Typologies of Sufistic Quranic Exegesis in Indonesia: Mapping Methods and Schools from the Classical to the Contemporary Period

Abstract

This article examines the diverse typologies of sufistic Quranic exegesis (tafsīr ṣūfī) in Indonesia, systematically mapping their methodological approaches and intellectual lineages from the seventeenth century through the contemporary period. Employing a qualitative-descriptive library research design, the study analyses primary tafsīr works produced by Indonesian scholars alongside secondary scholarly literature. The research identifies three principal typologies operating within Indonesian sufistic exegesis. First, the isyārī typology, rooted in spiritual intuition (dhawq) while preserving the zahir (exoteric) meaning of the text, emerges most prominently in the pesantren tradition. Second, the naẓarī typology, which constructs interpretation upon pre-established philosophical frameworks of Sufism, most notably the waḥdat al-wujūd doctrine of Ibn 'Arabī, is represented in the tradition of Acehnese scholars. Third, an integrative-sufistic typology, which synthesises esoteric sensibilities with linguistic, jurisprudential, and rational approaches. Beyond binary categorisation, the article argues that sufistic exegesis in Indonesia constitutes a rich methodological spectrum deeply shaped by social-historical context, the mufassir's intellectual networks, and the spiritual needs of Muslim communities. These typologies do not develop in isolation; they interact, critique, and transform one another, producing a dynamic and evolving tradition. This study contributes to Indonesian tafsīr studies by offering a systematic analytical framework and by highlighting the continuing relevance of sufistic interpretation in contemporary Islamic scholarship.