Epistemologi Sufi dalam Penafsiran Huruf Muqaṭṭa‘āt:

Analisis Tafsir Isyārĭ dalam Ḥaqā’iq al-Tafsĭr Karya al-Sulamĭ

Abstract

Sufi exegesis of the isyÄrÄ­ type continues to be a subject of debate, as it is often regarded as subjective, weak in terms of verifiable transmission, and potentially prone to departing from the literal (ẓÄhir) meaning of the Qur’an. This article responds to these concerns by examining how AbÅ« ‘Abd al-RaḥmÄn al-SulamÄ­ (d. 412 H/1021 M) constructed an epistemic foundation for mystical interpretation in his work ḤaqÄ’iq al-TafsÄ­r, focusing specifically on the case of the muqaá¹­á¹­a’Ät (disjointed letters). This study employs a qualitative library-based approach, using ḤaqÄ’iq al-TafsÄ­r and al-Sulamĭ’s works related to the malÄmatiyyah tradition as primary sources, supported by scholarship on the historical development of Sufism in KhurÄsÄn and the discourse on the science of letters. The analysis is conducted through qualitative content analysis and historical-contextual interpretation using an operational A-B-C coding scheme. The findings demonstrate that al-Sulamĭ’s reading of the muqaá¹­á¹­a’Ät is not merely a form of individual symbolism, but rather a structured epistemic practice articulated through a stratification of meaning between ẓÄhir and isyÄrah, spiritual authorization mediated through networks of early Sufi authority, and an ethical-spiritual validation oriented toward transformative experience. This article highlights the contribution of this interpretive model while also acknowledging its limitations, particularly the requirement of coherence with the ẓÄhir meaning and adherence to the discipline of spiritual propriety (adab).