Scientific Exegesis of the Qurʾān—A Viable Project?

Abstract

A number of modern Muslim writers see the Qurʾān as containing information or knowledge of a scientific nature. They have, accordingly, argued for the viability of what is called tafsir ʿilmī, or scientific exegesis of the Qurʾān. This paper presents and analyzes the case for and the case against tafsir ʿilmī. The principal conclusion reached is that, while the case for such tafsir is, at present, rather weak, a credible tafsir ʿilmī may come into existence if it is authentically anchored in the larger Islamic tradition.