Stagnasi Perkembangan Tafsir di Arab Saudi

Analisis Corak Penafsiran dan Faktor Sosial-Politik

Abstract

Qur'anic exegesis in Saudi Arabia has distinct characteristics compared to other Middle Eastern countries. Although Saudi Arabia is recognized as the center of Islamic civilization and is expected to serve as the epicenter for the development of Qur'anic interpretation, in reality, the progress of tafsir in this country tends to be stagnant. This study aims to analyze the stagnation in the development of Qur'anic exegesis in Saudi Arabia by examining the dominant interpretative trends and the socio-political factors influencing them. The research employs a qualitative method with a library research approach, focusing on various tafsir literatures authored by Saudi scholars and relevant academic studies. The findings reveal that Qur'anic exegesis in Saudi Arabia is predominantly characterized by the tafsir bi al-ma’tsur (transmitted) approach, which is textual and normative in nature, while ijtihad-based and contextual approaches are rarely utilized. Socio-political factors such as the dominance of certain schools of thought, conservative religious education policies, and state control over religious discourse contribute significantly to this stagnation. The study concludes that the stagnation in the development of Qur'anic exegesis in Saudi Arabia is driven by a conservative interpretative orientation, limited openness to modern exegetical methodologies, and the strong influence of socio-political dynamics in shaping the discourse of Qur'anic interpretation in the country.