The Epistemology of Malay Qur’anic Exegesis: A Study of Muhammad Said Umar’s Nur Al-Ihsan

This article examines the epistemological structure of Tafsir Nur Al-Ihsan by Muhammad Said bin Umar. The epistemology of tafsir is an academic discipline aimed at uncovering fundamental questions about the theory of knowledge in the interpretation of the Qur’an, particularly how the truth of a tafsir is verified based on epistemic norms. Tafsir Nurul Ihsan is a significant work of exegesis from the Malay world, yet to date, there has been no serious, incisive, and comprehensive research on the epistemology of Muhammad Said bin Umar’s exegesis work. Thus, this research aims to make a vital contribution by addressing this gap and providing a deeper understanding of tafsir epistemology. By exploring the epistemology of a tafsir, it can grasp its fundamental thought structure. This article employs a historical-philosophical approach. The findings of this research reveal that Muhammad Said bin Umar sourced references for his tafsir from earlier works such as Tafsir Al-Qur'an Al-Adzim, Jami' al-Bayan fi Ta'wil ayi al-Qur'an by Al-Thabari, Anwar Al-Tanzil wa Asrar Al-Ta’wil, Madarik Al-Tanzil wa Haqaiq Al-Ta’wil, and Tafsir al-Jalalain. Additionally, the Sufistic aspect is also elaborated by Muhammad Said in interpreting the verses of the Qur'an. Furthermore, the use of the Malay-Jawi script in his tafsir book signifies the affirmation of Malay cultural identity, indicating that Malay-language tafsirs hold the same authority as those in Arabic.