The Basis of the Distinction of Meaning-Interpretation in Tafsir Methodology

Abstract

Despite the hadiths and narratives that warn about the interpretation of the Qur'an by opinion, the question of how Qur'anic verses can be understood is about the nature of Qur'anic exegesis. These narratives, which limit the interpretation to the exact field and indicate the invalidity of the specification of the intention with the imprecise information, bring with it the question of how to understand the Qur'an in each period and society. The issue that has been questioned in the frame of the commentary from the earliest periods is based on the possibility of commenting besides the narration and defining the area that the thought belongs to the commentator. In this context, it is seen that the distinction between the conceptualization of tafsir-ta'wil words in classical commentary literature deals with the subject of the tafsir, their belongings, epistemological values and contexts. Mainly, this study will question whether authors who do not distinguish between tafsir-ta'wil categorize the information about commentary in a different context, then it will analyze two basic approaches on tafsir and ta'wil. In the paper, it will be suggested that these classifications in the classical literature should be evaluated together within the framework of the search for methodology in exegesis.