AL-MATURIDI’S METHOD OF INTERPRETING THE QUR’AN - by Ahmed Muhammed Ahmed Al Galli

Abstract

UDK 28-254

In this article the author reflects upon al-Maturidi’s method of interpreting Qur’an. Al Maturidi is amongst the first inter-preters who used the term te’weel instead of tesfeer. Among the sources that he uses he emphasises and gives priority to explain-ing the Qur’an through the Qur’an analysing all the ayats of the Qur’an related to some issue, then he analyses the Hadith of the Messenger with a critical approach towards those of the had-ith that are contradicting the reason or the text of the Qur’an. After this he analyses the views of earlier commentators while rejecting the same if they contradict the reason or philological standards. It is interesting to mention that al-Maturidi rejects all qisas al Qur’an used by other commentators if those are not supported by reliable hadith, since the point of those qisas is not in the details of the concerned texts. When explaining the am-biguous ayats of the Qur’an al-Maturidi believes that unpreten-tious thinking is the best method for the exegesis of such ayas. Regarding the theological issues he uses the Qur’an as bases in forming and defending his opinions. To conclude, al-Maturidi’s exegeses of the Qur’an reveals his tendency to place an accent upon the role of the reason in religion and even though he re-lied upon the Qur’an and the Hadith as his sources, he never hesitated to use reason and present his opinion.