METHODOLOGY OF HAMKA AND M. QURAISH SHIHAB IN INTERPRETING PLANTS IN THE QURAN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY NUR ZAIUMI YASMIN BINTI ZAKARIA UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA METHODOLOGY OF HAMKA AND M. QURAISH SHIHAB IN INTERPRETING PLANTS IN THE QURAN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY Nur Zaiumi Yasmin Binti Zakaria Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of MASTER OF QURANIC AND SUNNAH STUDIES UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA June 2022 i AUTHOR DECLARATION I hereby declare that the work in this thesis is my own except for quotations and summaries which have been duly acknowledged. Date: Signature: Name: Nur Zaiumi Yasmin Binti Zakaria Matric No: 3191307 Address: Terengganu ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I am grateful to Allah for His permission and help, I was able to complete this thesis within the prescribed period. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my main supervisor, Associate Professor Dr. Mohamed Akhiruddin Ibrahim for giving me constructive criticism and genuine encouragement throughout this research. This thesis would not have been possible without his supervision and constant assistance. I would also like to extend my gratitude to my co-supervisor, Mr. Mohd. Nur Adzam Rasdi for his valuable guidance as well as insightful suggestions for my research. Besides, I also wish to thank the lecturers at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) for sharing their knowledge, skills, and experience in providing invaluable information for my thesis. Special thanks to my parents, Zakaria Hamzah and Aniza Muhammad Amin for their unwavering support and motivation throughout my years of study. I also could not thank enough all my close relatives for believing in my capability to finish this study. In addition, I very much appreciate my friend, Baizura for her profound belief in my work. Finally, thank you to those who have given so much help and cooperation that I cannot describe them all here. May Allah reward them all. iii ABSTRACT Hamka and M. Quraish Shihab are the Quranic interpreters in Southeast Asia that have produced Quranic interpretation books in Malay which are Tafsir al-Azhar and Tafsir al- Misbah respectively. Both scholars have their way of thinking and approach in Quranic interpretation. There are many studies that have been conducted on these two interpretation books, but the focus of studies on the Quranic plant interpretation is still lacking. The purpose of the study is to discuss the similarities and differences between the methodology of Hamka and M. Quraish Shihab in interpreting plants in the Quran. The document analysis method is applied to this study by comparing the methodology used by both scholars for plant interpretation through Tafsir al-Azhar and Tafsir al-Misbah. Every word that indicates the plants in the Quran is extracted and 42 verses are examined based on five selected topics. The results suggest that they have similarities in using the methods of socio-cultural-based explanation, historical narratives, describing the characteristics of plants, referencing to other Quranic verses, stating the scholars’ opinions, and explaining the benefits of the plants. However, Hamka has wrongly applied the explanation of the sociocultural aspects of verse 17 of surah al-Insān in his tafsir, by citing a new Arab tradition that did not coincide at all with Arab culture when the Quran was revealed. In terms of differences, M. Quraish Shihab practices the elaboration of plant terms based on the perspective of Arabic linguistic, hadith referencing, and constantly citing the scientific fact from the book of al-Muntakhab fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-Karīm published by Wizarat al-Awqaf al-Majlis al-A`la lil-Shu'un al-Islamiyah Egypt while Hamka does not do all these things. The methodology used by the two scholars in interpreting the plants in the Quran shows the development of a distinctive style among Indonesian interpreters. Therefore, a standard system is needed to check and ensure that the interpretations made by the Quranic interpreters in the Malay Archipelago are in accordance with the true context of the Quran to preserve the glory of the holy scripture. iv ABSTRAK Hamka dan M. Quraish Shihab ialah pentafsir Quran di Asia Tenggara yang telah menghasilkan tafsir berbahasa Melayu iaitu Tafsir al-Azhar dan Tafsir al-Misbah. Kedua-dua ulama ini mempunyai cara berfikir dan pendekatan tafsir tersendiri. Terdapat banyak kajian yang telah dijalankan terhadap kedua-dua kitab tafsir ini, namun fokus kajian terhadap tafsir tumbuhan Quran masih lagi kurang. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk membincangkan tentang persamaan dan perbezaan antara metodologi Hamka dan M. Quraish Shihab dalam mentafsirkan tumbuh-tumbuhan dalam Quran. Kaedah analisis dokumen diaplikasikan bagi kajian ini dengan membandingkan metodologi yang digunakan oleh kedua-dua ulama untuk tafsiran tumbuhan melalui Tafsir al-Azhar dan Tafsir al-Misbah. Setiap kalimah yang menunjukkan tumbuh- tumbuhan dalam Quran diekstrak dan sebanyak 42 ayat yang berkaitan diteliti berdasarkan lima topik yang telah dipilih. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa mereka mempunyai persamaan dalam menggunakan metodologi penjelasan berdasarkan sosiobudaya, naratif sejarah, penjelasan ciri-ciri tumbuhan, rujukan terhadap ayat-ayat Quran yang lain, menyatakan pendapat para sarjana, dan penjelasan berkaitan manfaat tumbuh-tumbuhan. Walau bagaimanapun, Hamka telah tersilap menerapkan penjelasan aspek sosiobudaya pada ayat 17 surah al-Insan dalam tafsirnya, dengan menyebut tradisi baru Arab yang sama sekali tidak bertepatan dengan budaya Arab ketika Quran diturunkan. Dari aspek perbezaan pula, M. Quraish Shihab menjelaskan istilah tumbuhan berdasarkan ilmu linguistik Arab, serta merujuk hadis-hadis yang berkaitan, dan fakta sains yang diambil dari kitab al-Muntakhab fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al- Karīm yang diterbitkan oleh Wizarat al-Awqaf al-Majlis al-A`la lil-Shu'un al- Islamiyah Mesir manakala Hamka tidak melakukan ketiga-tiga perkara tersebut. Metodologi yang digunakan oleh kedua-dua ulama tersebut dalam mentafsirkan tumbuh-tumbuhan dalam Quran menunjukkan perkembangan gaya tersendiri dalam kalangan para pentafsir Indonesia. Oleh itu, suatu sistem standard diperlukan bagi menyemak dan memastikan tafsiran yang dilakukan oleh para pentafsir di Kepulauan Melayu selari dengan konteks sebenar Quran untuk menjaga kemuliaan kalam Allah. v الملخص يعد الحاج عبد الملك بن عبد الكريم بن محمد أمر الله المعروف بـ"حمكا" ومحمد قريش شهاب الإندونيسيَّاِن من جّل رجال الدين في جنوب شرقي آسيا. وقد ألف كلٌّ منهما كتابا في تفسير القرآن باللغة الملايوية، وهما: تفسير الأزهر، وتفسير المصباح، حسب منهج تفسيري خاص بهما. لقد كثرت تنل حظا وافرا منها. دراسات علمية حول هذين الكتابين إلا أن تفسير الآيات التي تتعلق بالنباتات لم لذا تهدف الدراسة إلى كشف منهجهما في تفسير تلك الآيات. والمنهج المعتمد عليه هو تحليل النصوص، حيث اسُتْخرَِجْت اثنتا وأربعون آية من القرآن الكريم تتعلق بالنباتات، ثم إجراء دراسة مقارنة لاف بينهما. وأسفرت نتائج البحث إلى أن كلا بين منهَجْي المفّسِ َرْيِن موضحة أوجه التشابه والاخت المفّسِ رين تشابه في منهجية التفسير القائمة على الاعتماد على الثقافة الاجتماعية والتاريخية، مع شرح خصائص النباتات وتوضيح فوائدها، كما كان يشير إلى آيات القرآن الأخرى المرتبطة بها، وبيان آراء لرغم من ذلك، فقد وقع حمكا في خطأ عند توضيح عنصر الثقافة الاجتماعية على ا المفسرين والعلماء. للآية السابع عشرة من سورة الإنسان في تفسيره، إذ إنه ذكر أن عادات العرب وثقافتهم الجديدة، أي ما واختلف محمد قريش شهاب عن حمكا في بعد الإسلام، لم تطابق تماما عما كانوا عليه عند نزول القرآن. قدرته اللغوية للغة العربية في شرح أسماء النباتات، مع الإشارة إلى الأحاديث النبوية ومراجعة الحقائق ب عن المجلس الأعلى للشؤن الإسلامية بجمهورية الصادر نتخب في تفسير القرآن الكريمالم كتاب العلمية من المفّسِ رَْيِن في تفسير الآيات التي تتعلق بالنباتات في القرآن إلى ويشير ما اعتمد عليه كلا مصر العربية. تطور أسلوب المفسرين الإندونيسيين بشكل عام. لذا، إنه لمن الضروري إيجاد نظام معياري للتحقق والتأكد من صحة التفاسير التي قام بها المفسرون غير الناطقين باللغة العربية في أرخبيل الملايو حسب المراد للنص القرآني حفاظا على قدسية كلام الله. المعن vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENT PAGE AUTHOR DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii ABSTRAK iv AL-MULAKHKHAS v TABLE OF CONTENTS vi LIST OF TABLES x LIST OF FIGURES xi LIST OF TRANSLITERATIONS xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xiii CHAPTER 1 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Research Background 4 1.3 Problem Statement 7 1.4 Research Questions 9 1.5 Research Objectives 9 1.6 Significant of Research 9 1.7 Limitation of Research 10 CHAPTER 2 11 LITERATURE REVIEW 11 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 Biography of Hamka 11 2.2.1 Education 12 2.2.2 Literature Works 13 2.2.3 Career 16 2.2.4 Recognition 17 2.3 Biography of M. Quraish Shihab 18 2.3.1 Education 18 2.3.2 Literature Works 19 2.3.3 Career 22 2.3.4 Recognition 23 2.4 Tadabbūr 23 vii 2.5 Introduction to Tafsir Al-Azhar 25 2.6 Main Methodology of Hamka in Tafsir Al-Azhar 29 2.6.1 Tafsir of the Quran with Quran 29 2.6.2 Tafsir of the Quran with Hadiths 30 2.6.3 Tafsir of the Quran with Statements of the Companions 31 2.6.4 Interpretation of the Quran by Intellectual Reasoning 32 2.7 Introduction to Tafsir Al-Misbah 33 2.8 Main Methodology of M. Quraish Shihab in Tafsir Al-Misbah 38 2.8.1 Tafsir of the Quran with Quran 38 2.8.2 Tafsir of the Quran with Hadiths 40 2.8.3 Tafsir of the Quran with Statements of the Companions 41 2.8.4 Tafsir of the Quran by Intellectual Reasoning 42 2.9 Quranic Interpretation in the Malay World 42 2.10 Plants 48 2.11 Conclusion 52 CHAPTER 3 54 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 54 3.1 Introduction 54 3.2 Planning 55 3.3 Data Collection 56 3.3.1 Historical Method 56 3.3.2 Documentary Method 57 3.4 Data Analysis 60 3.4.1 Inductive Method 60 3.4.2 Comparative Method 61 3.5 Reporting 63 3.6 Conclusion 64 CHAPTER 4 65 ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 65 4.1 Introduction 65 4.2 Plant-Related Terms in the Quran 66 4.3 Plants Associated with the Punishment of Allah 70 4.3.1 The People of Sabā’ 70 3.24. Zaqqum 72 4.3.3 The People of ‘Ᾱd 74 4.4 Plant Parts Associated with the Power of Allah 76 viii 4.4.1 Seeds/Grains 76 4.4.1.1 Allah Knows Every Single Existent Seed on Earth 76 4.4.1.2 Allah is the Cleaver of Seeds and Fruit Pits 78 4.4.1.3 Allah Brings Forth the Grains for the Dead Land 79 4.4.2 Fruits 81 4.4.3 Leaf 83 4.4.4 The Whole Plant 85 4.5 Plants Mentioned as Parables in the Quran 90 4.5.1 Spend the Wealth in the Way of Allah 90 4.5.2 The Resurrection of the Dead from the Grave 91 4.5.3 Description of the Tree with the Faith 92 4.5.4 Scales of Justice for the Human Act 95 4.5.5 The Moon 97 4.5.6 The Expansion of Islam 98 4.6 Plants Associated with the Stories of Prophets and the Past Events 100 4.6.1 Prophet Muhammad 100 4.6.1.1 The Date Palms 100 4.6.1.2 The Lote Tree 101 4.6.2 Prophet Yunus 103 4.6.2.1 The Gourd 103 4.6.3 The Pharaoh 104 4.6.3.1 The Trunks of Date Palm 104 4.6.4 Maryam 105 4.6.4.1 The Trunk of Date Palm and Dates 105 4.6.5 Prophet Moses 107 4.6.5.1 Herbs, Cucumbers, Garlic, Lentils, and Onions 107 4.6.5.2 The Tree 109 4.7 Plants Associated with the Favours of Allah 110 4.7.1 The Fruits of Heaven 110 4.7.2 The Plants on Earth 113 4.7.2.1 Lote Tree 114 4.7.2.2 Banana 114 4.7.2.3 Camphor 115 4.7.2.4 Ginger 117 4.7.2.5 Pomegranates 118 4.7.2.6 Date Palm 119 ix 4.7.2.7 Dates and Grapes 121 4.7.2.8 Grains, Leaves, and Aromatic Plants 124 4.7.3 The Blessings of the Rainfall 125 4.7.3.1 Trees 125 4.8 Conclusion 126 CHAPTER 5 127 CONCLUSION 127 5.1 Introduction 127 5.2 Summary 127 5.2.1 Socio-Cultural Based Explanation 131 5.2.2 Historical Narratives 132 5.2.3 Describing the Characteristics of Plants 132 5.2.4 Referencing Other Quranic Verses 132 5.2.5 Stating the Scholars’ Opinions 132 5.2.6 Explaining the Benefits of the Plants 133 5.3 Recommendation 134 REFERENCES 137 x LIST OF TABLES Tables Page Table 4. 1 Specific Plant Names Mentioned In The Quran 66 Table 4. 2: Unspecified Plant Names Mentioned In The Quran 67 Table 4. 3: Plant Parts Mentioned In The Quran 68 Table 4. 4: Category Of Plant In The Quran 69 xi LIST OF FIGURES Figures Page Figure 3. 1: The study’s workflow 54 Figure 3. 2: Planning stage 56 Figure 3. 3: Data Collection Stage 57 Figure 3. 4: Example of search from the Madina Mushaf application 58 Figure 3. 5: Example of search from the Quran.com 59 Figure 3. 6: Analysis flowchart 60 Figure 3. 7: Tafsir al-Misbah (Al-An'am 6:95) 62 Figure 3. 8: Tafsir al-Azhar (Al-An'am 6:95) 62 Figure 3. 9: Data Analysis 62 Figure 3. 10: Data framework 63 Figure 5. 1: Specific Plant Names 128 Figure 5. 2: Unspecified Plant Names 128 Figure 5. 3: Plant Parts 129 Figure 5. 4: Plant Categories 130 xii LIST OF TRANSLITERATIONS Consonants Arabic Romanisation Arabic Romanisation ا omit ض ḍ ب b ط ṭ ت t ظ ẓ ث th ع ،(ayn) ج j غ gh ح ḥ ف f خ kh ق q د d ك k ذ dh ل l ر r م m ز z ن n س s ه/ة h ش sh و w ص ṣ ي y Vowels and Diphthongs ََ a ا ََ ā ى َِ ī َُ u ى ََ á ْو ََ aw َِ i و َُ ū ْى ََ ay Source: The American Library Association - Library of Congress (ALA-LC) Arabic Romanization table 2012. xiii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS A.H. Anno Hegirae Dr. Doctor Ed. or Eds. editor or editors ed. edition et al. and others n.a no author n.d no date No. number p. page PBUH peace be upon him pp. pages trans. translated Vol./v. volume