Yusuf al-Qaradawi's interpretation of the Qur'an in the context of his works on tafsir

This study examines the approach of Yusuf al-Qaradawi (1926–2022), a prominent figure in the Islamic world during the 20th and 21st centuries, toward the Qur'an through his works in the field of tafsir. It explores his methodology of interpretation and his commentary on certain verses, focusing particularly on his perspective shaped around concepts such as reason, knowledge, and patience. The study first provides information about al-Qaradawi's life, scholarly personality, and works, followed by an overview of his views on Qur'anic sciences. His stance on fundamental issues such as mutashabih (ambiguous) verses, abrogation (naskh), the occasions of revelation (asbab al-nuzul), and the disjointed letters (huruf al-muqatta'a) is also evaluated. In addition, the study investigates how he combined the methods of narration (riwayah) and reasoning (dirayah), his effort to interpret the Qur'an through the Qur'an itself, and the value he placed on the statements of the Companions and the Followers (Tabi'in). Al-Qaradawi's interpretations of certain social issues and contemporary debates are also significant for understanding his tafsir approach. In this context, his stance on topics such as homosexuality, matters of the unseen (al-ghayb), the concept of the universe, and moral values are illustrated with examples. It is observed that he remained faithful to the classical heritage while also seeking answers to modern issues under the guidance of the Qur'an.