The influence of the Qur'anic context on guiding the interpretive meaning according to Imam Ibn Ashur in Surat Al-Hujurat (An analytical study)

Abstract

This research examines the impact of Qur'anic context on interpretive meaning in the work of Imam Muhammad al-Tahir Ibn Ashur, through an applied analytical study of Surah al-Hujurat. The research aims to reveal the high regard Ibn Ashur held for context as a primary methodological tool for uncovering interpretive meanings and linking it to the objectives of Islamic law (maqasid al-shari'ah) and the overall objectives of the surah.

The research employs an inductive-analytical approach to trace Ibn Ashur's use of context in interpreting the verses of Surah al-Hujurat. It then analyzes these instances to demonstrate how context influences the interpretation and the preference given to certain interpretations over others. The research arrives at several conclusions, most notably that Ibn Ashur considered context a fundamental principle of his purposive interpretation. He utilized various types of context in Surah al-Hujurat, including verse-level, section-level, and surah-wide contexts. This application of context had a clear impact on clarifying and guiding the meaning towards the legal objectives of the verses.