The Exegetical Methodology of Maulana Muhammad Jalal al-Din Qadri in Tafsir Ahkam al-Qur’an: An Analytical Study

Abstract

The Holy Qur’an is the final divine revelation of Allah Almighty and the fundamental source of guidance for humanity in both this world and the Hereafter. It contains comprehensive guidance concerning the doctrinal, moral, social, economic, and legal dimensions of human life. The verses of legal rulings (Ayat al-Ahkam) hold a central position in the formulation of the fundamental principles and regulations of Islamic law. To explain the meanings, legal rulings, and juristic implications of these verses, Muslim exegetes have rendered valuable services throughout different periods of Islamic history. Among these works, commentaries devoted specifically to Ahkam al-Qur’an hold particular significance. The scholarly and exegetical tradition of the Indian subcontinent has also produced numerous valuable works on the interpretation and explanation of the verses of legal rulings. In this tradition, “Tafsir Ahkam al-Qur’an” by Maulana Muhammad Jalal al-Din Qadri represents an important scholarly contribution. In this work, the author has drawn upon the Holy Qur’an, Prophetic traditions (Ahadith), reports of the Companions and Successors (Athar al-Sahabah wa al-Tabi‘in), and the extensive corpus of Islamic jurisprudence to explain the verses of legal rulings. He has also attempted to clarify various legal issues and their rulings in the light of relevant evidences. The present study, entitled “The Methodology of Tafsir of Maulana Muhammad Jalal al-Din Qadri in Tafsir Ahkam al-Qur’an: An Analytical Study,” examines the exegetical principles and methodology adopted by the author. It analyzes his sources of interpretation, his approach to Hadith and juristic reasoning, his method of deriving legal rulings from the verses of the Qur’an, his treatment of differing juristic opinions, and his approach to the preference and evaluation of scholarly views.