TAFSIR AL-QUR'AN BI AL-QUR'AN AS A DISTINCTIVE METHODOLOGY

摘要

While many scholars consider tafsir al-Qur'an bi al-Qur'an (interpretation of the Qur'an with the Qur'an) to be part of tradition-based tafsir methodology, this view remains under question. This paper seeks to argue that it has become a methodology distinguishable from both tradition-based and reason-based tafsirs. To support the argument, the paper reviews scholars' opinions in favor of viewing tafsir al-Qur'an bi al-Qur'an as beyond tradition-based methodology, draws a brief comparison between either tradition-based or reason-based Qur'anic commentaries known as displaying tafsir al-Qur'an bi al-Qur'an, and highlights the practice of tafsir al-Qur'an bi al-Qur'an in some modern commentaries as well as the complexity that a practice of tafsir al-Qur'an bi al-Qur'an can involve. With all of these being taken into account, it becomes clear that tafsir al-Qur'an bi al-Qur'an can be regarded as a distinctive methodology. Recognizing the uniqueness of tafsir al-Qur'an bi al-Qur'an would allow us to develop this methodology further in the future.