Qur’anic Studies in Colonial South Asia: Evolution and Intellectual Transformations

Nur Uddin

Makale detayları

Qur’anic Studies in Colonial South Asia: Evolution and Intellectual Transformations

Yazarlar:

Nur Uddin

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tefsir | İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

İslam Tetkikleri Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 2, pp.507-534

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

3/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001360360

pISSN:

2717-6967

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Abul Hasan Ali Nadwis d. 1999 statement, The Quran was revealed in Arabia, recited in Egypt, and comprehended in India, highlights South Asias pivotal role in Quranic scholarship. The colonial power not only greatly weakened the political authority of the Muslim community in the Indian Subcontinent, but also deeply affected its social structure. This led to a transformation in intellectual traditions over time. In this context, thinkers such as Shah Walī Allāh al-Dihlawī advocated the reinterpretation of the Quran as a strategic means of resisting Western epistemological influence. Particularly following 1857, this tajdid movement, systematized by subsequent generations specially Deoband-rooted ʿulamāʾ, sometimes Aligarh and Ahl-i Hadith rooted ʿulamāʾ, sought to restore the Qurans connection to its historical context and to revitalize its social relevance. During this period, Quranic studies expanded beyond the intellectual elite, with translations into vernacular languages enhancing accessibility. While classical exegetical traditions continued, certain interpretations began to incorporate Western epistemological and methodological influences, particularly those of Sayyid Ahmad Khan and his followers. Moreover, some ʿulamāʾ actively sought to integrate traditional Islamic scholarship with contemporary intellectual frameworks, fostering a nuanced reconfiguration of Quranic interpretations. This study contends that these transformations were intrinsically linked to the colonial milieu, wherein shifting socio-political structures and intellectual encounters with Western epistemologies necessitated novel approaches to Quranic interpretation and dissemination. This article explores the profound impact of colonialism on Quranic studies in South Asia, analyzing how the colonial environment shaped the development of Quranic thought, influenced interpretations, and transformed the intellectual landscape of Muslim scholarship.

 Abul Hasan Ali Nadwis d. 1999 statement, The Quran was revealed in Arabia, recited in Egypt, and comprehended in India, highlights South Asias pivotal role in Quranic scholarship. The colonial power not only greatly weakened the political authority of the Muslim community in the Indian Subcontinent, but also deeply affected its social structure. This led to a transformation in intellectual traditions over time. In this context, thinkers such as Shah Walī Allāh al-Dihlawī advocated the reinterpretation of the Quran as a strategic means of resisting Western epistemological influence. Particularly following 1857, this tajdid movement, systematized by subsequent generations specially Deoband-rooted ʿulamāʾ, sometimes Aligarh and Ahl-i Hadith rooted ʿulamāʾ, sought to restore the Qurans connection to its historical context and to revitalize its social relevance. During this period, Quranic studies expanded beyond the intellectual elite, with translations into vernacular languages enhancing accessibility. While classical exegetical traditions continued, certain interpretations began to incorporate Western epistemological and methodological influences, particularly those of Sayyid Ahmad Khan and his followers. Moreover, some ʿulamāʾ actively sought to integrate traditional Islamic scholarship with contemporary intellectual frameworks, fostering a nuanced reconfiguration of Quranic interpretations. This study contends that these transformations were intrinsically linked to the colonial milieu, wherein shifting socio-political structures and intellectual encounters with Western epistemologies necessitated novel approaches to Quranic interpretation and dissemination. This article explores the profound impact of colonialism on Quranic studies in South Asia, analyzing how the colonial environment shaped the development of Quranic thought, influenced interpretations, and transformed the intellectual landscape of Muslim scholarship.

 Abul Hasan Ali Nadwis d. 1999 statement, The Quran was revealed in Arabia, recited in Egypt, and comprehended in India, highlights South Asias pivotal role in Quranic scholarship. The colonial power not only greatly weakened the political authority of the Muslim community in the Indian Subcontinent, but also deeply affected its social structure. This led to a transformation in intellectual traditions over time. In this context, thinkers such as Shah Walī Allāh al-Dihlawī advocated the reinterpretation of the Quran as a strategic means of resisting Western epistemological influence. Particularly following 1857, this tajdid movement, systematized by subsequent generations specially Deoband-rooted ʿulamāʾ, sometimes Aligarh and Ahl-i Hadith rooted ʿulamāʾ, sought to restore the Qurans connection to its historical context and to revitalize its social relevance. During this period, Quranic studies expanded beyond the intellectual elite, with translations into vernacular languages enhancing accessibility. While classical exegetical traditions continued, certain interpretations began to incorporate Western epistemological and methodological influences, particularly those of Sayyid Ahmad Khan and his followers. Moreover, some ʿulamāʾ actively sought to integrate traditional Islamic scholarship with contemporary intellectual frameworks, fostering a nuanced reconfiguration of Quranic interpretations. This study contends that these transformations were intrinsically linked to the colonial milieu, wherein shifting socio-political structures and intellectual encounters with Western epistemologies necessitated novel approaches to Quranic interpretation and dissemination. This article explores the profound impact of colonialism on Quranic studies in South Asia, analyzing how the colonial environment shaped the development of Quranic thought, influenced interpretations, and transformed the intellectual landscape of Muslim scholarship.

 Ebül-Hasan Ali en-Nedvînin ö. 1999 Kurân Arabistanda indirildi, Mısırda okundu ve Hindistanda anlaşıldı ifadesi, Güney Asyanın Kurân ilmi üzerindeki önemli rolünü vurgulamaktadır. Sömürgeci güç, Hint Alt Kıtasındaki Müslüman toplumun siyasi otoritesini derinden sarsmış ve toplumsal yapıyı çok boyutlu bir zayıflama sürecine sokmakla kalmayıp aynı zamanda entelektüel geleneklerin yeniden şekillenmesine de yol açmıştır. Bu süreçte Şah Veliyyullah ed-Dihlevî ö. 1762 gibi mütefekkirler, Batının epistemolojik nüfuzuna karşı Kurânın yeniden anlamlandırılmasını stratejik bir direniş aracı olarak öne çıkarmışlardır. Özellikle 1857 sonrasında, sonraki nesiller tarafından sistematik bir nitelik kazanan bu tecdit hareketi, Kurânın tarihsel bağlamla ilişkisini yeniden tesis etmeyi ve onun toplumsal canlılığını ihyayı hedeflemiştir. Bu dönemde, Kurân çalışmaları entelektüel elitlerin ötesine geçerek genişlemiş ve yerel dillere yapılan çeviriler, erişilebilirliği artırmıştır. Klasik tefsir gelenekleri sürdürülürken bazı yorumcular, Batılı epistemolojik ve metodolojik etkileri entegre etmeye başlamışlardır. Ayrıca bazı ulema, geleneksel İslami ilimleri çağdaş entelektüel çerçevelerle bütünleştirme çabasıyla, Kurân yorumlarını ince bir şekilde yeniden yapılandırmayı teşvik etmişlerdir. Bu çalışma söz konusu dönüşümlerin, değişen sosyo-politik yapıların ve Batılı epistemolojilerle olan entelektüel karşılaşmaların; Kurânın yorumlanması ve yayılması için yeni yaklaşımlar gerektirdiğini ve bunların sömürge ortamı ile derin bir şekilde bağlantılı olduğunu savunmaktadır. Makale, sömürgeciliğin Güney Asyadaki Kurân çalışmaları üzerindeki derin etkisini araştırarak bu ortamın Kurân düşüncesinin gelişimini nasıl şekillendirdiğini, yorumları nasıl etkilediğini ve Müslüman ilim dünyasının entelektüel manzarasını nasıl dönüştürdüğünü analiz etmektedir.

Makale detayları

Qur’anic Studies in Colonial South Asia: Evolution and Intellectual Transformations

Yazarlar:

Nur Uddin

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tefsir | İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

İslam Tetkikleri Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 2, pp.507-534

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

3/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001360360

pISSN:

2717-6967

Qur’an

Interpretation

South Asia

Colonialism

ʿUlamāʾ

PoliticsKur’ân

Tefsir

Güney Asya

Sömürgecilik

Ulema

Siyaset

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Nur Uddin

Yayıncı: Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar: Tefsir | İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi: İslam Tetkikleri Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 2, pp.507-534

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 3/2025

Belge Dili: İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.): 2001360360

pISSN: 2717-6967

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Nur Uddin

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tefsir | İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

İslam Tetkikleri Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 2, pp.507-534

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

3/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001360360

pISSN:

2717-6967