The Bayani Epistemology of Medieval Tafsir A Study of the Interpretation of Wudu Verses in Fakhr al-Din al-Razi’s Mafatih al-Gaib

Abstract

This paper aims to uncover the character of bayani epistemology in the interpretation of the wudu verse (QS. Al-Ma’idah [5]: 6) and to identify the patterns of interpretation applied to legal verses (ayat al-ahkam). This study employs a qualitative method based on library research, utilizing biographical research (al-bahth fi rijal al-tafsir) and descriptive-analytical analysis. The results indicate that the interpretation of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 1210 CE) is dominated by the bayani approach, a form of reasoning centered on textual authority that utilizes the Arabic language as the primary instrument of analysis through the relationship between dalil (evidence) and madlul (implied meaning), while incorporating usul al-fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence) in the process of legal istinbat. The main finding of this study is the presence of a consistent bayani pattern, with an analytical flow that begins with the examination of lafaz (linguistic, qira’at, or i’rab aspects), proceeds to the determination of dalalah (signification), and concludes with the establishment of the madlul (legal implication). This pattern is proven valid through consistency testing against the interpretation of fasting verses (QS. al-Baqarah [2]: 183) and hajj verses (QS. Ali ‘Imran [3]: 97). Within the periodization framework of Abdul Mustaqim (b. 1972 CE), this tafsir belongs to the medieval affirmative era, characterized by a dialectical-ideological inclination to defend the authority of the Shafi’i school of thought. Thus, this study asserts that the bayani epistemology in al-Razi’s tafsir possesses a convergent analytical pattern that can be tested against other legal verses, thereby strengthening its methodological contribution to the study of tafsir.