Harun Abacı, The Māturīdī Interpretation of the Qur'an

Abstract

This study is an analytical evaluation of Harun Abacı's work titled Māturīdī Interpretation of the Qur'ān. This work examines Māturīdī's approach to the Qur'an from a linguistic and theological perspective. In this context, Abacı's work makes an academic contribution to the tafsīr discipline within Islamic sciences. As an in-depth study of Māturīdī's exegetical approach, the book particularly stands out with its analysis of his use of linguistic data, rhetorical principles, and sarf and nahiv rules. Abacı systematically examines al-Māturīdī's criticisms of the Mu'tazilites and the linguistic foundations of these criticisms within the exegetical tradition. The methodology of the work adopts an interdisciplinary approach, aiming to demonstrate how al-Māturīdī reinforces the relationship between reason, faith, and revelation through linguistic data. One of the most striking aspects of the book is its exploration of how Māturīdī's linguistic interpretations of theological issues evolve into an ideological tool. His efforts to establish a balance between reason and revelation, his rationalist interpretations of the Qur'an's metaphysical subjects, and the significance of this approach in contemporary Islamic thought are also highlighted. Abacı compares Māturīdī's understanding of free will and responsibility with that of the Mu'tazilites, analyzing how both schools interpret linguistic data within their ideological frameworks. In discussing these elements within the context of Islamic aqeedah, Abacı underscores that Māturīdī's perspectives provide a strong alternative to modern intellectual crises. He further clarifies how Māturīdī integrates theological principles with exegesis, develops interpretations grounded in linguistic data, and critiques the Mu'tazilites using linguistic arguments. However, due to the highly advanced linguistic foundations of the work, it is more accessible to readers with strong academic backgrounds and proficiency in Arabic. For this reason, th