Contemporary Challenges and Intellectual Evolution: A Comparative and Critical Study of Modern Exegetical Methodologies (Manahij al-Tafsir)

Abstract

This paper offers a critical and comparative analysis of the methodologies adopted by modern Muslim exegetes (mufassirun) in interpreting the Qur'an during the 19th and 20th centuries, extending into the present era. The emergence of these new exegetical approaches was largely a response to the dual pressures of Western colonialism and rapid scientific and intellectual advancements, which posed unprecedented challenges to traditional Islamic thought. Modern mufassirun sought to demonstrate the Qur'an's timeless relevance and its capacity to address contemporary social, political, and scientific dilemmas. Key modern methodologies examined include the Thematic Approach (Tafsir Mawḍū‘ī), which focuses on extracting the comprehensive message of the Qur'an regarding a specific topic; the Socio-Scientific Approach (al-Tafsir al-‘Ilmī), which attempts to find congruence between Qur'anic verses and modern scientific discoveries; and the Reformist Approach (al-Tafsir al-Iṣlāḥī or Adabī), which emphasizes the Qur'an's ethical and practical guidance for societal reform and human dignity. The study critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of these manahij. While modern approaches successfully revived intellectual engagement with the divine text and offered practical interpretations for socio-political mobilization, they often faced the critique of over-contextualization, sometimes leading to eisegesis (reading personal biases into the text) rather than pure exegesis. The paper concludes that the diversity of modern Tafsir reflects a vibrant, yet complex, intellectual effort to bridge the gap between immutable divine revelation and the ever-changing realities of the modern world, underscoring the ongoing need for methodological integrity and balance.