TAFSIR AND TA'WIL IN THE QURAN: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF SCHOLARLY APPROACHES

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of scholarly literature on tafsir (exoteric Qur’anic interpretation) and taʾwīl (esoteric or allegorical interpretation) from 2000 to 2025. Drawing on Scopus and Web of Science data, it maps key thematic trends, influential authors and institutions, regional contributions, and the citation dynamics of Qur’anic exegesis. The study identifies five major interpretive clusters by integrating quantitative metrics with conceptual network analysis: classical exegetical frameworks, contextual hermeneutics, legal-mystical ethics, political-textual readings, and philological methodology. The findings reveal an increasingly globalized and interdisciplinary field of Qur’anic interpretation that transcends traditional theological boundaries. This study highlights the diversification of interpretive approaches and demonstrates the value of bibliometric tools in enriching meta-analytical perspectives within Islamic studies. It contributes to the growing field of digital Islamic humanities and offers a framework for evaluating the evolving architecture of Qur’anic hermeneutics in the twenty-first century.