The notion of interpretation and commentary in Islam: projecting a true and guided meaning of texts

Abstract

One of today’s predicaments in Islamic society is when interpretation is no longer guided as though it is merely
 one’s right to interpret anything according to one’s whims and passions and that is in contradiction with the spirit of
 Islam. The notion of interpretation or commentary in Islamic scholarship has played a great and significant role in
 shaping the Muslims’ way of thinking for so long. Interpreting and commenting on texts started with the
 interpretation of primary references in Islam, i.e. al-Qur’an and al-Hadith, followed by other reliable and authentic
 sources such as texts (mutun), commentaries and glosses (hawashi and syuruh) of renowned and notable scholars to
 name but a few like Imam Abi al Hassan al-Ash’ari (d. c. 935/936,) in Creed of Islam, Imam Idris al Shafi’i (d.
 150/204) in Jurisprudence and Imam al-Ghazzali (d. 1058-1111) in ethics, etc. The processes of interpreting and
 commenting are paramount since unscrupulous understanding of certain works could lead to deviant teachings that
 by all means disturb the dissemination of the true meaning of Islam. Thus, in giving interpretation and commentary
 on certain texts, one should follow the methodology which has been applied by the majority of scholars from the
 early period of Islam until the present time. Producing one’s work in free and unbound rules of interpretation could
 jeopardize the meaning and simultaneously yield to misinterpretation in many sorts. This paper shall embark on the
 importance of correct methodology in explaining religious texts vice versa to expose the tradition of interpretation
 and commentary applied in Islam which has been successfully guided a true meaning of the text.