حدود دور المفسّر في بيان المعنى القرآني: آية الاستخلاف أنموذجا

Abstract

This study seeks to examine the boundaries of the exegete’s role in the interpretive process and the scope of responsibility in explicating Qur’ānic meaning, using the verse of istikhlāf in Sūrat al-Nūr as a case study for analyzing the methodologies of classical and modern exegetes. The study is motivated by the claim that some exegetes have not done full justice to explicating the concept of istikhlāf in the verse, raising a methodological question about what is required of the exegete and the minimum threshold at which interpretation is considered adequate and below which it is deemed deficient.

The significance lies in defining the function and limits of the exegete and establishing evaluative criteria for determining the adequacy of interpretation, through application to a pivotal verse relevant to contemporary discourse.

The study employs an inductive-analytical approach by collecting, classifying, and analyzing exegetical statements to identify patterns in their treatment of meaning. The findings indicate that the primary function of the exegete is to clarify and delimit meaning, and that this stage safeguards sound understanding and prevents misinterpretation. Moreover, exegetical practice is cumulative, with varying degrees among exegetes over time.