Akram Khan’s Approaches to Biblical Sources in His Tafsīrsoho Qur’an Sharif

Abstract

This paper examines, following an analytical and descriptive methodology, Akram Khan’s approaches towards Biblical sources in his commentary on Qur’an known as Tafsīrsoho Qur’an Sharif (The Noble Qur’an with Tafsīr), and, thereby, intends to understand his methodology in Qur’anic exegesis. Akram Khan denies the acceptance of Biblical sources more than once in his work. Even he attacks on authors and narrators who narrated, or allowed them in their works or showed a positive approach towards them. Akram Khan’s rigorous stance against Biblical narratives and strong criticism of the exegeses who allowed those sources in their works can often lead to the assumption that he simply does not find Biblical sources reliable, like many classical and modern writers. But a close inspection reveals that it is not the soundness and validity of Biblical sources what makes him reject them, rather it is more about his preference of reason and rationalism.