Critical Studies on the Quranic Exegesis

Critical Studies on the Quranic Exegesis

Quentin Skinner's Interpretive Approach and the Advantage of Its Application in Islamic Studies

Document Type : Original article

Authors
Rahele Amiri 1
Fathiye Fattahizade 2
Seyyed Mohammad Hadi Gerami 3
Ahmad Bostani 4
1 Ph. D. student of Quranic and Hadith Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Professor of Qurʾān and Hadith Studies, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Assistant Professor of Qurʾān and Hadith Studies, Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran.
4 Assistant Professor of Political Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/naghdeara.2024.469110.1233
Abstract
For over a century, Muslim scholars have recognized the necessity of reinterpreting Islamic texts and utilizing the achievements of the humanities to understand, interpret, and explain these texts for contemporary humans. However, the use of various hermeneutical approaches has faced opposition among Islamic scholars; on the other hand, these adaptations have often lacked well-founded theoretical bases. Quentin Skinner, a prominent figure of the Cambridge School, has proposed a new method of text interpretation that has garnered significant attention in academic circles. This research introduces Skinner's approach and demonstrates its advantages for application in Islamic studies. The article analytically and comparatively examines Skinner's theories at the levels of epistemology and methodology, showing their suitability for application in the Islamic tradition. Ultimately, it was found that Skinner, by avoiding theorizing in metaphysical and theological debates and due to specific features in the fields of epistemology and methodology, such as intentionalism and avoidance of epistemic relativism, not only does not significantly conflict with our intellectual and cultural Islamic heritage, but his perspective is also suitable for application in Islamic studies. Due to his simultaneous attention to text and context, it can bring many interpretive, argumentative, and epistemological additions. Skinner's method, in addition to being applicable to the works of Muslim thinkers, is specifically applicable to sacred texts such as the Quran and Hadith, as they were also presented in specific conditions and contexts and, like other texts, have engaged in ideological norm-setting.
Keywords
Quentin Skinner
Epistemology
Methodology
Islamic Studies
Interpretation
Hermeneutics

Subjects

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[1]. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2021/entries/speech-acts.

[2]. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/logic-ontology.

[3]. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epistemology.

Critical Studies on the Quranic Exegesis
Volume 5, Issue 1 - Serial Number 9
September 2024
Pages 166-213

  • Receive Date 29 July 2024
  • Revise Date 29 September 2024
  • Accept Date 29 September 2024