Hermeneutics from Islamic Perspective

Abstract

Hermeneutics is the science of interpretation. The source material of Hermeneutics is texts and other utterances, and the goal is to achieve understanding of their meanings. In religious studies the study of texts and utterances is not an end in itself, but a means to say something about religion and religious processes in a society. Because this field of science was initiated by Western scholars in the name of Biblical interpretation and unlike very few Muslim theologians who used it in the interpretation of their divine book the Quran, many opposed it and thought it a conspiracy against Islam to deviate Muslims from true teachings of divine book the Quran. This article first of all gives a brief account of definition, types and history of Hermeneutics, how and what kind of role Hermeneutics plays in the interpretation and exegesis of divine texts; shares views of Muslim scholars about this field of science secondly; and finally give concluding remarks.