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    Fazlur Rahman A Framework For Interpreting The Ethico-Legal Content of The Qur' An

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    Fazlur Rahman: a framework for interpreting the ethico-legal content of the Qur' an

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    2 Fazlur Rahman: a framework for interpreting the ethico-legal content of the Quran Tsamic Studien at McGill University in Canada, where he At that time, General Ayyub Khan, the then president Pakistan, was searching fr 4 ber seform-mined Mus intellectual to head the Islamic Research Insitute which was ‘sabe by Ayyub Khan, in Rahman's words, to advise the government on religous polices that would be te othe pric pls of slam, nerpreted by us for application in the changing ontext of the moder world’® Ths the lait wast prov Intellectual support for Ayyub Khan's modernisation program Pakistan a nation founded a3 homeland fr Mui’ ha on independence ben torn between the adiionalist slam ofthe general popaaton anda modernism espoused largely by the inelleenl and secular elite ofthe country. Fer politcal reasons Ayub Khan needed tosterapath of modernisation that fend wadion. Wits his extensive tesning in rad tional namic scholarship and his contact withthe Wes Raha eas one of the few Pakistani intellects at the ime with the breadth of knowledge and nelle for he tsk At he inition ‘of Ayjub Khan, aban returned to Pakistan co take up, it, ‘isting profesor’ postion and, later, the diectorship othe Insitute where he eminem i os Tn aking up chi postion, Rahman aw an opportuni to help reform the Pakistan religious exablshment ain partic ‘educational stem. At the Insitute he Began traning young Pakistan scholars to approach the lic ation fom aerial perspective. At the mime time he provided policy advice and law eeform to bank intrest and ata. In this, his views were perl and often a cds wih the ofthe traiionals eligi ‘sublshment. According to Rahman, the sll resistance he faced was rom religious consenatives, and it centered aay on the question of the ight of women and the reform of fai law'*"The discontent of Ayub Khan’ polical opponents, le by inuenial political and religions gues funda eal eget in Rahman, who symbolied for them the woes aspects of the smodeiation project religious and socal reform, A framewo orn te hic cnent of the Quran Thus Rahman's ideas, combined with a certain degree of ideal and political nave, not only pat him on a ealision Cour with Palsan’'s powerfl religious exablshment, but aso ‘made him a pawn in the extabishment's power struggle with Ayub Khan The county deep-rooted adonalam apd mas iiteracy exacerbated the problem. In an ampere of tei, threats were made against Rabman’s Ife and he finally had vo ‘resign and leave Pakistan. He returned to is academic inthe ‘Westin the United States. He oe appointed Profenorof mic “Thought atthe University of Chicago in 168, and he remained here unt his death i 8, ‘A Chicago, Rahman played sigaifcant role in waining a number of postgraduate student from counties such a Indonesia and Tarkey. While his thought snot generally mown in the Arab word orn tradonai religions ccs eewhere itis in Turkey and Indonesia where Rabmaa s ost inuentl Many ci sdents occupy senior academic posionsin lami Stes in those countries In indonesia, for instance, Nuchotsh Madi, fone ofthe most influential public intellectuals stdied under Rahman at Chicago, In the United State, where Rahman spent ‘he nal went years of i if, several students of Islam took up hisidens and tempted oeinerpret pec areas of the ebico legal content of the Quran. A good example x Amina Wadd whose work Quen and Womonisan excelent example of nap ‘tion of Rahman's ideas othe inerpetation of the Quan Although he spent most of his aademc life inthe Wes, Rahman's primary engagement was with the Islamic eraiion, swhich he felt i was hls isin fo explain toa largely Muslim adience Ae Waugh comments ‘isthoretolunderponings® Abdul Sod [Rahman's writings are extensive and much broader th mary eld of baie philosophy Hs writings nce tel "Mamie edueation, Quranic hermeneutics, hath erin development of samc inellectalradtions, reform nf Taw and itamic ethics. Ths woul he almost impose summarise his thought in short article such as this ss noun works ar lem (5) Iam and Mada Fons ‘gor (99) has ben edited by Eben Moss and pies posthumous) An extensive ara fares tet othe eh breadth of his sholarship.* One prominent theme inal tI Works efrm and renewal, and he mportanceof ted nhs efor. Amoag te mowimporant projector him as ‘amie educain, Unlike many formes of te modern et [Rahman was not nvlied in a mast movement, and did work ‘ou political confit, He exchewed » propagandist spray voided ace, and was more comfortable in confining het tothe eaching and research ecvironment ofa ues. Rahman's critique of traditional islam Rahman sw that the primary reaton forthe decline of Muni soceties was rooted im the intellectual legacy of Ilan Th Aectne fo im did not begin with the Western encroas in ‘on Muslim societies from the eighteenth century oman ‘hlmed by manya modem reform, but ch erie Fr hi vas the nee oniicaton and the replacement of ‘hip based on orignal thought by one based on commen And super-commentates, the dosing of the gate of ith, the basing of tmie method solely om tog (Bind ini hich ed wo the decine* Given hi, om is point of view hope for revival should be based on adres thi intel at problem, and ging top priory. For Rahman, then, the Tust sep i the renewal of I ‘hough was ahistorical ertique ofthe legal, theologian ‘mystical development in lam. Iwas eset his poe Afri or inking he hic oa cnt ofthe Quon reveal the dstcation between the worldview ofthe Qur'an and eas such theology, ntrpreation ad a Ata cit esa ecogensn mi ei th ri dn at a aa a Rahman relents argued that pristine Islam as flected in the mereage ofthe Qur'an had been lost withthe formation of ‘orthodoxy, that i, what later came tbe known at Sani Almough Suanism daims to represent the ‘origina!’ Islam Sunnism in Rahman's atenment announced a departure from ‘he pine ath, ‘owes tel largely to cater sectarian deve. ‘opments? and tad in eran fundamental ways, undergone radial change, Indeed a metamorphors ve-3-vas“onginal” state and the teaching of the Quran Ths, he dated the a matic departure from the Quan’ o the period that aw the formation of ‘Sunni Orthodoxy: namely, the advent of the ‘Una ule, He elev that the appearance of asic rl had the most negative impact om the developmen of For Rahman, Sunnis ceneied withthe beak between ol tie and law in he nascent Msi community and the ethics of the Quran, Only through the later dcourses of Stim wax his break questioned. The sre on Sal pity by figures ch sa Ghazal (11) represented rele fom the leg rivalries that. vere fen motivated by bane politcal agendas although Rabman pointed ou that al-Gharal id not cal for soil or community fires hat would once agai prepare the community as such play the role inthe world that che Qur'an required of i. Rahman deplored subd renunclaton of thi word), and even it reat igure like Hasan al- Ban fr holding sch negate ew Gf this world? He also ertiched ‘cogutve Sul for Giparaging rerson and giving the seat of honour to Aas a ‘mean of true knowledge, In i view, this stance bolstered 3 Steady sung an-raionalism movement! Rahman admired the Murti theories of prophecy and the nature of revelation, which, after bitory, formed the mos Important component of his own general hermencitic Quran The Mata had bea theory of ona es ‘rounds that good and bad are knowable by nara ‘ithoutthead af reeation According this theory." ‘general ethical tras about ight and wrong are atonal ‘rable by inte eon, bt for actual blgations x tical uth, hamanigy needs revelation Rahat ay et Mites with the Matai ideas onthe “creates (Quran. This did no prevent Rahman, however. rm by aloft Matis more extreme ational postions ‘Rahn’ severe erica inthe area ofthe history ts ‘thought was perhapezeserved for Alaris It nas ple according t him, ya theology of predestination an she ‘fj! This wasn adion tit ant-rational outs le sumed that human beings could only act metaphors st lida that ther, in seme, stripped of eesponsiiiy ft Actions. This to Rahman wana grave mistepresentaion of Imestage ofthe Qur'an: “Theat was bound ts ses ‘damage othe human eimage a4 repontry of iia ‘originality and harmed the sssimpions underlying law ‘considered human beings a fe and responsible agents Rahman's framework for interpretation Rahman praise modern reformers such as Muar Ah and Ahmad Khan for recognising the ned for refoin nl ‘change, and aso hey figures sich as Hasan al-Bana an Nh Ala al-Mawdudi foe countering the excenes of Mam ‘modetnism and fr defending slam against secular. Oh ‘ther hand, he exitsed them fr not hang eth the ad hac natae ofthe soln they proposed In he ease Banna and l-Mawrud, Rabinan wan of the sew tht he ih tuted cliché mongering for serious intellectual endewen ‘Agains this, Rahman devoted most of his intellectual en towards elaborating a new Islamic methodology, beats he Deleved that radtonal methods were not able wo ring Ms A framework forint the hic na content ofthe Qo thought ino the intelectal ramework of the modern age His fla oases the lic inlet adison an prone a ‘ey fora for Msn n bis iew, re-examination of Mamie ‘methodology i the light of the Quean sel was a prerequisite focany reform lane dhought “The Quran dus remained athe entre of Rabman’s thought He was rica ofan a ve decontentalsed approuch that tteated the Quan a2 serie of lated verses and fled oie insight int the cohesive outlook on the universe and ie fiers fils of intellectual endeavor in lam were w cobere, fone of dhe tks was o formblate an Blamie metaphysis Firmly Based on the Quran" Only the metaphysical part war leary understood, ould» coherent rethinking ofthe mora social nd tegl menage othe Quran be pose Rahman nas + result, preoccapied with the cotectmetoet otinerpresing the Quran'# de mos important religions does- tment and mont comprehensive guide for humankind In his ‘ew. despite the importance ofthe method in interpretation, “ihe base questions of method and hermeneutics were not quately addeese by Masta Rahman eritiied Musi for their failure to “understand dhe underying nity of the Quan’ ad for their adoption ofan ‘stomatie approach’ He ko fel that in the modem period, the pecemeal treatment of the Qur'an had worsened” and that the formulation of an adequate hermeneutical method” was ‘imperaive’*" This was iho project to which both Moslime and some non-Muslims feuld contribute, 8 iva excuse concerned withthe cog the aspect ofthe reveaion* Rahman's mission may be summed up 8 an endeavour 1 setreve the moral elan of the Qur'an in oder to formulate a {Qur'an-cented ether. aig to ind a work on ethics that was sed rolely onthe Quran he sought "o elaborate an ethics on the base of the Quran, for without an expicly formulated thie sem, one can never doje to tari * Rahman Emphases the importance of the ethical dimension the Quran uti tan ene tp ni fh ‘eh lt aca oe prea in ae Shaadi sath rah wn omen the the eta nt eg or ua legal comm B Preis sgn af mora fer hat tot content aly {etal propotsns bree on ang [Sccacta purges Homer the Guan shay ein Sieh pipes tn tienen fii. eas Habman’s opinion that dhe Quan ad the Sanna w mediated by certain historical reales, and that no «lam immutability” should be made tothe wndermanings fits or bin all religious traditions rein constant revitalisation selon ‘One of the mon mort of Rahman's interes wat. ss work for the Interpretation ofthe ethico-legal conten of th Qur'an. He aempied to emphasise the Close relations! between the concern of present-day Muslin and those cavlest Masi community He rok «parla interes {he Quran for providing guidance for Muslims in dierent nw placesand circumstances, Lesons were tobe learned fr Way the Prophet and the eatist Mulimn community (ie re Immediate community’) used the Qur'an, a approach wih transposed othe moder period, could na only be pata korean high degree of authentic To Rahman, the methodology ofthe jurists was not Ives systematically on the broad socio: moral theory tat he bie ‘should underlie the law Indeed, the aris, ln their ques. ‘evel a highly sructured legal stem, ha avoided the ai ‘hat would have been the resi of sch a theory. Raliman ar ‘hat, eventhough 2 sstem based on socio-moral theory ho never bee attempted adhe pas, Mlmsin dhe moder pal were in urgent need of one n erp his approach 4 the lnuerpreation and constraction of law and to applica Rahman als accepted that iferencesin interpretation woul resule "However they sill become more sstematial Afro for ntti te hice conten of he Qur'an conscious controle by the sptematic methodology proposed ‘Aldhngh Rah’ interest inthe Qur'an was rode han is sshico- legal conten tht ares aecepied a »portant pace in his ‘ing, because it was central ois concern withthe need or Teshinking the interpretation of the Quran. In his vew. the tigity of the juris” Interpretations, and their denial of an torical context the revelation, ha esultedin archaic awe that nt only prevented Mins rs dealing with moder prob Jems, bt ala placed tes on the wbrany ona sell. nthe following, specific aspects of his approach wll be brought together, bse on sx key elements revelation and its scio- historical context del/ contingent; soa otic: moral pine ples cautions we of Madi and, Unking the ast and present eatin ants i-hisrical cmtet eee eeemckyare ss Eecuunoerenrenmgee res Abdslc Seed ‘Nex, Rahman attempt toshow the paychology of the eesti proces of the mind ofthe Prophet, anos Ut th sn $n the origin ofthis een proce es beyond the fetch ofthe human agency tle sing ae ne that ‘this proces occurs some definite vente as an ey partofthe agents mind He ares atthe cosion that the emir proce occurs in (the Prophet) mind he inary seve, ts i word, nara the pycholoiea pn isconcered buts Ara Word instar are es fee histeach” Since for Ran ord docs not mean so theres no real eontaition etme the Quan bing the ‘God and aso the word of the Prophet He emphases he ‘here exis indeed, an onganic relationship beeen (elngs ideas and words In inmpiation, even in porte nopiraton the Felaionship i so complete ha fecling-iea-woed tl Complerwialie ots own Acorn Raman ds ihe poe a eat ‘eas andthe worse born nthe mind ofthe Prophet the Quan avers hat ther source canno posi tind ofthe Prophet yw of thee nonel Int ns uhey] must be Uaced and refered tos source bey ahmans account wich be el mde a appreciable cot sion tothe debate, o0ght to dtngish te characte Aisne revelation om ther for piraton, be yp Imps aristicor ethers For although i aecount sn fg thatthe dine revelation i pocholoieal sar forms ascending dgres ofthe sane phenomena of ceo inspiration’ Wane that in terms f reiiusand ul import and vali the Quan something ety go nd scprt tom ay oe fom of create ing ee 1 this way, revelation for Rahman was the result of contest 9 rea he ceed wr a sh ‘rated world. In thinencounter, the Prophet wat ‘inser the Dsine but in Rahman's ve, the dimension ofthe cee world the world of he Prophet od immediate comm ‘as allowed to feature prominently in the linguistic prt A fomean orintrrtng the bic-egalconet of thQran esting fom the revelation’, The expectations, anxieties, chal. lenges and interests ofthe Prophet nd isimmedate community vere reflected in the Qur'an, an aspect that Raman believed ould have been gies autnaalemphass in Isami theology ‘nd accommodated nthe principles of Islamic jarprdence le Felgaton wan Ratan view, a tal mike, ahinan further astered tht revelation wat not "book given atone time, but a process that continued with the prophetic nisin over a penty-two et period, reflecting, throughout he Insion’sschitdes, the mood ofthe Prophet and he comm nity. This indicated tha the Qur'an was ota book sent fom the tinereated world to the created world, with no context inthe treated word ls concerns, meres and guidance were direeiy Connected with ane! organically related to the linguini, cla politic, economic an religious fe, primal ofthe people of Tijaz, and more broadly the people of Arabia, Without his connection, elation would nox have made mich sent even © the imedate community, let alone a4 meaning guide humankind For Rahman, this love connection between the revelation and it context war daupted later n the proces ofthe development of samie theology and aw, creating an ever widening ap. The ‘unwordiongn othe Qur'an war eaphasved in the elevation of {he ten toan srpet ofthe Dine, a evidenced inthe debate on the eeation ofthe Quan’ (shal aqua) parity by the Haba rationals, and was a ster inched in a modified formin the nena Asta theology. The anscendence ofthe Divine thus came to be atributed wo dhe Quran (as speech of God, kat Ala) ise, reinforcing the total othernes ofthe revelation, Rabman demonsrated this problematic nature ofthe revelation as defined y ater Ialaethelogy and la, in which Tevelaton came to be ten a abitoreal, beyond the reach of humankind. According wo Rahman, revelation doesnot function ‘outside history, and we must recognise this if we are to make 2 ‘rong connection Beneen the Qur'an and the community to “Acoralary ofthe wadtonal uric notion ofthe revelation at Aula Sone thou socio-hinorial contexts thatthe Quan ay all mes and places. God hat abate knowledge of te oe present and ftur ad snce the Quran from God. hate Contains must alo be suitable for al mes, placer, stances. Revelation thus to be considered ah event pre by the All-Knowing. God, and not necessarily felted ‘concerns ofthe people to whom iwi stdessed, Abo relate the view thatthe Quran ogally existed in the Preseel Th (cline ama) wel Delore the creation of human tems that merged ats prcalr mente created wrt ivan Th href Quasars ‘ipl of namic theology wan enabled inthe post Ma Pid, Manica conformed andthe ro exert ino ‘ther amie ciples such afr tw adap te sane pa thatthe socto-legl conten ofthe text was thot hit ‘empora limitations. In the erly Ilamieascptines, dhe only aspect that Rah ‘considered suppor, albeit ina very nied wy, ‘onship betwen the revelation and the soci const ‘yas the asa fone (ocasons of rvlation) tera, wh! found way int the tration. This however id coves teat sit the bb a-naerved hese alent ean ees parca where the Qhvan aided sprite rterence [cular people ines and pac np the a ln ‘ere mainly away of expining the creo sequen Felted textror of better understanding cena texte the (uranaoed pei rence OF tac two chong ea perhaps the more ior and came to be sed pinay “The elaely minor iret igh ain his erature ca be seen fram the genera princpe of al a-fgh penipes Jurisprudence, aconding to whic, comma or prahiion A frame ornithine cotent of te Quon gen inte Quan and sb wring gone a rot attempt to rent wo the speci tras revealed. Rather is application sould be general This de ‘phasis the occasion and the specific creumstances of the fevelin in favour ofthe general pplcaon ofthe text. In thei {quest io construct x comprchensve legal system, the jars were Aven by the idea thatthe Quranic insraction had 1o be extended to as many stations 3 pone, nd that it should not be limited by any one conerete condition, Ths texts were read tithe reference a posable o their conten, a practice that Rahim ced and sw as even more prevalent ia the moder po The andthe comtngnt Rahman was highly ral ofthe view prevalent among Muss that the Quan ws a book of aw. For hi, the Quran neither ‘as nor did i parpor tbe, a book ofall ise guide forhumanking (hide anata demanded tha believers ie bits command, which were, forthe mos par, not legal. but ical or quas-legul.” Rahman pointed ogt thatthe Prophet to general legnlaion ax a means of furthering the Islamic ‘use’ In the Quran ill general legislation forms very ny [arto ani eching* Accordingto Rab even the lea or une prt he Quan ue ety dpa sae Stat cre Qe soa for ample he ia puedo queen acy and pesca en Rahman believed hat dhe ethico-lege Quranic instractions functioned a wo levels: the "ileal andthe “contingent. The teal was the goal that Belicrers wer osm fo, This eal might ‘emight not be achieved during the tne ofthe revelation. The ‘omtingens onthe other hand, meant what was possible atthe EE ae ee ee time of the revelation, gven the structural constrains within he Immediate community andthe conditions ofthe une. Theo fina the Quan othe situation at hand that a he ie revelation, required that it insrutons addres problen Umea tharspeiecrcumsances, wile highlighting oral tothe ideale which Masts should agpce a they mone ‘one station to ances, fom onetime to another aman argued tht order to understand the dela he contingent in Quranic pronouncements the bet ool available as ‘htrical erica’ wich ould carly the content nd the ‘ationale of the guidance, and distinguish the ideal Irom the contingent. To demonstrate this point, Rahman uted. the ‘rample of polygamy, The Quran undoubtedly improved th Fights and status of women compared with ther pe-Tsam ondition in jaz. One of is narictions was that aa shoul not many more than one wife the eal not do ute tal of ther, adding categorically that, no mater how he ted us treatment would be impos, However, ase tue that the Qur'an gave permison to mary up to four wives How then ‘ould these two set of instructions be ndertoal? One way was ‘ay that the Quran wanted to promote the maxim hap ‘na of fly ie and ha, to this end, x monogamous mariage ould be the del, that thi declared moral purpose had wo be Compromise inthe realty of seventh-century aban ace) ich pljgany was too deeply entrenched for eo be removes ‘ihout defeating the moral purponeiuellThe Quran therefor {ccpted polygamy the eal eel, but rested it and placed ‘Ss many safeguards pomible while athe sae ime enuniating the del ofthe monogamous society towards which the Prophet "The dsinedon beeen the det an the contingent, Rahman argued, was given lal importance, iany nthe constuction a Islamic aw andi the interpreaion ofthe Quran, Ye Misi sere to bring about retorts inthe modern period this had to ‘hange. According to Rahman, jurists had mistakenly ken much fof the Quranic content, for example Aud ly aw, muna, to be Kea! and had allowed ito be frmly embedded in Isami | frames for intepting he acyl tn fh Qu tay: he deal and he coosngent an he historical context of the tent, could be accepted, laws stemming from legal or qua legal content in the Quan that was really related diet to the Immediate community con be rethought or eformed, Socal jst a the primar cece ahaa beived shat the etico-legal content of he Quran was to be read in te light of the socal janice’ objectives ofthe {Quran which for him were the basis of this content. In any Understanding ofthe Qur'an at any pesiod, therefore, important Concepts ssoclated with soil justice, such az ‘cooperation, brotherhood and self-sacrifice for the sake of the common food were to be considered of primary importance, Further “phasing this, he ald that the ent amie movement and the teaching ofthe Quran could be seen as ‘directed towards the creation of a meaningful and posiive equaliy among human beings Avsuch the amie perpose cannot be realised tun genuine feedom to human begs restored and freedom, froma fms of exploitation ~ capt, posal ad or Kaan, redo from al forms of expladon was ese tial in order for meaning! moral choice to be made. At the Social level, distinctions between ich and poor, powesfal and ‘esol justice He found conimation of kis bebe nthe Quan ‘hich seeks o minnie, fot eliminate those distinsons hat it ees asia song human Beings. Further, there ian obi Thon on the tof those who are able to doo tomakea ference 1 pottal economic, social and spiral levels For Raman, 2 Srengthening the poston ofthe sci-economically weak and depreeed clases in the prosperous mereantile Meccan society {ncn oars, women andthe der * Raman sas she Quan ant Able Seed Asan example, Rahman highlights the social juice objects in the etico-legal content ofthe Quran clang eo women Later Musi ison however, had not done fl jusiceto the objective of the Quran on the nbjec and, contequenty, dc 40 “unregulated polygamy and divorce and ther banefl eects on ‘Sldre, Muslin society deteriorated inthe Middle Ages. This tend has woe sternly and qucly checked." entiation of mera principe Rahman lamented the almost otal neglect of ethics ata ascipin {in Isla Any writing on ethics wer developed outside dhe ‘ar dacpines and were expliiy hued on Greckand Persian tources, Irma extrorinary ha ethic so prevalent throughout ‘he Quran, should have developed independently ofthe Qur nd shar’ disciplines. Rahman found this distance, between Sto anand hoon he eee For Rabman, eticaly- acting individuals preceded the form Iaion ofl tthe ass of ami ethics top that quality ‘mind whereby» perion becomes capable of dincerning between {ight and wrong and mh the effort to do 0% Tape la ‘F"God-conaclousnes') enjoys the mow prominent pos Among the Quranic moral principle. The ewental aim ofthe A frome ornithine of te Quran ad se that enengy trough appropiate channels Tn order to ead the Quan from amoral” perspective centred on topes Rahinan sd hat Maslng were not to eat the Quran ‘ould no do, evar tobe considered ewentallaextconcerned ‘th moral and ethical ies, and ting tina technica legal tif the Q's, Raban beewed the core approach woud ‘eto artve tthe moral principles ofthe Quran fa, and when deriv le rom them. Rahman angued tha the Quran often ge "xpi reasons for ileal or qua legal pronouncements, a boy studying the background material. What was required was a systematic ilemtifiation of rationales or objectives ofthe Quran items oft principles and values which woud define de ethics ofthe Qur'an Rahman commented onthe procedure for thi te =e Gee Bae “i he Soi do thd Th * died from the Quran ale hich re ee here In Rahman's view, the nomic approach largely led to the order in he inerpetation of the eic-legl content ofthe (Quran, aie stands inthe form of fas namic legal texte Instead of developing ese of law bse on ‘higher non legal special moral pesepler lami twoped for jstaponng the ‘oral propostins of dhe Quan withthe legal ands doa so, filed to do utice vo the moral principles ofthe Qur'an, The Principles ofthe Qur'an deserve sjatemisaton and then from Rahman's emphasis on historical background in bisthoughts on stematiation, in aricularin elation o moral objectives. Given the wat oferta tol arable i trata bbe conducted aswell by non- Malis, a long as they had the necemary preparation for such an undertaking Bae oni ener principle fr the interpretation of the Quran, cox tbe developed. Rahman, however, didnot provide a detailed framework for developing ths hierarchy of moral vas spat fom stating that one should first elicit general principles rom specie rulings nthe Qur'an by ging ul eonsieration wo the toclo-hitorieal context, He wenton to argue that on the basi {hese gener principles, Mens should develo wht cl ‘oul presen callenges mrt hry Suny sed upon the Qa Thaw ignicanhy erent concep qa (aslgy in suite fh ich jr wed creme to oxen the lea or tea oe ane an aims Cctendon trough eerste inking and arc Heanor ince nlaing Yoo: moral theory. to ar as or ‘Sending or esc the apa orien et. Couton wee te aie An exenial lementof Rahman framework wahisemphass on the overall patterns of practice’ ofthe Prophet and the imme A frm for inpting hic mtn fh Qu Qdu’anic guidance while demyhologsing hey aspect of Sunn and hadith Rahman did nos define Sanna inthe way iti defined by jurists or acith erties For him Suna can be either the tha called "the ideal legacy ofthe Prophetic atv. whi ‘he livng Sunna ithe prophetic Suna creatively elaborated and inept to meet new changes alleges an cecum eto oislam the concept ofthe Sanna was ad, and refered ‘not neces to body of specific ttt tothe normative ‘behaviour ofthe Propet andthe eal Muslim community ad Enpassing the inporanceof Sanna tothe Qur'an, Rahman ‘maintained that the Sanna ofthe Prophet was aid operative ‘Concept from the beginning of slams and that the Qur'an was forimtrpreting the Quran without any reference wo Sunna; both the Quran and Sanna needed eachother be sey ratimal supose thatthe {Suppor tht poopie niente around the Prophet ita fe ty ee anand wen Prophet (prophetic Suna) was neither extensive no meant to tbe absolutely specif In he poxtprophetic period, thi iid ‘rough the ving Sunn, However, inorder to manta the Tink the prophetic legacy, hislvng Sunna wa legiimised by the ima of the community. This faction of na thus kept Sunna a certain degree of cohesivenes Following the mast Aula Saeed hadith movement, however. the organi relationship beeen Sina and Yma'vas destroyed Silay the dsincion between ‘he "prophetie Suna and living Sunna’becaieDlurred, Al ws the concepts Mach ofthis distortion took pce ever the second and third centuries AH, and fi pariclar in the work of ‘Wile Raman saw close connection beoreen the Quran and ‘he prophetic Suna he argued that hadith material shoul be sed advnely, particulary a he hadith eam wo ince many ‘upentions hat developed inthe pont: ropttc prio, sch the Prophet'sascension or mia whic, for Rahman, had wrt ally no supporein the Quan ht appeared often in the hadith Nonetheless Rahman though that the hadith, even though ey might nt necemarilyrefet ‘prophetic Sunn ould be tefl tial were caried out under the canons of hovel eric in ‘elation to historical and wcilogical bachground, even an Stach coldbcone meningioma ‘20 priority to what dhe Qur'an sid, ann parca toe ‘verall mesage, on any given issue. Where that message onlicted withthe hadith, Rahman was in no doubs that the (Quan wast be preferred ove the adh ne representing the actual legacy ofthe Prophet, In ay interpretation ofthe thi Tegal content ofthe Qur'an, the actual, explce and overall message ofthe Quran in his ew, shoul be given priory atm sa the oman problems for Mosins in rethinking the Incerpretaion ofthe Quan in oer so eae to present needs asthe historical ele thatthe adh conte he Suna of the Prophet and tht dhe Quranic ings on soll Behaous had to ‘ayo any substan thing ofthe social content of a, oth lic hus had eo be challenged nd ethoug A fame ont the thie cantent of the Quon Linking ast and rent the ble mene thay Rahn brought together the six elements of his framework for Interpreting the ethico-legal conten of the Quan and retain to the needs of Maslin the moder period in what vefeted to as his “double movement theory’ He summarises the a5 fom te comet cn tremens ef the Quanta the eer For Rahman, his involved wo movements of jure thought the it from te parclar to the general and the second from {he general othe pariulr, The Bist requires an understanding ‘ofthe Quanic principles, to which the Sunna organic In the fist movement the soco-historiel context of the Quan ‘considered in exploring specie Quranic cases inorder to artve tgeneral principles lke Junie, equality, and freedom. tn ine bith his interest in developing 3 socio-moral theory, Rahman {poke of set of principles. Since the Qu aie imperates had & ‘Suntional background and came a sluions wo actual problems, the texts of “oceasions of revelation’ despite their historical and ‘contextual problems, should be studied to wndemtand the Feaone behind the ethic legal content. The reasons, which he referred to as hitem (purposes that constitute the essence of (uranic teaching in vce), form the ba for the general prin ips” “The second movement in jurine thought referred to the method of reaonig irom the general tothe putelar, Here, the fener principles arived at under the fist moxement ae tobe hed as 4 isis for formulating laws relevant to the modern Deviod, tmnt be noted alae that anyone formulating such ls ‘ost be thoroughly familie with the conditlons ofthe modern period Jue athe background of the Quranic teaching should ‘estudio obtain the general principles, 20 mist the conte nd applied.” The importance of Rahman's ‘double mover ‘pprouch isthat he eke int account both the condition ofthe theory, Its expected that not only the traditional lama, who ‘Should determine whats lamicallyaccepable and whatnot, ‘al be ivoned, but that it wl alo iol other specai’ of Felevmce fon Gekde as dverse at history, pheno, lay, es, ‘ecology, and anthropology to atin the proces of deriving "Mamie that smearing, ewan and appropriate ‘An assessment of Rabmman’s contribution Despite his interest in a stematic approach othe ehic-ege! content ofthe Quran, Rahman didnot hold that there was one ‘ingle authortative interpretation of the text. He maw multiple sural ofthe religion aswell as forthe relevance ofthe Quan “Though he di not openly, his onion seemed tobe tha the ‘atual and perhape necessary phenomenon, The mull of imerpretadons did notin any ey dewact fom the ‘sacred of Phenomenon anda message tal umanhiereauies ull Intrpretaons ceo vemain val. Scrednes and htalty aretoeatibuteo the text ef not toitsnterpretons which Pls and asocio-moral set of alice ofa hierarchical nature in fonder to avo wnnecesay arbitrariness, or unprincpled and Forced reading othe ten, do prevent the Quan fom ing, Afomevok ont th ico cnet oft Qur'an Rata knew ha ric could be levelled at his propose framework and in particular his ‘double-movement method, because it could be seen to have ‘excesive subject” in a proces He was prepared with two responses, The Sst was that the Quran mas not slen about ite bjertnes and purpnes either Implicdly or expiily, and that thove objectives that were not fpparent cou be iene ty comsideration ofthe background tthe context ofthe les: Rahman lamed that hie procedre ould minimise subject, i ot eliminate altogether. His Second response was tha dferences in interpretation had aay ‘Sie tog jar ed a hee get ae sh In providing anaermatine framework forthe interpretation of she cthico-legal content ofthe Quran, Rahman made a major ‘ontibuton by emphasising something presioualy neglected in ‘Quranic interpretation, and by prosding clear guidlines on fw to achive His work was ot complete fo dhe principles he {give at times lacked specific examples of aplication. But he believed in the potential ofthe principles to provide anower to ‘contemporary problems and questions; any mismatch between the principle and the perf epreseted an opportunity, nota tater to reaching flexible slutions Rahman noted that fy incompatiliy exited between the normative principles of bam snd the new station, the problem lay withthe interpretive pproach: "A forthe methodology el, tere i nothing wrong, trinherenty or insaperaly del, n-Rlame abowt om Jno is own through this methodology than i has actually done" Rahman's words rm te late hae sil leant an and as summary of his interests in the aea of Quranic ite pretion {Te impementon of he Qa cnt ct ey purposes of the Cran and tau though she Bigs he Fin rhe wo ring he ut cen centro pproacesgeneralyadopecd oar tha ses bing unde Say socal uy nt onl fihand suena tte Prophet ‘Seq eh ne ea oo {Quranandhe Pope There wuld be satura er openion Rahman's approach to the Que’an and is interpretation auuracted rites from several quarters. For many a ei Rahman's argument were “radical” by any mesure, and contained major errs Apart rom the traditionalist erique of Rahman's understanding of prophecy and revelation, and of his ‘demythologsation’ of hey aspects of eal Islamic inlets historysich the concept Suna, there have been other more recent evaluations of Rahman's methodology Farid Exc, fr example argues hat: Raha shows a lack of pprecation for ‘he complexity ofthe hermeneutical tsk and the intellectual praia intrinsic oi He finds this absence of grey areas {he not seriou inacequaey in hin approach Though Rahman does not elaborate on the philosophical nature of understanding, interpretation, o meaning he emp ‘eer throughout hie writings the inadequacy of clase Approaches tothe Quran that tended oredce the tak OF ner Deaton toa linguist dimension. While stra that he argues Toramore‘objctiist’ approach othe Quan inline with the ‘work of Emilio Bets" and in opposition to Gadame's‘subjec Tis approach, Rahman cannot be said to have ignored the ‘complent ofthe hermencueal ash, as Esack aims: he spy ‘was ot interested in itor its sake ldhough he nas ceri ‘mila wth moder hermeneutical debates (a endenced in his | A frames orn te thie cnet of the Quran cxtgue of Gadamer, for inane) he fel that hs primary ‘tepoalliy auto adres the pele probes he thought ‘rede anion ftom te penpecive a 4 Mislin wo was rupglg tbe loan parca in af changng cr nent Gen hic neret i eting tami aw andthe coe Tsoi this ha withthe interpretation ofthe Qu an, be Sughttedemonste the cose elation ewe the Qaan Id seco-hioriel environment and how ths enironment fected sod pronded stat forthe underage Serpe Hescace the aed Yo nderstand the Quran lat thetnclground oft rslaton and ah allow fora mlpiy spent ihr kan ite ppc {he Quran tk eqs hor econercion anderen Bere Imultplcy allowed for, In addon, che double movement Teor, which Rahan advances in order o connect pot and preven dos et anune 2 Black and white ew of hon. Thea itaener able pee of dence boi atl and ‘Shuned ht this essen il fnton within agven ineloe tel soi plied regions alc, wich gaggia Tanan’sdouble-movement her nd teres rebated 1 theimerpretation a te ciico-egl content of he Qa an (2 Iightqhed sore) were ot mean oben formule res They wer intended aba guide tothe ntrpeter of the Quran, Win recognising the sujet uocned wi the ak Imerpcton, Baba ntempod to guide Mestins in tee appecch the Quan aay om th al econenaled Su reducionis approaches, providing ite a wider contex alti recopning tc evra and broader ing foment of he Quran nay o evan so aes sino Stout by hs emphasson the oe ofthe Prophet in he proces {rrevlaon and by emphasing the pcholopal and contex tel plc ofthe Props hee ne commony, nt concer nd asratns On talane Fahne’ approach oe (Qur'an wa among the most orig daring and semi of the Id ole went centry. His empha on the content ofthe revelation has had far reaching influence onthe debate among. Mains of question such at human sighs, women’ rights and social juice. Rahman's approuch ha been ailised by an Inereaiing number of sims to rele the Quanto conten po rary needs; il likely continue to be influential among the younger generation of Malin tlle Dejat tpenen oj Theft ren A fewer forint the hice cnet of he Qa Abdo Sad ‘yoga Fa eke urn a rt Pegi ‘ng Opn On) ora Face Haba ato = (93439. 7 roe - Afemewok or int hic lea cnt of he Qn a jm ofan Sadi 52 Ae Grin Seon of Pakinans Educational Proen ai ‘hart f Mat Soe 96 9 B ral of at Ls ed Pes 8839) ~ loa use Tradition nd Pies Mi. 80 pp. 8538. ‘Mor Fw fe ran Mine

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