From Classical Fiqh to Contemporary Tafsir: The Struggle of Islamic Thought on Women’s Political Leadership in Contemporary Indonesia
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Abstract
The study entitled “From Classical Fiqh to Contemporary Tafsir: The Struggle of Islamic Thought on Women’s Political Leadership” focuses on the dynamics of Islamic scholars’ perspectives in responding to the issue of women’s leadership in politics. This issue has long been debated, starting from classical fiqh views that tend to be textual and restrictive, to contemporary interpretations that are more contextual and egalitarian. This study is guided by two main research questions: (1) how do classical fiqh and contemporary tafsir differ in constructing the legal and theological arguments concerning women’s political leadership, and (2) what socio-historical factors have shaped the transformation of these interpretations across time? The purpose of this study is to analyze the differences between classical fiqh and contemporary tafsir, and to show how changes in social, political, and cultural contexts influence religious interpretations related to women’s leadership. This research employs a library research method with a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach. Data were collected from primary sources such as fiqh texts, classical tafsir, and hadith, as well as secondary sources including contemporary academic literature. The findings reveal that classical fiqh thought bases its prohibition of women’s leadership on literal interpretations of Qur’anic verses (e.g., QS. al-Nisā’: 34) and certain hadiths, often understood within a patriarchal framework. In contrast, contemporary tafsir offers a contextual approach by emphasizing maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah, justice, and gender equality, thereby opening the possibility of legitimizing women’s leadership in modern politics. The novelty of this study lies in its comparative analysis, which not only highlights the legal aspects but also connects the transformation of Islamic thought with the socio-political dynamics of Muslim communities, thus enriching the discourse on the relationship between religion, gender, and politics.
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