The Reception of Orientalist Thought in Hadith Studies: An Analysis of the Academic Responses of Students in the Quranic Sciences and Tafsir Program at the State Islamic University (UIN) Mataram

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the reception of Orientalist thought in hadith studies among students of the Qur’anic Studies and Exegesis (IQT) Program at UIN Mataram, focusing on their understanding, attitudes, critical responses, and the methodological contributions of Orientalist scholarship. This field research employed a descriptive-analytical qualitative approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, literature review, and documentation, and analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The analysis employed Hans Robert Jauss’s reception theory, Stuart Hall’s encoding-decoding theory, and Edward Said’s critique of Orientalism. The findings indicate that students’ understanding of Orientalist thought is dynamic, ranging from normative-exclusive to integrative-critical perspectives. In responding to such thought, negotiated reading emerged as the dominant position. Students’ critical responses were reflected in their ability to identify Orientalist epistemological assumptions, compare different approaches, and construct scholarly arguments. Orientalist scholarship also contributes to strengthening historical-critical approaches, isnād-cum-matn analysis, interdisciplinary studies, and international academic literacy, while students continue to regard ‘ulūm al-ḥadīth as the primary foundation. This study demonstrates that Orientalist discourse can serve as a space for dialogue to strengthen Islamic scholarly traditions while fostering critical, reflective, and open academic attitudes.