The Methodology for Resolving Conflicts Between Scientific Facts and the Interpretations of Early Qur'anic Exegetes

Abstract

The significant methodological concern in contemporary Islamic research is the link between scientific findings and classical Qur'anic exegesis. A systematic legal-hermeneutical methodology to resolve conflicts between modern scientific knowledge and early Qur'anic exegetes has received less attention than scientific interpretation studies (al-tafsīr al-‘ilmī). The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive methodological framework to resolve such conflicts by combining the principles of Uṣūl al-fiqh, Uṣūl al-tafsīr, Arabic linguistic analysis, contextual interpretation (siyāq), reconciliation (jam‘), and legal preference (tarjīḥ). The study adopts qualitative doctrinal and legal-hermeneutical research design. Selected Qur’anic verses on natural phenomena were analyzed through textual, contextual, comparative and thematic analysis. The results show that most of the perceived conflicts are apparent, they are due to the differences in historical background, semantic range, and the development of empirical knowledge not the contradiction between revelation and science. The study finds three mechanisms to resolve apparent conflicts, namely semantic inclusion, interpretive complementarity and interpretive compatibility. It shows that genuine conflicts should be resolved by legal preference based mainly on contextual coherence and established principles of Islamic legal methodology. The framework proposed is a balanced and systematic model, which preserves the authority of the Qur’an, honors the methodological legacy of classical exegetes and allows for constructive engagement with established scientific knowledge. This study is a contribution to the contemporary Qur’anic studies, Islamic legal hermeneutics and interdisciplinary studies by providing practical methodological guidance for scientifically related Qur’anic interpretation and future studies on the relationship between revelation and empirical science.