سورۃ الکہف میں معجزات اور واقعات کی تعبیر: تفسیرِ ماجدی اور تفسیر القرآن (سرسید) کا کلامی و تقابلی مطالعہ

Interpretation of Miracles and Events in Surah Al-Kahf: A Theological and Comparative Study of Tafsir Majidi and Tafsir-ul-Quran

Abstract

This research presents a comprehensive theological and comparative analysis of the miracles and extraordinary events narrated in Surah Al-Kahf, focusing on the exegetical methodologies of Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi in Tafsir Majidi and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in Tafsir-ul-Quran. The study highlights the fundamental intellectual clash between traditional Islamic scholasticism (Ilm al-Kalam) and nineteenth-century modernist rationalism. By examining key Quranic narratives—including the prolonged sleep of the Companions of the Cave, the esoteric encounter between Prophet Moses and Khidr, and the expeditions of Dhul-Qarnayn—the paper explores how classical tradition defends the metaphysical realities of the Quran, whereas the modernist approach attempts to demystify these events to align them strictly with the empirical laws of nature. The findings demonstrate that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s hyper-rationalist approach often leads to metaphorical reinterpretations that significantly alter the apparent and established meanings of the Quranic text, reducing divine miracles to mere historical or socio-political occurrences. In contrast, Maulana Daryabadi’s methodology successfully balances reason with revelation, asserting that divine omnipotence transcends human logic and natural laws. The research concludes that while Sir Syed’s exegesis was an apologetic response to the dominance of Western science, Tafsir Majidi provides a far more textually coherent, theologically robust, and academically rigorous defense of the Quranic worldview and the reality of miracles.