FAZLUR RAHMAN AND THE HERMENEUTICAL SHIFT IN ISLAM

Abstract

This article examines the contributions of Fazlur Rahman (1919-1988), a prominent 20^th-century Islamic thinker, to Quranic hermeneutics and Islamic modernism. The author analyzes the place of the idea of renewal (tajdid) in Islamic history, and the renewal movements of the modern periods, focusing on Fazlur Rahman's unique approach. His «double movement» method, his holistic reading of the Quran, and his approach to grounding its ethical content-particularly, the principles of socio-economic justice and equality – are all analyzed. His critique of the «atomistic» approach prevalent in medieval Islamic scholarship and his views on the importance of considering the historical context of Quranic verses are thoroughly examined as a methodological shift.