ISSN: 0126-012X Volume 45, No.

1, 2007 M/1428 H

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 CONTENTS

Editorial: Inventing New Perspectives vii-viii

Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies: Tracing

Humanistic Approach to Sacred Text in Islamic
Scholarship
M. Nur Kholis Setiawan 1-28

Gender Issues in Application of Islamic Law in Nigeria

Muhammad S. Umar 29-56

Muslim Women’s Politics in Advancing Their Gender

Interests: A Case-Study of Nasyiatul Aisyiyah in
Indonesia New Order Era
Siti Syamsiyatun 57-89

The Roles of Mosque Libraries through History

Nurdin Laugu 91-118

Mafhu>m al-Tamaddun ‘ind al-Shaykh ‘Ali> Yu>suf

Sulayma>n al-Khat\i>b 119-139

Mustaqbal al-Waqf fi>’ l-Ummat al-Isla>miyyah

Must\afa> Dasu>qy Kasbah 141-176

v
Siya> s at al-Istithma> r al-Mas} r ifiy wa-Ususuha> al-
Fikriyyah
Surahman Hidayat 177-205

Naz}ariyyat al-Fana>’ ‘ind Abi> Yazi>d al-Bust\a>my

Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi 207-240

vi
LIBERAL THOUGHT IN QUR’ANIC
STUDIES: Tracing Humanistic Approach
to Sacred Text in Islamic Scholarship

M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Fellow 2006-2007 of Europa im Nahe
Osten der Nahe Osten in Europa, Wissenschaftskollege zu Berlin, Germany
Abstract

Literary approach to the Qur’an developed by al-Khuli created deep critiques

from its opponents, in whose opinion, the usage of literary paradigm to
the study of the Qur’an, according to them, implied a consequence of
treating the Qur’an as a human text which clearly indicates a strong influence
of a liberal mode of thinking that goes out of the line of the Qur’an’s
spirit. This article shows a diametric fact compared to that they have claimed.
The data proves that linguistic aspects of the Qur’an have succeeded in
making an intellectual connection among progressive and liberal scholars
in the classical and modern era. This supports the assumption that
progressive and liberal thought whose one of its indicators is freedom of
thought in accordance to Charles Kurzman term, is “children” of the
Islamic civilization. Freedom of thought in the classical Islamic scholarship
should be the élan of intellectualism including the field of Qur’anic studies.

Keywords: literary approach, liberal thought, Qur’anic studies, classical

Islamic scholarship
M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

A. Introduction
The present article is inspired by a statement given by Ami>n al-
Khu>li> (d. 1966), an Egyptian Qur’anic scholar who advocated using
the most modern linguistic methods to approach the Qur’an with all
accessible scientific methods “irrespective of religious considerations”.1
His aim was to retrieve the original meaning of the Qur’anic text and
how it was understood by the time it was first revealed. He asserted
that the acceptance of the Qur’an, and hence of Islam by the Arabs,
were based on the recognition of its absolute supremacy to any human
texts, and then on the basis of evaluating the Qur’an as a literary text
with its linguistic peculiarities. The linguistic aspect of the Qur’a>n as a
point of departure of treating its literary character should be taken as
a priority, and therefore, it supersedes any other religio-theological,
philosophical and judicial aspects of the Qur’a>n.2
The ideas of Ami>n al-Khu>li> are then developed further by his
pupils.3 It is Nas}r Abu> Zayd (b. 1942) who is eminently successful in
approaching the Qur’an as a literary text. He explains that the historicity
of the Qur’an as a text does not and should not mean that it is a human
text. As the Qur’an is the revelation and/or manifestation of God’s
words at a specific time and place, it should follow that what was
revealed to Muhammad in the seventh century is a historical text. This
historical text is the subject of understanding and interpretation that
has been done by many scholars in various schools of thought in Islamic
history, whereas God’s words exist in a sphere beyond any human
knowledge. Therefore, socio-historical analysis is needed for
understanding the Qur’an, and a very modern linguistic methodology
–––––––––––––––––
1

See, Ami>n al-Khu>li>, Mana>hij Tajdi>d fi> l-Nahw wa l-Bala>gha wa l-Tafsi>r wa l-Adab, first edition,
Cairo, 1961, 304.
2
Ibid, 97-98; 124-125.
3
His pupils are Muhammad Ahmad Khalafalla>h (d. 1997), Aisha Abd al-
Rahma>n bint al-Sha>ti’ (d. 2000), and Nasr Abu> Zayd (b. 1942). See, Nur Kholis Setiawan,
“Die Literarische Koraninterpretation: Eine Analyse ihrer Frühen Elemente und ihrer
Entwicklung”, Ph.D. Thesis, Bonn 2003, 3-18.

2 Al-Ja>mi‘ah, Vol. 45, No. 1, 2007 M/1428 H

 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

should be applied for its interpretation.

Abu> Zayd has developed a general theoretical model of
communication. For him, the Qur’an like any other messages, be it
signs that are verbal or non verbal, presuppose a communicative The
communication theory which approaches the Qur’an with a literary
method developed by Abu> Zayd creates a serious debate and objection
among scholars. Several arguments against Abu> Zayd’s theory can be
summarized as follows. Firstly, a literary text is a composition of human
imagination while the Qur’an represents the word of God that should
not be compared to any human discourse. Secondly, to deal with the
Qur’an as a work of literary art is to suggest that it is written by
Muhammad. Thirdly, more insulting to the Qur’an from the point of
view of the traditional dogma is to claim that its language and structure
is historically determined and culturally formed would easily be
interpreted to mean that the Qur’an is a human text.4
Literary paradigm which belongs to humanities, according to
opponents of Abu> Zayd ideas, is not applicable to be used in the sacred
text. It is close to liberal thought that originated in a secular mode of
though that closely linked to critical Biblical studies.5 The objections
of ideas of al-Khu>li> and Abu> Zayd refer to a deep conclusion that a
humanistic approach to the sacred text is not possible. Furthermore, it
will lead to a humanization of a sacred religious text. With regard to
the objection and the conclusion that those ideas are considered liberal,
the question raised in the present article is whether Ami>n al-Khu>li>’s
ideas have a basis in the classical Islamic discourse and in what form
those ideas are supported. How does classical scholarship strengthen
liberal mode of thinking especially in the field of Qur’anic studies.
The present article focuses then more on elements of approaching the
Qur’an in the classical Islamic scholarship rather than discussing al-
Khu>li> and Abu> Zayd’s ideas and their opponents. Particular attention
will be paid to progressive notions within the framework of
–––––––––––––––––
4
Haddad, Contemporary Islam and the Challenge of History, New York: SUNI
Press 1982, 75-78.
5
Though Biblical studies use contemporary theories and philosophy of
language, opponents of Abu Zaid’s ideas did not mention sources to be consulted in
their writings.

Al-Ja>mi‘ah, Vol. 45, No. 1, 2007 M/1428 H 3

M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

hermeneutic exercise to the Qur’an whose progressiveness represents

one aspect of the so called liberal in the context of Islamic thought.6

B. Linguistic Aspects of the Qur’an in Classical Muslim

Scholarship
I argue here that studying linguistic aspects of the Qur’an is very
important. They relate to the status of the Qur’an according to Islamic
scholarship as a divine text that is inimitable, literally eternal in its
Arabic linguistic form. Muslim scholars have been attracted to this
field for a long time. The linguistic aspects of the Qur’an were studied
carefully, some classical studies came very close to approaching the
Qur’an as a textual corpus even in the earliest tafsi>r traditions. Examples
are the works of Ibn Jurayj (d. 150/767), Muqa>til ibn Sulayma>n (d.
150/767),7 al-Kisa>’i> (d. 189/805), Abu> Ziya>d al-Farra>’ (d. 210/825),
Ibn Qutayba (d. 276/889)8 et cetera.
The beginning of a comprehensive Qur’anic interpretation was
made in the first part of the second century of Hijra. The creativity of
scholars, who experienced the life of the Prophet, played a significant
role then. According to a narrative, important exegetes in the first
generation were a group of ten scholars, among whom the first were
four Caliphs, al-Khulafa>’ al-Ra>shidu>n. Ali ibn Abi> Ta>lib stood in the
foreground because of his outstanding creativity in interpreting the
Qur’an. The six remaining scholars were Ubay ibn Ka b (d. 23/643),
‘Abdullah ibn Mas u>d (d. 32/652), Abu> Mu>sa> al-Ash‘a>ri> (d. 50/670),
‘Abdulla>h ibn ‘Abba>s (d. 68/686), Zayd ibn Thabit (d. 45/665), and
‘Abdulla>h ibn Zubayr (d. 94/712).9
The Qur’anic interpretation experienced a rapid development in
which the creativity of Ibn ‘Abba>s and his pupils had played a significant
role. They often brought forth ra’y, reason, to be applied in Qur’anic
–––––––––––––––––
6
This based on Kurzman’s definition of the term liberal in Islam. See, Kurzman
(ed.), Liberal Islam: A Source Book, Oxford: Oxford University Press 1998, p. 4.
7
Muqa>til Ibn Sulaima>n, al-Asyba>h wa-l-Naza>’ir fi l-Qur’a>n al-Kari>m, (ed). Mahmud
Syihata, Cairo, 1975.
8
Ibn Qutayba, Ta’wi>l Musykil al-Qur’a>n, (ed), Sayyid Ahmad Saqar, Cairo 1973.
9
al-Suyu>ti>, al-Itqa>n fi> Ulu>m al-Qur’a>n, I, 204-205; al-Dhahabi>, al-Tafsi>r wa-l-
Mufassiru>n, I, 63.

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 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

interpretation. Muja>hid ibn Jabba>r (d. 104/722) was one of the most
knowledgeable pupils of Ibn ‘Abba>s, who applied this method. His
work is often perceived as the beginning of the metaphorical
interpretation of anthropomorphistic expressions, which was developed
later by the Mu‘tazilite.10 The most important pupils of Ibn ‘Abba>s in
the Qur’anic interpretation, apart from Muja>hid, were Sa‘id ibn Jubayr
(d. 95/713), ‘Ikrima (d. 105/723), al-D{ahha>k ibn Muzim (d. 105/
723) and Ata>’ ibn Abi> Rabba>h (d. 114/732). The interpretations of
these scholars ranged from eschatological, historical and legal
explanations to many explanations of philological nature, which one
could call “word per word” interpretation. The Qur’anic interpretation
of Ibn ‘Abba>s can be understood as the first attempt to explain the
Qur’an philologically or research on Qur’anic words which is further
developed by his pupils such as Muja>hid, ‘Ikrima, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr,
Qata>da, al-D{aha>k. Some scholars, who had analyzed the works of Ibn
‘Abba>s, thought that Ibn ‘Abba>s used pre-Islamic poetry as a source to
explain difficult words which he encountered while interpreting the
Qur’an.11
In the period of Ibn ‘Abba>s and his pupils most Qur’an exegetes
interpret verses of the Qur’an “word for word” with the intention to
understand the Qur’an within itself. The most common words used to
designate such an interpretation is “the part of the Qur’an explains
each other”. One of the scholars, who applied this principle, was
Muqa>til ibn Sulayma>n. In his work ibn Sulayma>n gives a special
explanation of a close connection among verses in the Qur’an. In so
doing he used the expressions wa huwa ka qawlihi>, or wa huwa mithlu
qawlihi>. This, for instance, can be seen from his interpretation of verse
28:78 wa-la> yus’alu ‘an dhunu>bihimu’l-mujrimu>n, “and the wicked are not
called to account for their sin”. Ibn Sulayma>n says, this verse is located
in connection with verse 55:41: yu‘rafu’l-mujrimu>na bi-si>ma>hum, “for the
sinners will be recognized by their marks”.12 Another example is in the

–––––––––––––––––
10
Goldziher, Die Richtungen der Islamischen Koranauslegung, Leiden, E.J. Brill 1970,
107-110
11
Sezgin, Geschichte.., I, 26.
12
Muqa>til, Tafsi>r, II, 490.

Al-Ja>mi‘ah, Vol. 45, No. 1, 2007 M/1428 H 5

M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

work of Sufya>n al-Thawri> (d.161/777). It delivers the report of

‘Abdalla>h ibn Mas‘u>d, who made an interpretation of verse 2:28: kaifa
takfuru>na billa>hi wa-kuntum amwa>tan fa-ah\ya>kum thumma yumi>tukum thumma
yuh}yi>kum, “ how can you reject the faith in God, seeing that you were
without life and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die and
again bring you to life”. Sufya>n said, this verse is similar to verse 40:11:
“our Lord, you made us twice alive twice die”.13
There is no doubt that Ibn ‘Abba>s’ effort to interpret the Qur’an
literarily had got attention only from scholars in Islamic religious
discourse, particularly in the theological argument after the
establishment of the Kharijite as Ali>’s opponents post-Siffin incident.
Ibn ‘Abba>s was the envoy of ‘Ali> ibn Abi> T}a>lib, the one who had
special task to prove the correctness of ‘Ali>’s thought and the falsehood
of that of Khawa>rij. Consequently, while interpreting the Qur’an, Ibn
‘Abba>s made an ideological interpretation to lay his ideology on the
strong basis of the Qur’an. In this case, Ali ibn Abi> Talib forbade Ibn
Abba>s to argue with the Kharijite by using the Qur’an. This is because
‘Ali believed that the Qur’an is multi interpretable, dhu> wuju>h. He asked
Ibn ‘Abba>s to argue with them by using the excessive quantity of
sunnah instead.14 This phenomenon, if it truly happened, shows the
oldest consciousness of the multi interpretable dimensions of the
Qur’an. At least Ibn ‘Abba>s, the father of exegetes, could be one of
the models of those who had such consciousness. The refusal of Ibn
Abba>s in relation to the reading, qira>’ah, of verse 2:137: “fa-in a>manu>
bi-mithli ma> a>mantum bihi> fa-qad ihtadaw”(if they believe, the same as
you believe, are quite led them), is to be understood in connection
with the ta’wi>l of the Qur’an. Ibn ‘Abbas reacted, “does not say at all,
if they believe, as believed you, then are quite-led her, because it does
not resemble similarity or personification of Allah. But says, if they
believe, what you in God believed, then they are quite led”. “bi-mithli
a>mantum bihi>”,says Ibn ‘Abba>s, stands bi’l-ladhi> a>mantum bihi>... “.15
–––––––––––––––––
13
Sufya>n al-Thawri>, Tafsi>r al-Qur’a>n al-Kari>m, (ed.), Imtiya>z Ali> Arshi>, Hindustan,
Wiza>rat al-Ma a>rif li Huku>mat al-Hind 1965, 3-4.
14
See, Abu> Zayd, al-Ittija>h al-’Aqli fi-l-Tafsi>r, Dira>sa fi> Qadiyat al-Maja>z ‘ind al-
Mu’tazila, Cairo: al-Markaz al-Thaqafi> al- Arabi> 1997, 96.
15
al-Tabari>, Ja>mi al-Baya>n fi Tafsi>r Ayi l-Qur’a>n, iii, 110

6 Al-Ja>mi‘ah, Vol. 45, No. 1, 2007 M/1428 H

 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

This refusal is taken up by al-T}abari> (d. 923). The comparison, which

exists in this verse is like the statement, “Umar runs beside your brother,
as I runs”, marra ‘umar bi akhi>ka mithla ma> marartu bihi , ya‘ni> marra
‘umar mithla muru>ri> bih. The comparison is drawn between the two
running, not between ‘Umar and the speaker.16
Muja>hid (d. 104/722), as one of Ibn ‘Abba>s’s pupils, also
followed such a trend in interpreting verses of the Qur’an. This can be
seen, for example, from his interpretation of verse 2:65: wa-laqad
‘alimtum alladi>na‘tadau minkum fi’s-sabti faqulna> lahum ku>nu> qiradatan
kha>si’i>n, “and well you knew these amongst you who transgressed in
the matter of the Sabbath, We said to them: ‘be ye apes, despised and
rejected”. To the sentence “ku>nu> qiradatan kha>si’i>n (be ye despised apes)
Muja>hid says: “it was not transformed into apes, this verse is a parable
like the one that is used also by God in verse 62:5: “the similitude of
those who were charged (with the obligations of) the Mosaic Law, but
who subsequently failed in those, is that of a donkey which carried
huge tomes but understands them not”. Muja>hid made an interpretation,
which goes beyond the lexical border of the word. His effort to explain
the Qur’an from its linguistic perspective can be regarded as a proof
for his consciousness of the literary character of the Qur’an. Another
example of this way of interpretation is on verse 78:27: “innahum ka>nu>
la> yarju>na h}isa>ban”. The word yarju>na which means originally “hope”,
according to Muja>hid, can be transform into “have a fear”. The
semantic border between “hope” and “fear” is clear, there is no semantic
relationship between the two. If Mujahid understood this word in a
broader sense, it means that he made an interpretation which went
beyond the lexical boundaries of the interpreted word. In the context
of this verse, the interpretation of Muja>hid is directed to explain that
everyone who does not believe will not have any fear of the Day of
Judgment.17
The understanding of the word mathal and its derivative, which
is often mentioned in the Qur’an, is important to be studied in relation
to word per word explanation. One of its derivatives is tamthi>l a
–––––––––––––––––
16
Ibid, 113-114
17
Mujahid, Tafsi>r Muja>hid, 324.

Al-Ja>mi‘ah, Vol. 45, No. 1, 2007 M/1428 H 7

M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

subspecies of the literary range in Arabic language, and sometimes it

is also regarded as a metaphor, maja>z. Islamic scholars in this period
such as Muja>hid ibn Jabr (d. 104/722), al-H{asan al-Bas}ri (d. 110/728),
Ata>’ ibn Abi> Rabba>h (d. 114/732), Qata>da (d. 128/745), al-Suddi> al-
Kabi>r (d. 128/745), and the next period such as Ibn Jurayj (d.150/
767), Muqa>til ibn Sulayma>n (d. 150/767), Sufya>n al-Thawri> (d. 161/
777), Abu> ‘Ubayda al-Muthanna (d. 210/825), and Yah}ya> ibn Ziya>d
al-Farra>’ (d. 207/822) regarded the word mathal as literary element of
Arabic literary theory like any other such as kina>ya, “metonymie”
tashbi>h, “allegorie”, and isti‘a>ra, metaphor.18 These scholars consciously
believed that the Qur’an is a “text”. A remarkable fact of their
consciousness can be traced from their interpretation of verses of the
Qur’an by applying Arabic aspect as their primary tool of analysis.
They were of the opinion that language consists of two closely
integrated levels. These two levels in modern linguistic theory became
key element in the theory of meaning. They are “syntagma”19, meaning
tarki>b or structure as inevitable aspect of a sentence in a language and
paradigma,20 dala>la, as a further element of language. In the field of
modern linguistics the two levels are “dynamic” aspects of the language,
which cannot be separated. It means that both “syntax” and “paradigm”
have an important role in formulating sentence, especially literary
sentence. A meaning of a sentence cannot be understood, without

–––––––––––––––––
18
See, Nasr Abu> Zayd, al-Ittija>h al- Aqli> fi-l-Tafsi>r, Dira>sa fi> Qadiyat al-Maja>z ind al-
Mu tazila, Cairo, al-Markaz al-Thaqafi> al- Arabi> 1996, 93-100.
19
This word originates from Greek language and means “bild up”. In this case
it goes around the vertical concatenation from single characters to a complicated unit, be
it a short phrase or complete sentences. The linguistic element is by relations, which can
have within a Syntagmas to other sentence elements, designation and characterized. See
Karen J. Sparck, Synonym and semantic Classification, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University
Press 1986; Laurence Urdang, The Basic Book of Synonyms and Antonyms, 10. Bearb. Aufl.
New York 1986.
20
A paradigm designates a class of words, which one can exchange among
themselves. It is called also a horizontal character. In this connection it is important,
under which criteria indication can be exchanged, and under which circumstances this is
not possible. As example is a sentence, a dog barks; a dog bites; a dog winselt; a dog
“speak”. Here this expression makes no sense semantically, although it is grammatically
quite correct . See, Karen, Synonym and semantic Classification, Edinburgh 1986. 56.

8 Al-Ja>mi‘ah, Vol. 45, No. 1, 2007 M/1428 H

 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

considering these two aspects. The meaning lies not only on the
vocabulary, but in the structure in which the vocabulary is used.

1. Structural, stylistic and semantic aspects of the Qur’an

a. Structural aspect
Scholarly activities on linguistic aspects of the Qur’an in the
classical era are focused at least on three major fields, being micro-
structure, stylistics and semantics. Micro-structure is meant here as an
instrument to discuss the meaning of the Qur’an through its structural
point of view within the sentence or verse. Exactly the same with the
structural aspect is the stylistic angle of the meaning of the Qur’an. It
is to be regarded not as branch of the bare discipline of the stylistics,
on the contrary, it is a starting point to work out the meaning of the
Qur’an with the help of stylistic characteristic. The semantic aspect as
another mechanism is considered only as a tool to analyze of the
Qur’anic vocabularies, whereby the numerous classical works on
Qur’anic studies show some references on its semantic analysis, and
not as a subject of discussion over the different directions of semantic
fields. Scholarly works on structural, stylistic, and semantic aspect of
the meaning of the Qur’an are works, which are based predominantly
on the three axles. Among others these are the works entitled ma‘a>ni>’l-
qur’a>n, and the works entitled al-wuju>h wa’l-naza>’ir.
The works on ma‘a>ni>’l-qur’a>n have been very important for the
development of the linguistic study of the Qur’an due to their richness
of analysis regarding the language of the Qur’an. They touched upon
different kinds of structures in Qur’anic expressions and its
characteristics. These works are not only concerned with the structure
within a sentence, but also with the possible derivative of the words,
which leads to a change of meaning. Ma‘a>ni> works are relevant because
these works do not only concern themselves with the meaning but
also with the possible derived meanings, which are dependent on the
context and structure.
The elements of the micro-structural meaning are in this sense
grammatical terms which were used by grammarian and scholars on
Qur’anic studies. These terms include among others al-hazf, “ellipsis”,

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M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

al-taqdi>m wa’l-ta’khi>r, “hysteron and proteron”, al-nafy>, “negation”, and

others. The Ma‘a>ni>’l-Qur’a>n works,21 particularly of al-Farra’> (d. 210/
825), were regarded by many Muslim scholars as the perfection of the
work of Abu> Ubayda entitled Maja>z al-Qur’a>n, because they discussed
special forms and syntax of the Qur’an, tara>ki>b wa’l-i‘ra>b. The name
ma‘a>ni>’l-qur’a>n of al-Farra>’ is not the first name used in the discourse
of the Islamic scholarship. Al-Zubaydi> (d. 365/975) enumerated in
his T|abaqa>t22 a number of scholars on Arabic language and literature
of the first half of the third century, which occupied themselves with
the study of ma‘a>ni>’l-qur’a>n. The first is Hamzah al-Kisa>’i> (d. 189/
805); followed Nadr ibn Shumayl (d. 203/818); Abu> Ziya>d al-Farra>’
(d. 210/825); al-Akhfa>sh (d. 215/830); and al-Zajja>j (d. 311/923).
The study of ma‘a>ni> was started by al-Kisa>’i>. He is one of the
great scholars who concerned themselves with the language of the
Qur’an in connection to criticism of Arabic literature. The importance
of his writing is underlined by the fact that Sibawaih (d. 180/976),
who is a great linguist in Basra, followed al-Kisa>’i>’s thought frequently.23
The Ma‘a>ni>’l-Qur’a>n of al-Kisa>’i> focuses mainly on three aspects: i)
language, al-lugha; ii) grammar, al-nahw; and iii) art of reciting, al-qira>’a.
Al-Kisa>’i> analyzed the ellipsis in verse 2:234, “if any of you die and
leave widows behind, they shall wait concerning themselves four
months and ten days”. According to al-Kisa>’i>, the ellipsis, al-hazf, lies
the phrase “to wait”, yatarabbasna. The abbreviated phrase is its object,
namely azwa>jahunna, “their spouse”. The completed sentence is thus,
“they shall wait concerning their coming spouse four months and ten
days”. The same case can be found in verse 9:107-108, wa’l-ladi>na
ittakhadhu> masjidan dira>ran wa-kufran….la> taqum fi>hi abadan, “those who
put up a mosque by way of mischief and infidelity, to disunite the
–––––––––––––––––
21
The number of works on ma a>ni>-l-qur’a>n until the fifth of Islamic calendar
according to Muslim scholars are varried. Ibn Nadim mentioned 26 Works. See, Ibn
Nadi>m, al-Fihrist I, 34. Meanwhile I<sa> Shiha>ta, the editor of al-Kisa>’i>’s Ma a>ni>-l-Qur’a>n
mentioned only 18. See, al-Kisa>’i>, Ma a>ni>-l-Qur’a>n, (ed.). Îsa> Shiha>ta, Cairo, Da>r al-
Quba>’ li-l-Tiba> a wa-l-Nashr 1998, 2-3.
22
Al-Zubaydi>, Tabaqa>t al-Nahwiyyi>n wa-l-Lughawiyyi>n, (ed.), Muhammad Fadl
Ibra>hi>m, Cairo, Muhammad Sami> Ami>n al-Kha>nji> 1954, 16.
23
Introductory note given by the editor of al-Kisa>’i>’s work. See, al-Kisa>’i>, Ma
a>ni>-l-l-Qur’a>n, 4

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 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

believers… never stand forth therein”. He concentrate on the phrase

never stand forth therein”. According to al-Kisa>’i> this phrase is clear
and simple without need to mention a complete phrase as a sentence,
never stand forth in the mosque which is built by those who do not
really in the right path as mentioned in the verses. This structure leads
to a certain extent to the opinion the economic principle of the
expression, al-i>ja>z, which was developed later by al-Ja>h}iz} (d. 255/868).
The hermeneutical approach of al-Kisa>’i> on those verses contains
the referral to so-called consciousness in the modern used term of the
Structuralism, particularly within the range of the literary language as
other type of the language except the natural ones. If we follow for
example the thoughts of the Soviet linguist and Semioticist Jurij
Lotman, whereby he differentiates between the language on three
general levels, i.e. i) natural speeches (e.g. Russian, English, German);
ii) artistic or literary language, languages of science (meta languages
of scientific descriptions or arranged signals; and iii) secondary
languages, i.e. communication structures, which are established over
the level of natural speeches, the language of the Qur’an goes beyond
those level. It can be said that within Muslim perspective the language
of the Qur’an is a supra-natural language.24 This does not mean that
the Qur’anic text could not be studied scientifically, on the contrary, it
provoked many scholars to study it. That has resulted numerous works
on Qur’an exegesis.
In the work on ma‘a>ni>’l-qur’a>n, al-Farra>’ (d. 210/825),25 a pupil
of al-Kisa>’i> took over the leading role in this discussion.26 His ma‘a>ni>’
l-qur’a> n examines a number of aspects that deal with stylistic
peculiarities in the Qur’an. His discussions go beyond philological
aspect. Terms such as hysteron and proteron, ellipsis, are common in
al-Farra>’s work. Compared to Abu> ‘Ubayda (d. 276/889) al-Farra>’
goes further in using some terminus technicus which are later on popularly
–––––––––––––––––
24
See. Jurij Lotman, Die Struktur literarischerTexte, (trnsl). Rolf-Dietrich Keil,
München, Wilhelm Fink Verlag 1972, 22; Die Analyse des poetischen Textes, (trnsl), Rainer
Grübe, Kronberg, Scriptor Verlag 1975, 31-32.
25
His name is Abu> Zakariyya Yahya> ibn Ziya>d (d. 207/822). For his biography
see Encyclopaedia of Islam, vol. II, 806-807.
26
Ibn al-Nadim, al-Fihrisat, 53.

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M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

acknowledged by Arab literary critics. Al-Farra>’ does not use maja>z

terms, like Abu ‘Ubayda did in his work entitled Maja>z al-Qur’a>n, but
al-Farra>’ employs a derivative word, namely tajawwuz, especially when
he interprets verse 2:16: fa-ma> rabihat tija>ratuhum “its trade does not
bring a profit”. This sentence, according to al-Farra>’, goes beyond the
normal forms of Arabic structure, because it is not so that the trade
brings a profit, on the contrary it is the dealer, who receives a profit
from his trade. This way of speech comes from everyday Arab, in which
one can say, “your sales wins” or “your sales loses”, rabih}a bay‘uka wa-
khasira bay‘uka. Therefore, this expression is not only applicable to
traders, but also to trade itself. The sentence, “their trade does not
bring a profit” is thus literarily acceptable, because the reader knows,
what this expression really means.27 A similar case can be found in
verse 47:21: fa-idha> azama’l-amru, “if the thing becomes serious”. The
original meaning of the verb, azama, “intend” is here as intended thing
used in the sense of “the thing intends”.28
Another topic of al-Farra>’s discussion on the micro structural
characteristic of the Qur’an is the ellipsis, al-hazf. An example is found
in verse 2:60 id}rib bi ‘asa>ka’l-h}ajara fa’n-fajarat minhuthnata ‘ashrata
‘ayna>, “strike the rock with your staff. Then gushed forth from there
twelve springs”. The original sentence would be “then strikes Moses
at rock with his staff, and twelve sources emerge”, fa-d}araba mu>sa> fa’n-
fajarat. What is meant by the sentence is that the emergence of twelve
springs is the outcome of Moses’ strike. Ellipse in this context becomes
an aspect which relates to the economic principle of expression of the
Qur’an. Al-Farra>’ is of the opinion that the ellipsis as a part of the
micro structure aspect of the Qur’an is an element of its beautiful. Al-
Farra>’s argument is not only based on Qur’anic verse such as 56:22,
but also on daily language expression. It is commonly acceptable that
one says: “someone got money, then he built a house, a servant, clothes,
and others”. The object “servant”, “clothes” and others” do not stand
in normal use in relation to the verb “build”, but to the word “buy”. At
the same time hiding the verb “buy” is meant to shorten the expression,
–––––––––––––––––
27
al-Farra>’, Ma a>ni> l-Qur’a>n, I, 45
28
al-Farra>’, ibid, I, 14-15.

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 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

so that the sentence does not become long.29

The discussions of al-Farra>’ and other scholars, such as al-Kisa>’i>,
al-Akhfash30 and al-Zajja>j31 on the micro structure of the Qur’an show
the effort to discuss the meaning of the Qur’an philologically. This
effort is simultaneously an attempt to elucidate the eloquence of the
sentence structurally, a term which is later on used by al-Jurja>ni> (d.471/
1079). These thoughts are continued to be developed by other scholars.
One of them is the Sunni theologian and linguist Ibn Qutayba (d. 276/
898), who analyzes the eloquence of the Qur’an not only by looking at
its micro structural aspects but also at its style and semantics. Ibn
Qutayba’s attention on the micro structural aspects of the Qur’an can
be seen from his particular analysis on ellipsis, al-hazf, and particle of
question, al-istifha>m. His discussion on ellipsis covers eight different
kinds.32 The difference between ibn Qutayba’s analysis on the micro
structural aspect of the Qur’an with that of previous ma‘a>ni>’l-qur’a>n
scholars, like al-Kisa>’i>, al-Farra>’, al-Akhfash and al-Zajja>j lies in the
fact that ibn Qutayba’s approach is clearer. The reason for this is that
the method ibn Qutayba used did not follow the mush}af order of the
verses. He compiled all verses that contained ellipsis and then analyzed
them in accordance to their peculiar structure.

b. Stylistic aspect
The discussion on stylistic aspects of the Qur’an here will not
deal with different aspects and developments of the stylistic field.
Scholars on language treated stylistics as a science which takes the
principle of selecting words combining these in a sentence to build an

–––––––––––––––––
29
al-Farra>’, Ma a>ni> l-Qur’a>n, II, 14.
30
al-Akhfash, Ma‘a>ni-l-Qur‘a>n, (ed.), Huda Mahmud Qara>‘a, Cairo, Maktabat al-
Khanji> 1990
31
al-Zajja>j, Ma‘a>ni-l-Qur‘a>n wa I’rabuhu, (ed), Abd al-Jali>l Abduh Shalabi>, Beirut,
‘Alam al-Kutub 1988.
32
Ibn Qutayba, Ta’wi>l Mushkil l-Qur’a>n, 162-179.

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M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

appropriate meaning.33 Through a systematic description of the linguistic

elements and their relations to one another and a description of the
characteristics of natural speech language theory linguistics supplies
the basis for the analysis of the stylistic use of linguistic elements. As
such a discipline, the stylistic differs from rhetoric and the poetic,
although their object is the same. While rhetoric examines texts regarding
their effect on the person spoken to, the stylistic regards texts
particularly as a sign of a character, and the poetic lies on the emphasis
of an investigation on possibilities of finding and of inventing new
kinds and types of signs which are possibly not yet being used. What is
important for writing style as used in the Qur’an, however, is the fact
that the Qur’an, according to Arab scholars, exhibits special
characteristics, which other texts do not have. The eloquence and most
beauty of the Qur’anic expression are to be understood within the
dogma of the “inimitability” (i‘ja>z) of the Qur’an.
Meaning theory in classical Muslim scholarship is on the one
hand a starting point for studying the Arab language theory in general,
and then, its basis of the literary discourse. On the other hand, however,
it is also related to the argument on the status of the Qur’an as a text.
The Arabic term ma‘a>ni> covers a number of aspects: lexical, syntactic
and stylistic.34 In the context of ma‘a>ni> discourse the statement of al-
Ja>h}iz}} (d. 255/868) has a great importance.35 He says with reference to
an anonymous source:
–––––––––––––––––
33
There are some sources that deal with the concept of stylistics. Among others
F. Eberhard, Text und Stilrezeption; empirische Grundlage zur Stilistik, Königstein,
Althenaeum 1980; F. Wolfgang, Name und Text; ausgewählte Studien zur Onomastik und
Stilistik, Tübingen, Niemeyer 1992; F. Norbert, Stilistik, Narrativik, Metaphorik: Neure
Textbeschreibungsmodelle in ihrer Anwendbarkeit auf amerikanische Prosa, Heidelberg, Winter
1995
34
See, al-Ferrani, Die Ma na> Theorie bei Abd al-Qa>hir al-Jurja>ni> (d. 471/1079)
Versuch einer Analyse der poetischen Sprache, Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang 1990, 41-42
35
Al-Ja>hiz’s ideas on arabic literary theory and criticism were the object of some
research. Among others Mishal Asi>, Mafa>hi>m al-Jama>liyya wa-l-Naqd fi> Adab al-Ja>hiz,
Beirut, Da>r al- Ilm li-l-Mala>yi>n 1974; Idri>s Bilmali>h, al-Ru’ya al-Baya>niyya ind al-Jahiz, al-
Da>r al-Bayda>’, Da>r al-Taqa>fa 1984; Fawzi> al-Sayyi>d, al-Maqa>yi>s al-Bala>ghiyya ind al-Jahiz fi>-
l-Baya>n wa-l-Tabyi>n, Beirut, Da>r al-Thaqa>fa 1983; al-Sha>hid al-Bu>shi>ki>, Mustalaha>t Naqdiyya
wa Bala>ghiyya fi> Kita>b al-Baya>n wa-l-Tabyi>n li-l-Ja>hiz, Beirut, Da>r al-Afa>q 1982

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 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

ma‘a>ni> are in the human heart, they form in its understanding, move in
its soul, connect themselves with its spirit and develop from its thinking.
They are euphemistically, secretly, far, isolated, hidden, exist in the sense
of the non existentness (ma‘na> ma du>ma). Only by others, human beings
can recognize needs and aids of his partner and companion.36
This passage indicates that meaning can only be recognized
through a medium that could be a language, be it oral or written, or
through a code in modern semiotic terms.37 Al-Ja>h}iz} enumerates five
forms of the code; i) word, lafz}, ii) indication or sign, isha>ra, iii)
convention, ‘aqd, iv) condition, h}a>l and v) phenomenon, nisba.38 It can
also be inferred from al-Ja>h}iz}}’s statement that he gives a dynamic
connection between “meaning” (dala>la) and communication.39 The
importance of the code which is emphasized by al-Ja>hi} z}} in the process
of communication reminds us of modern communication theory as
advocated by Jurij Lotman40 or Michel Foucault.41
The ma‘na theory by al-Ja>h}iz}} has a partly theological background
due to his effort to show that the Qur’an is inimitable. He furthermore
states that “inimitability” of the Qur’an can be traced in at least three
aspects from the language point of view: i) “word meaning” (dala>la);
ii) word selection; and iii) “economization” of expression.
Al-Ja>h}iz}}’s discussion on the language of the Qur’an started with
analyzing the verse in Sure 2:31: wa-‘allama a>dam’l-asma>’a kullaha>, “Allah

–––––––––––––––––
36

al-Baya>n wa-l-Tabyi>n, I, 42.

37
See, modern discourse on semiotics for instance by Jurij Lotman Die Analyse
des poetischen Texte, 1975; idem, Die Struktur literarischer Texte, 1972.
38
Al-Ja>hiz, al-Baya>n wa-l-Tabyi>n I, 43-44; al-Hayawa>n I, 33-35; 45-46.
39
Al-Hayawa>n I, 211.
40
Jurij Lotman, Die Struktur literarischer Texte, (transl)., Rolf-Dietrich Keil,
München, Wilhelm Fink Verlag 1972; idem, Die Analyse des poetischen Textes, (trnsl.),
Rainer Grübel, Kronberg, Scriptor Verlag 1975.
41
Michel Foucault, The Archaeology of Knowledge and the Discourse on Language,
1982, 24-25; H. Dreyfus & P. Robinson, (eds.), Michel Foucault; Beyond Structuralism and
Hermeneutics, Chicago, Chicago University Press 1983, 45.

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has taught Adam all names”. Al-Ja>h}iz} commented that it is impossible

that God has taught Adam only the names without their meanings.
This is justified by the fact that a word without meaning would be
something senseless. The relationship between word and meaning is
as between bodies and spirit. The word is the body of the meaning and
the meaning the spirit of the word. If God had given only the words to
Adam, without sense, would be like a man, who would have given
another something senseless.42
Another aspect that is theologically justified is the Qur’anic
vocabulary. Al-Ja>h}iz} compares the vocabulary of the Qur’an with
vocabularies in classical arabic poetry. He comes to the conclusion
that only the Qur’an— and not the Arab poetry, let alone normal Arab
people – fully express all nuances of the Arab vocabulary.43 According
to al-Ja>h}iz}, the difference between Arabic poetry and the Qur’an lies
in the fact that poets use words as synonym, which in reality do not
have the sam meaning. Two Arab words for “rains”, ghayth and matar
both were used by the poets frequently synonym. It is only in the Qur’an
that these two words are found in the appropriate context. One can
interpret that al-Ja>hi} z} differentiates the two words in their connotative
meanings depending on their usage in a context, although they have
the same denotative meaning.
The Qur’an always uses the word al-matar, according to al-Ja>h}iz},
in connection with punishment or revenge.44 This nuance is ignored by
poets. The first example hereof is written in verse 4:102: wa-la> juna>ha
alaykum in ka>na bikum adhan min matarin aw kuntum marda> an tadha u>
aslihatakum (and it is not a passing for you, if you are suffered from
rain or are ill, to put down your weapons). And secondly is in verse
46:24: fa-lamma> ra’awhu a>ridhan mustaqbila awdiyatihim qa>lu> ha>dha> a>ridhun
mumtiruna>, (as it to their valleys to then come, said! they saw a wind as
drawing up: That is a drawing up wind, which will bring us rains). This
verse concerns people of Hu>d who perceived the rain as mercy of
–––––––––––––––––
42
Al-Ja>hiz, Al-Hayawa>n, V, 201-202.
43
al- arabu rubbama> istakhaffat aqalla-l-lughatayni wa-ad afahuma>, wa-tasta milu ma>
huwa aqalla fi> asli-l-lugha isti ma>lan wa-tada u ma> huwa azhara wa-akthara”. Al-Ja>hiz, al-Baya>n
wa-l-Tabyi>n I, 20
44
Al-Baya>n wa l-Tabyi>n, I, 20.

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 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

God, rahma. However, this verse is in fact meant as punishment, which

is expressed in the following verse, bal huwa ma>sta‘jaltum bihi ri>h}un fi>ha>
adha>bun ali>m tudammiru kullu shay’in bi amri rabbiha>, “no! (one answered
to them). That is that, with which their so hasty had it: a wind, which
holds a painful punishment”.
A second example is the use of saghab and ju>‘, both lexically
mean “hungry”. Contrary to the word saghab, the word ju>’ as used in
the Qur’an is always found in the meaning of a punishment or a
negative connotation, as for example 16:112… fa-‘adha>qaha> lla>hu liba>s
al-ju>‘ wa’l-khawfi bi-ma> ka>nu> yasna‘u>n, “Allah made it taste of hunger
and terror because of the evil which (its people) wrought”. Meanwhile,
the word saghab does not always stand in the context of negative
connotations, as exemplified in verse 90:14 aw it‘a>mun fi> yawmin dhi>
masghaba, “ or the giving of food in a day of privation”.45
The third aspect discussed by al-Ja>hi} z} is the economic expression.
Concise expressions are to a certain extent an economic principle of
an expression, which in the modern discourse can also be regarded as
an aspect of the beauty of the literary language. The so-called
economics principle in the sense of modern discourse means that
languages serve their communicative purpose with the simplest way.
By the economics principle, al-i>ja>z, al-Ja>h}iz} indicates the eloquence of
the language of the Qur’an. The most remarkable example of such
short expressions is found in verse 56:19: la> yusadda‘u>na anha> wa-la>
yunzifu>n, “with a beverage, of which it cause neither headache nor
become drunk”. Al-Ja>hi} z}} has the opinion that this verse entails a praise
over nature and quality of wine in the heaven which is so very different
from that on earth. The information of the Qur’an on earthy wine is
extensive, but the description of wine in “heaven” is brief and the
meaning is clear. Al-Ja>h}iz}} states that the short sentence on the wine in
heaven indicates it is celestial and has positive effect, while, the long
and detail account of wine on earth indicates its lesser quality.46

–––––––––––––––––
45
Lam yudhkar al-ju> illa> fi> mawa>qi i-l- iqa>b aw fi> mawa>qi i>-l-faqri al-mudqi wa-l- ajzi al-
za>hir. Al-Ja>hiz, al-Baya>n wa-l-Tabyi>n I, 20.
46
Al-Ja>hiz, al-Hayawa>n, III, 86; V, 430-431; and Rasa>’i>l al-Ja>hiz, III, 43.

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M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

A similar view is accomplished by the Qur’an scholar and Sunni

theologian Ibn Qutayba (d. 276/898), whereby he advocates that verse
79:30 is the most representative example of the principle of the
“economics expression”. Although Ibn Qutayba and al-Ja>hi} z}} differ in
their way of elucidation, both do have the same opinion. When
discussing verse 79:30 and its comprehensive meaning, both come to
the conclusion that the Qur’an contains the principle of the economic
expressions.

c. Semantic aspect
Semantics is difficult to define. The term “semantics” is
systematically ambiguous. It refers both to a certain aspect of the
linguistic research (one speaks e.g. of the semantics of a word), and to
theory or science of meaning.47 An often accepted hypothesis on
semantics is the distinction between “primary” or basic meaning and
“relational meaning”. Primary meaning of a word is the meaning always
associated to a word, no matter where it is used. “Relational meaning
“is connotative and the meaning thus depends on the context. Each
individual word, when it is taken separately from a sentence, has its
own fundamental meaning. The vocabulary of the Qur’an is not an
exception to this. For this, the word kita>b48 is an example. Firstly, it
means “book”. In the context of the Qur’an, this word holds further
connotative meanings, like “Qur’an”, “revelation”,, scripture of the
Jews and Christianity” as long as the context of the Qur’an is concerned.
This study will not deal with the different ranges of semantics.
However, many classical works on the Qur’an entitled al-wuju>h wa’l-

–––––––––––––––––
47
Detailed discussion about semantics, see, R. Reichart, Aufklärung und historische
Semantik; interdiziplinäre Beiträge zur westeuropäischen Kulturgeschichte, Berlin, Duncker
und Humbolt 1998; G. Fritz, Historische Semantik, Stuttgart, Metzler 1998; Ingo Radatz,
Die Semantik der Adjektivstellung; eine kognitive Studie zur Konstruktion “Adjektiv”,
Tübingen, Niemeyer 2001.
48
See, Madigan, The Qur’a>n’s Self-Image: Writing and Authority in Islam’s Scripture,
Princeton, Princeton University Press 2001.

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naza>’ir49 show a “semantic consciousness” as an attempt at elucidating

various meaning of Qur’anic vocabularies. The word wajh, “meaning
nuance”, as a term50 for the possible “derived meaning” is to be deduced
first of all from the statements of Ali> ibn Abi> Ta>lib (d. 42/662). It is
narrated that Ibn Abi> T|a>lib assigned ibn Abba>s to reject the religious
argument of the Kha>rijite not to base this arguments on the Qur’an,
on the contrary on the Sunna. The Qur’an is accordingly ambiguous,
and ibn Abi> T|a>lib is narrated to say as following: ‘argue against them
not with the Qur’an, because the Qur’an is ambiguous’, wa-la> tuja>dilhum
bi’l-qur‘ni fa-innahu h}amma>lu dhi> wuju>hin“.51
The word wuju>h as part of the linguistic discussion of the Arabs,
was used for example in a work of Abu> Bakr al-Anbari (d. 328/940),52
in his book entitled Kita>b al-Adda>d. The “d}idd” designates ambiguity
of a word in which it occurs often in the Qur’an. Muslim scholars used
the word wajh in relation to the word naz}a>’ir as an expression al-wuju>h
wa’l-naz}a>’ir. The ambiguity of words in the Qur’an was underlined by
many Muslim scholars. One of them is Ibn Sa’d, who delivers a report
of Abu> Darda’, “you do not know the Qur’an completely until you
could recognize exactly its ambiguous character”, la> tafqahu h}atta> tara>
al-qur’a>na wuju>han.53
The beginning of the so called “semantic consciousness” in the
Qur’an exegesis is historically very much tied Muqa>til ibn Sulayma>n
(d. 150/767). The Qur’ an exegesis of Muja>hid ibn Jabba>r (d.100/
–––––––––––––––––
49
The works entitled al-Wuju>h wa l-Naza>’ir since the era of Muqa>til ibn Sulayma>n
until the middle of the fifth century are among others ibn Sulayma>n, al-Ashba>h wa l-
Naza>’ir, (ed.). Mahmu>d M. Shiha>ta, Cairo, al-Hay’a al-Misriyya al- Âmma li l-Kita>b
1975; Yahya> ibn Sala>m, al-Tasa>ri>f; Tafsi>r al-Qur’a>n min-ma> ishtabahat Asma>’uh wa-Tatarrafat
Ma a>ni>h; al-Ha>kim al-Tirmidhi>, Tahsi>l Naza>’ir al-Qur’a>n, (ed.), Husni> Nasr Zayda>n,
Cairo 1970; al-Tha alabi>, al-Ashba>h wa l-Naza>’ir fi> l-Alfa>z al-Qur’a>niyya allati> Tara>dafat
Maba>ni>ha> wa-Tanawwa at Ma a>ni>ha>, (ed.), Muhammad al-Masri, Damascus, Sa’dudin li-l-
Tiba’a wa-l-Nashr 1984.
50
More detail about the discussion of the term and its roots, how it is used in
Arabic literature and its development, see. Salwa> Muhammad Awwa>l, al-Wuju>h wa-l-
Naza>’ir fi>-l-Qur’a>n al-Kari>m, Cairo, Da>r al-Shuru>q 1998, 40-47.
51
al-Suyu>ti>, al-Itqa>n, I, 141.
52
About ibn Sa’d, see The Encyclopaedia of Islam, I, 485.
53
Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqa>t ibn Sa’d, 2/2, 114.

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718) precedes ibn Sulaima>n’s one, but Muja>hid’s tafsi>r pays, however,
less attention to the semantic aspect. The relevant works of ibn
Sulayma>n are al-Ashba>h wa’l-Naz}a>’ir fi>’l-Qur’a>n al-Kari>m and Tafsi>r Muqa>til
ibn Sulayma>n.54
Ibn Sulayma>n attributed a certain and limited sense to each word,
and regards possible deviating meanings as its derivatives. As an
example is the word mawt that originally means “death“. This word,
according to Ibn Sulayma>n, has four derived meanings, namely i) which
was not aroused yet to the life; ii) human beings who have wrong faith;
iii) dry soil; and iv) lost spirit. First of all ibn Sulayma>n confirm the
original meaning of mawt. In his opinion the word mawt means “death”
in the sense of a total death. Such a meaning can be understood from
the verse 39:30, “truly you will (one day) die, and they will (one day)
die”, and also in verse 3:185, “every soul shall have a taste of death;
and only on the Day of Judgment shall you paid your full recompense”.
Ibn Sulayma>n emphasizes that every Qur’anic word only has one basic
meaning, then it has possible derivative or alternative meanings. He
also states that someone could not be considered as a real master,
when he or she does not recognize the possible faces of the Qur’an
self.55
Another remarkable interpretation of ibn Sulayma>n that refers
to the relationship between the original and derived meaning of a word,
is his explanation about the word ma>’, “water”. According to him, the
word ma>’ has three derived meanings. First of all, it could mean “rain”,
mat\ar, such as in verses 15:22; 25:48; 8:11; and 31:10. One of these
verses reads “and we send the fecundating winds, then cause the rain
to descend from the sky, there with providing you with water (in
abundance)” (15: 22). Secondly, it could also mean sperm, al-nut\fa,
such as in verse 25:54, “It is He who created human being from water,
then has He established relationship of lineage and marriage…”; 32:8:
“and made his progeny from a quintessense of the nature of a fluid
despised”. And thirdly, the word ma>’ could also mean something needed
as a basis for the life of believers, such as in verse 16:65 “And God
–––––––––––––––––
54
Edited by Abdulla>h Mahmu>d Shiha>ta, Cairo, al-Hay’a al-Misriyya al- Âmma
li-l-Kita>b 1985.
55
Abu> Zayd, al-Ittija>h al- Aqli>…, 98

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 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

sends down rain from the skies and gives there with life to the earth
after its death, verily in this is a sign for those who listen”56 In this
verse the word is regarded by ibn Sulayma>n as a metaphor.57 This
assumption is also emphasized by other scholars such as al-Ja>h}iz}} (d.
255/868), Ibn Qutayba (d. 276/898) and Abd al-Qa>hir al-Jurja>ni> (d.
471/1079).
Further elaboration of the semantic awareness of the Qur’an is
carried out by Ha>ru>n ibn Mu>sa> (d. 170/786) in his book entitled al-
Wuju>h wa’l-Naz}a>’ir fi’l-Qur’a>n al-Kari>m. 58 He insists that the word wuju>h
is meant a derived meaning of word apart from its primary one. Besides
vocabulary that influences meaning there are structure and stylistics
as factors which have a significant role in creating meaning. The same
endeavor had been done by al-Ja>h}iz}}. His works such as al-Baya>n wa’l-
Tabyi>n, al-H{ayawa>n, Rasa>’il al-Ja>h}iz}, al-Bukhala> and others indicate his
semantic awareness of the Qur’an.
In his Rasa>’il al-Ja>h}iz} analyzes several Qur’anic verses that could
be seen as examples of tracing the alternative meaning apart from its
basic one. One of them is nafkh al-ru>h}, “soul breath” in verses 4:171;
21:92; 66:12; 32:9. The Qur’ an uses this word in different contexts,
which can affect the so-called “semantic area” in al-Ja>h}iz}’s term. First
the Qur’a>n uses this word in verse 4:171 “and his word, which He
bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from him“. Second, in verse
66:12 fa-nafakhna> fi>hi min ru>h}ina>, “and We breathed into (her body) of
Our spirit”, and 32:9 wa-nafakha fi>hi min ru>h}ihi>, “and breathed into him
something of his spirit”, exactly the same is also to be found in verse
38:72 fa-idha> sawwaytahu> wa-nafakhtu fi>hi min ru>h}i> fa-qa>lu> lahu> sa>jidin,
“when I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him
of my spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him)”. According to al-
Ja>hi} z}, the word ru>h} originally means “soul”, and also “spirit of God”,
if this word is set in connection with the pronoun “God”, i.e. ru>h}uhu or
ru>h}ihi in the context of speaking of God. In addition, this word could
also mean the Qur’an, particularly in the context of verse 42:52 wa-

–––––––––––––––––
56
Ibid, 221
57
Ibid, 180-181.
58
Edited by Ha>tim Sa>lih al-Da>min, Bagdad, Wiza>rat al-Thaqa>fa wa-l-A’la>m 1988.

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M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

kadha>lika awh}ayna> ilayka ru>h}an min amrina>, “and thus have We, by Our
command (logos), sent inspiration to you”; 70:4 tanazzalul-mala>’ikatu
wa’r-ru>hu} , “the angels and the spirit rise (on the sky leaders) to him”.
Although the two words in verses 42:52 and 70:42 as have been
understood by most Qur’an exegetes, nevertheless, this word according
to al-Ja>h}iz} still mean the “Qur’a>n”, because the “spirit” in the context
of both verses is not a bare spirit, on the contrary it implies the “internal
aspect” of revelation, i.e. the spirit of God.59
A similar argument has been proposed by Ibn Qutayba. His work
entitled Ta’wi>l Mushki>l al-Qur’a>n partially discusses this aspect under
the column “deviating meaning of a word from its original sense”,
mukha>lafah z}a>hir al -lafz} ma‘na>hu.60 This column treats not only words,
but syntax, whereby the context plays a role again. Ibn Qutayba’s
discussion on the different kinds of contexts, which influence the
deviation of meaning, is not so explicit. His analysis treats the deviating
meaning of part of a sentence, such a question word, al-istifha>m,
whereby it originally concerns a question. However, this istifha>m often
changes itself, to a statement, al-taqri>r,61 or an appeal, whereby it
originally designates an “instruction “, then changes itself to an option,
al-iba>h}a, 62 which belongs in the modern discourse of the Arab language
theory to the range of the discipline al-ma‘a>ni> wa’l-baya>n.
Among the deviating meaning of a word, as it is being regarded
by Ibn Qutayba, is a word kufr, disregard, ka>fir,63 unbeliever, qawl,64
speech, nisya>n, forgetting, h}asana and sayyi’a, property and bad ones.
These words, although Ibn Qutayba does not mention them directly as
“deviating meaning of its original sense”, because they belong to
different column in ibn Qutayba’s work, nevertheless, these words
partially belong in the modern discourse on the so-called meaning
–––––––––––––––––
59
al-Jahiz, Rasa>’il al-Ja>hiz, (ed.) Abd al-Sala>m Ha>ru>n, Beiru>t, Da>r al-Ji>l 1991, vol.
III, 347-349.
60
Ibn Qutayba, Ta’wi>l Mushkil al-Qur’a>n, (ed.), Sayyid Ahmad Saqar, Cairo, Da>r
Ihya>’ al-Kutub al- Arabiyya, 213-229.
61
Ibn Qutayba, Ta’wi>l, 215.
62
Ibid, 216
63
Ibid, 54.
64
Ibid, 78-84

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 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

nuance of a word, or in the classical Arab literature science concerning

the literary tendency of the Qur’an exegetes to “al-wuju>h wa’l-naz}a>’ir”.

C. Elements of Liberal Thoughts in Muslim scholarship

“Liberal Islam may sound like a contradiction in terms,” says
Charles Kurzman.65 This statement is based on Western scholarship’s
identification to Islam and Islamic world for centuries. Islamic faith is
equated with fanaticism, meanwhile Islamic tradition is regarded as
backwardness and primitiveness, Islamic political authority is perceived
to be a despotism, and Islamic military practices are regarded as terror
and rape. In sum, all about Islam and Islamic world is being identified
with threatening “images of theocracy and terrorism.66
It is well understood that the term “liberal” implies some modern
standards that include against theocracy, promoting democracy,
awareness of rights of women, rights of non-Muslims, freedom of
thought and progressiveness.67 The present article has found the linkage
of a progressive thought in classical scholarship on Qur’anic studies
with the term used by Kurzman. It can be inferred from the elucidation
on linguistic aspects of the Qur’an that scholars on Qur’anic studies in
the classical era are aware of the principle of freedom of thought.
An awareness of several scholars in the early period of the multi
interpretable status of the Qur’an is one indication of that principle. It
is shown also that from the early development of Qur’anic studies Ibn
Abbba> s , the father of exegetes has used ta’wi> l , comparable to
hermeneutics in modern term, in understanding several verses of the
Qur’an. Muja> h id ibn Jabba> r , one of Ibn Abba> s ’ pupils, made
interpretation of several verses of the Qur’an which goes beyond a
lexical border of the word. His effort to explain the Qur’an from its
linguistic perspective can be regarded as a proof for his consciousness
of the literary character of the Qur’an.
Within the discourse on linguistic aspects of the Qur’an scholars
in the classical era have developed theory of meaning which is
–––––––––––––––––
65
Charles Kurzman, (ed.), Liberal Islam: A Source Book, Oxford: Oxford
University Press 1998, 3.
66
Ibid, 3.
67
Ibid, 5-6.

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M. Nur Kholis Setiawan

comparable to that of in modern era. As has been illustrated in previous

paragraph several classical exegetes were of the opinion that language
consists of two closely integrated levels that in modern linguistic
modern theory became key element in the theory of meaning. Both are
“syntagma”, meaning tarki>b or structure as inevitable aspect of a
sentence in a language and “paradigma”, dalla, as a further element of
language. Both “syntagma” and “paradigma” have an important role
in formulating sentence, especially literary sentence. A meaning of a
sentence cannot be understood, without considering these two aspects.
The meaning lies not only on the vocabulary, but in the structure in
which the vocabulary is used.
This theory is used in the classical era to depict meaning of
Qur’anic words. It can be inferred that taking into consideration the
theory to be applicable to the Qur’an implies that the Qur’an is per-
ceived to be a text. It is not possible to place the Qur’an as text without
considering an awareness to approach it as a result of a communication
between God and the Prophet in Arabic as its code. Hence, placing
the Qur’an as a text, as being accused to be liberal mode of thinking
by several Muslim scholars in modern era, has been existing in the
classical scholarship. It is a logical way to assume that liberal thought
in modern era has its root in the classical Islamic scholarship.
The notion of multi interpretability of the Qur’an can be
understood as a shifting of paradigm, using Thomas Kuhn word,68 when
the statement was given by Ali> ibn Abi> Ta>lib, a representative of a
scholar in the very beginning of the development of Qur’anic
interpretation. The multi interpretability of the Qur’an implies the status
of the Qur’an as text that needed to be approached with human
knowledge and understanding.
The theory of meaning which is applied to depict meanings of
the Qur’an was developed further by al-Ja>h}iz} when he introduced
mediums of communication that are among others word, sign,
convention, condition, phenomenon and made a dynamic connection
between meaning, dala>la, and communication. Theory of communi-
cation developed by al-Ja>h}iz} implies to some extent a “humanization“
of a religious text which is in fact liberal in nature.
–––––––––––––––––
68
Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chicago, 1970, 15.

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 Liberal Thought in Qur’anic Studies

In sum, it can be found in the classical era that Muslim scholars

were closely tied with progressive ideas and even liberal in the sense
of Kurzman’s terminology. Liberal, progressive ideas and freedom of
thought are inherent in the academic and intellectual atmosphere of
Muslim scholars in the classical era. The debate on the nature of the
Qur’an whether it is eternal that attached to the character of God, sifa>t
alla>h, or His creation, makhlu>q, is one of the indications.69 Only with a
dynamic and discursive atmosphere intellectualism functions its
significant role in developing community, one thing that has been shown
by intellectual life in the field of Qur’anic studies in the classical era.

D. Conclusion
Linguistic aspects of the Qur’an have succeeded in making an
intellectual connection among scholars in the classical and modern
era. The ideas of al-Khu>li> and Abu> Zayd on approaching the Qur’an
as a text have a strong basis in the classical scholarship on the Qur’an.
Retrieving meanings in the Qur’an in the classical scholarship was an
intellectual endeavor that employs several comparable aspects to that
of studying text. Terms of linguistic studies such as structure, style,
semantics et cetera are applicable to the study of the Qur’an. The Qur’an
has influenced the development of Arabic theory of language and
literature on one hand, on the other, those theories, which are invented,
have been used by scholars to study the Qur’an. In other words there
is a so called a reciprocal relationship between the Qur’an and theories
of language.
Classical scholarship on the Qur’an has shown a deep intellectual
endeavor that creates wide space for intellectual exercise that opens
freedom of thought. Liberal thought is then a product of the Islamic
civilization. It is not an exaggeration to conclude that liberal thought
exists in the field of Qur’anic studies since the beginning of its
development. This implies at the same time that blaming humanistic
approach to study the Qur’an as a liberal mode of thought which is
adopted from non-Islamic scholarship is historically unreliable.

–––––––––––––––––
69
See for example, Abu> Zayd, al-Ittija>h al- Aqli> fi> l-Tafsi>r : Dira>sa fi Qadhiyat al-
Maja>z ind al-Mu tazila, Cairo, al-Markaz al-Thaqafi> al- Arabi> 1997, 34-55.

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