Journal of Islamic Scriptures in Non-Arabic Societies

Al-Ta’wīlāt al-Najmiyyah dalam Tafsir Sufistik Persia: Najm al-Dīn al-Kubrā dan ‘Alā’ al-Dawlah al-Simnānī

2026-08-23T16:51:10+07:00

This study addresses the limited scholarly attention given to the development of Qur’anic exegesis in non-Arab Muslim intellectual traditions, particularly within the Persian Sufi milieu. It focuses on At-Ta’wīlāt al-Najmiyyah, a major mystical commentary associated with the Kubrawiyyah order, which reflects a distinctive mode of Qur’anic interpretation shaped by spiritual discipline, esoteric insight, and non-Arab scholarly transmission. Although widely recognized in the tradition of Sufi tafsīr, its epistemological foundations and interpretive structure remain underexplored in contemporary Qur’anic studies. The aim of this research is to examine the methodological foundations, theological orientation, and hermeneutical framework of At-Ta’wīlāt al-Najmiyyah, while situating it within the broader context of non-Arab Qur’anic exegesis. This study employs a qualitative descriptive method based on textual analysis and Sufi hermeneutics. The primary data are drawn from At-Ta’wīlāt al-Najmiyyah and relevant scholarly works on Kubrawiyyah teachings and Sufi exegesis. The findings show that At-Ta’wīlāt al-Najmiyyah represents an important expression of Persian Sufi tafsīr rooted in the spiritual teachings of Najm al-Dīn al-Kubrā and further systematized by ‘Alā’ al-Dawlah al-Simnānī. The commentary approaches the Qur’an as a text with both outward and inward dimensions, accessible not only through linguistic and rational analysis but also through spiritual purification and inner experience. This study argues that the work significantly contributes to understanding the production, transmission, and diversity of Qur’anic interpretation beyond the Arab intellectual sphere.

Konstruksi Semantik Kata Shifā’ dalam Al-Qur’an: Pendekatan Semantik Linguistik Toshihiko Izutsu

2026-09-25T19:57:20+07:00

This study aims to deconstruct and reconstruct the conceptual structure and semantic field of the word shifā’ (الشِّفَاء) in the Qur'an by operationalizing Toshihiko Izutsu’s linguistic semantic theory. Generally, shifā’ is narrowly understood as physical "medicine" or "healing". However, within the Qur'anic corpus, the term transcends somatic-organic boundaries toward a holistic restoration of human existence. Employing a qualitative-descriptive approach and library research, this study applies Izutsu’s four methodological pillars: distinguishing between basic and relational meanings, mapping the semantic field via syntagmatic and paradigmatic analyses, tracking historical shifts diachronically and synchronically, and reconstructing the Qur'anic weltanschauung (worldview). The findings reveal that the basic meaning of shifā’ is rooted in the concept of al-dawā’ (remedy/cure), the satisfaction of needs, and critical threshold conditions. Upon integration into the Qur'anic revelation, a fundamental semantic shift occurs, endowing shifā’ with a new relational meaning. Syntagmatically, shifā’ is closely associated with key terms such as hudā (guidance), raḥmah (mercy), and maw‘iẓah (admonition), while paradigmatically, it stands in binary opposition to cognitive and spiritual pathologies such as maraḍ (disease), shakk (doubt), and ḍalālah (error). Diachronically, the term undergoes a process of conceptual elevation across three historical phases: (1) the pre-Qur'anic era, which focused on emotional relief, war-stress mitigation, and tribal retributive justice; (2) the Qur'anic era, which integrated prophetic medical treatments with transcendental spiritual restoration through revelation; and (3) the post-Qur'anic era, wherein exegetes expanded shifā’ into cognitive-epistemological (cleansing theological doubts), spiritual-ascetic (tazkiyat al-nafs), and sociological-existential (idkhāl al-surūr) dimensions. This study concludes that the Qur'an transforms shifā’ from a profane somatic healing instrument into a comprehensive framework for spiritual restoration

From One Piece to Qur’anic Ethics: Digital Muslim Readings of Symbolic Protest in Indonesia

2026-10-09T22:13:06+07:00

During Indonesia’s 2025 Independence Day commemorations, the Jolly Roger flag from One Piece moved beyond fandom to become a contested public symbol. This article asks how selected Indonesian Muslim public actors interpreted that controversy through Qur’anic ethical vocabularies. Rather than treating the Qur’an only as recited text or formal exegesis, the study approaches online Muslim commentary as a site of vernacular Qur’anic reception. Using qualitative digital textual analysis, it examines nine purposively selected public texts published in August 2025 by Muslim organizations, Islamic media, and Muslim intellectuals. Coding focused on scriptural references, moral concepts, interpretive operations, civic boundaries, and claims to religious authority. The analysis identifies four recurrent patterns: justice and freedom as moral frames; al-amr bi-l-maʿrūf wa-l-nahy ʿan al-munkar and bi-l-ḥikma as communicative ethics; civic restraint and respect for national symbols as interpretive boundaries; and competing forms of platformed authority that translate Qur’anic ethics through anime and youth culture. The article proposes vernacular digital Qur’anic reception to describe this hybrid process. These findings extend Living Qur’an studies beyond ritual practice to platformed public moral reasoning in a non-Arabic Muslim society.

Materialitas Agama dan Ritual Digital: Antropologi Media dalam Resepsi Al-Qur'an pada Akun @ngajilagi.id

2026-10-09T18:52:17+07:00

This study examines digital Qur’anic practices on the Instagram account @ngajilagi.id from the perspective of the anthropology of religion. It aims to explain how Qur’anic learning practices, religious symbols, and user reception are transformed when mediated through digital technologies. The analysis focuses on three dimensions: ritual, materiality and symbolism, and reception. The data consist of content and user interactions presented through the @ngajilagi.id account, including tajwid learning videos, Qur’anic recitation quizzes, user comments, and other forms of digital interaction. The findings indicate that watching and participating in tajwid lessons, listening to Qur’anic recitations, taking part in quizzes, commenting, and sharing Qur’anic verses constitute performative, interactive, and affective forms of religious practice. Qur’anic symbols expressed through calligraphy, color, qāriʾ recitation, and visual design generate experiences of sacredness within a digital medium, while digital devices and Instagram features become integral to the formation of these experiences. User reception further demonstrates that users do not merely consume religious content but also participate in the production and circulation of religious meanings. These findings suggest that the digitalization of the Qur’an is not merely a change of medium but a transformation of religious practice that brings together Qur’anic learning traditions, technological materiality, and user participation. This study contributes to Qur’anic studies by demonstrating how the sacredness of the Qur’anic text is received, negotiated, and experienced within a digital ecosystem.