Scientific Exegesis within the Parameters of Sharīʻah: An Analytical Study of the Arguments of Proponents and Opponents

سائنسی تفسیر شرعی میزان میں:قائلین و مانعین کے دلائل کاتجزیاتی مطالعہ

Abstract

The Holy Qur’ān, as the final divine revelation, embodies an eternal miracle encompassing intellectual, rational, and spiritual dimensions. Its guidance extends to all spheres of life, providing principles of faith, law, politics, economy, and social order. With the passage of time, scholars have approached the Qur’ān through various interpretive lenses, opening ever-new avenues of research and reflection. Among these approaches, scientific exegesis (al-tafsīr al-ʿilmī) has emerged prominently in the modern era, wherein scholars attempt to interpret Qur’ānic verses in light of contemporary scientific discoveries. This trend, however, has given rise to a significant scholarly debate. Advocates of scientific tafsīr view it as a means to demonstrate the Qur’ān’s miraculous nature and its harmony with modern knowledge, while critics argue that such interpretations risk subjecting the divine text to the changing theories of science, thereby undermining its timelessness. This study critically examines the Sharīʿah status of scientific exegesis, presenting the arguments of both its proponents and opponents, and evaluates its place within the broader framework of Qur’ānic hermeneutic.