The endeavor to understand and interpret the Qur’an, which began with its revelation, has
evolved throughout history through various scholarly traditions and schools of thought,
giving rise to new questions, issues, and interpretive methods in every era. In the earliest
period, the Companions of the Prophet, being the direct recipients of revelation, were able
to consult the Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon him) directly about matters of meaning;
hence, tafsīr activity remained within a limited framework. However, in subsequent
centuries, due to socio-cultural transformations, linguistic developments, and the conversion
of diverse peoples to Islam, tafsīr gradually developed into a comprehensive scholarly
discipline. In this process, tafsīr came to encompass not only linguistic explanation but
also engagement with history, philology, sociology, philosophy, and psychology, thereby
gaining a multidimensional academic identity. At the present stage, the discipline of tafsīr
bears the responsibility of addressing contemporary issues without severing its ties to the
classical heritage. In the modern intellectual environment, the way people engage with religious
texts has changed considerably. Scientific progress, digitalization, artificial intelligence,
and cultural pluralism have all reshaped approaches to understanding the Qur’an.
Consequently, it has become necessary to read the Qur’an in conversation with other disciplines,
to develop new interpretive perspectives, and to renew the methodological foundations
of tafsīr. The volume before you is the second book in the series “Contemporary
Issues in the Qur’an and Tafsīr,” bringing together a range of scholarly perspectives on the
Qur’an from today’s researchers. The studies presented here explore diverse and timely
topics such as the anthropological reading of the Qur’an, interpretations of jihād verses in
modern exegesis, the role and critique of metaphor in Qur’anic expression, discussions surrounding
the compilation of the Qur’an, the debate on reciting the Qur’an for the deceased,
al-Ghazālī’s hermeneutical conception of fahm (understanding), Qur’anic insights
into parental behavior and family ethics, the use of artificial intelligence and semantic
analysis in Qur’anic studies, al-Māturīdī’s maqāṣid-based interpretive approach, feminist
readings exemplified by Amina Wadud, and even the potential contributions of digital
tools such as ChatGPT to contemporary tafsīr literature. Each of these studies seeks to expand
the academic boundaries of Qur’anic exegesis while offering a Qur’an-centered perspective
on the social, technological, and intellectual challenges of our time. Every contribution
has been written with close attention to the Qur’an’s overarching message and purpose,
aiming to build a bridge between classical scholarship and the possibilities of modern
thought. This volume thus represents a scholarly effort to preserve the Qur’an’s timeless
message while rearticulating it for the contemporary human condition. By emphasizing
the significance of interdisciplinary approaches in tafsīr and Qur’anic studies, this
work aspires to serve as a valuable reference for academics and researchers alike. We believe
that this compilation-brought together through the contributions of distinguished
scholars and researchers in the field-will provide a fertile intellectual platform. Our aim is
to draw upon the intellectual heritage of the past to address the problems of today from a
Qur’anic perspective and to explore new interpretive possibilities for the future. Each paper
included in this book presents an original perspective within its area of expertise and
contributes, in its own way, to the continued development of Qur’anic scholarship. Our effort
is humble; success comes only from Allah.
Keywords: Qur’an; Tafsīr; Taʾwīl; Maqāṣid; Semantics; ChatGPT