Hadith interpretation among contemporary hadith scholars: A study on al-Ghumari's interpretation methods on selected issues

• Main Author: Ahmad Shah, Faisal
• Format: Article
• Published: Brill Academic Publishers 2021
• Subjects: BL Religion; Islam; General
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/35713/; https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85105630692&doi=10.1163%2f22321969-12340093&partnerID=40&md5=bed3dda5cec2a0b0f259635709c385df
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

This article analyses the methods applied by contemporary hadith scholars in interpreting the hadiths of the Prophet (PBUH) and the extent to which these methods were practiced by previous hadith scholars. Three leading scholars from al-Ghumārī's family were selected, namely A mad bin al- iddīq al-Ghumārī, Abdullah bin iddīq al-Ghumārī and Abd al-Azīz al-Ghumārī. Al-Ghumārīs are Sufi scholars who have been criticised for their method in evaluating hadith. This research focuses on the methods of interpretation used by the al-Ghumārīs and examines the qualitative research methodology applied by these three scholars in interpreting hadith. The result shows that several of their methods contradict the methods applied by the previous hadith scholars who were careful to distinguish between hadiths that are general or specific. In interpreting hadith al-fitan, these three scholars preferred to use ta wil (an interpretation not immediately implied by the text) rather than depending on textual methods. Much of their understanding of hadith al-fitan is based on unrealistic assumptions and without any evidence. © 2021 Brill Academic Publishers. All rights reserved.