اتجاهات المفسرين في آية أمانة أهل الكتاب في سورة آل عمران

Exegetical Approaches to the Verse on the Trustworthiness of the People of the Book in Sūrat Āl ʿImrān

Abstract

This study examines exegetical approaches to verse 75 of Surah Āl ʿImrān and evaluates their interpretive outcomes. It first outlines the Qur’anic vision of the trustworthiness of the People of the Book as articulated in the verse, then surveys and analyzes the major trends in its interpretation. The study employs inductive, analytical, and comparative methods to trace exegetical trends, examine their premises, and assess their alignment with the verse’s semantic scope. The findings identify four principal approaches: restrictive contextualization, the maqāṣid-based (objectives-oriented) approach, the juristic approach, and the application of the verse to contemporary reality. These approaches may appear individually in some commentaries or in combination within others. The study shows that applying the verse to lived reality highlights its ongoing ethical and reformative function, as claims of permissibility may reappear within Muslim societies under the guise of jurisprudence, custom, or interest. Within the maqāṣid-based and applied approaches, the verse becomes a lasting criterion for evaluating moral deviations rather than a mere historical description. The study recommends further research on exegetical approaches to verses governing relations with the “other” to better activate the Qur’an’s ethical objectives.