The Epistemological Reconstruction of Tafsir bi al-Ijtihad in the Derivation of Islamic Law: An Analysis of Hasan’s Exegetical Principles

Abstract

This study provides an in-depth analysis of a principle of exegetical method in Abdur Rokhim Hasan's work, namely al-tafsir bi al-ijtihad muhtaj fi istinbat al-ahkam (ijtihad-based interpretation is indispensable in deriving legal rulings). The research is motivated by the proliferation of subjective interpretations that disregard scholarly methodology and, the urgent need to develop a robust epistemological framework for interpreting legal verses (ayat al-ahkam). Using a qualitative library research method with a critical-manhaji approach and content analysis, this study evaluates the theoretical structure of the fourteenth principle and its supporting evidence. The main findings indicate that an exegete's ijtihad is not merely a secondary speculative option (zanni), but an absolute prerequisite for bridging some of limited wording (lafz) of the Quranic text and the unlimited complexity of human legal events. The authenticity of this principle is firmly supported by Surah Ali 'Imran verse 7, Surah al-Baqarah verse 228, the hadith concerning the dispatch of Mu'az ibn Jabal to Yemen, and the consensus of usul scholars. The practical application of this principle is demonstrated comparatively through an analysis of the differing interpretations of the homonymous term (lafz musytarak) quru' in Surah al-Baqarah verse 228 between the Hanafi and Syafi'i schools. The contribution of this article lies in its formulation of a clear demarcation between valid scholarly ijtihad (al-tafsir al-mahmud) and deviant desire-based interpretation (al-tafsir al-madzmum), while also purifying the systematics of exegetical principles from overlap with classical usul al-fiqh.