Tafsir Nusantara: Karakteristik Epistemologis dan Kontribusinya dalam Diskursus Tafsir Al-Qur'an Kontemporer

Abstract

This study analyzes the epistemological characteristics of Nusantara tafsir and measures its contribution to the contemporary global Qur'anic exegesis discourse. Nusantara tafsir refers to the tradition of Qur'anic interpretation that grew and developed in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, by integrating local values, the Malay-Nusantara Islamic intellectual tradition, and modern scientific paradigms. This research employs an epistemological approach to tafsir developed by contemporary tafsir scholars, with a descriptive-critical analysis method applied to major Nusantara tafsir works from the 17th to the 21st century. The findings indicate that Nusantara tafsir possesses distinctive epistemological characteristics, including a practical-contextual orientation, accommodation of local traditions, use of vernacular languages and scripts, and sensitivity to the socio-religious dynamics of local communities. The contribution of Nusantara tafsir to the global discourse is manifested in offering an Islamic hermeneutical model rooted in the experience of Muslim communities in a region with high cultural diversity. This study concludes that Nusantara tafsir represents a significant epistemological variant in the global Islamic exegetical treasury and deserves more serious attention in contemporary tafsir scholarship.