transmission. This study aims to examine the development of AI in digital tafsir, compare algorithmic interpretation with classical tafsir methodology, and assess how algorithmic visibility relates to epistemic authority and the validity of interpretation. Using a descriptive-analytical-critical approach combined with comparative and critical (naqd) methods, this library research draws on scholarly literature on digital religion, AI, and tafsir, including a secondary comparative study of ChatGPT and classical tafsir. The analysis is framed by Islamic epistemology, namely sanad, uṣūl al-tafsīr, and maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah. The findings indicate that AI has evolved from digitization and curated repositories into generative systems that are effective for access, linguistic analysis, and the preservation of turāth. However, the generative model examined shows limitations regarding sanad, asbāb al-nuzūl, maqāṣid, and verifiable references, although this evidence is limited and cannot be generalized to all AI systems. Aspects that have undergone a shift is the visibility and perceived authority of interpretation, not demonstrably its epistemic legitimacy. These findings demonstrate that the shift is an epistemological tendency rather than an empirically proven displacement of scholars, and that integrating scholarly authority with digital innovation should follow four principles of a digital sanad: source traceability, scholarly accountability, methodological transparency, and the separation of visibility from legitimacy.

From Tawḥīd to Faḍā’il

Moh. Nadhif — 2026-10-20

Digital Qur’anic preaching often places Qur’anic wording, ḥadīth reports, exegetical explanation, and motivational language within one short audiovisual sequence. This study examines how a 10-minute 31-second preaching video transforms Q.S. Al-Ikhlāṣ [112] from a compact declaration of tawḥīd into a sequence of faḍā’il claims and supplication, while asking how source differences remain visible or become compressed. The study uses an artifact-centered qualitative case design that integrates audiovisual content analysis, thematic tafsīr, ḥadīth source criticism, and multimodal framing analysis. The video is reconstructed claim by claim before comparison with Q.S. Al-Ikhlāṣ [112]: 1–4, Q.S. Al-A‘rāf [7]: 156, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Musnad Aḥmad, Jāmi‘ al-Tirmidhī, and classical tafsīr. The findings show four recurrent operations: doctrinal condensation, devotional expansion, source-label equalization, and motivational reframing. The report that Q.S. Al-Ikhlāṣ [112] equals one-third of the Qur’an has strong canonical support, whereas the ten-recitation reward report has a debated transmission history and wording variation; the al-Aḥad/al-Ṣamad supplication is comparatively well supported. Close reading of Q.S. Al-Ikhlāṣ [112] further indicates a theological progression from an identification of the oneness of God toward absolute independence, then to the negation of genealogy and equivalence, so later reward claims belong to a reception layer rather than the sūrah’s semantic content. As its main contribution, the article proposes an Epistemic Faḍā’il Mediation Model (EFMM) linking provenance, authentication, communicative function, and media framing without claiming empirical audience reception.