Interpreting the QurAoan in a Corruption A QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies ISSN (Onlin.
: 2828-2779 Received: 17-06-2025.
Revised: 28-09-2025 Accepted: 30-09-2025.
Published: 01-10-2025 DOI: https://doi.
org/10.
23917/qist.
Interpreting the QurAoan in a Corruption-Laden Space:
MuhammadiyahAos Anti-Corruption Discourse in Tafsir At-Tanwir Akhlis Al Majid1.
Ali Thaufan Dwi Saputra2 Abstract This study examines Tafsir At-Tanwir, the official QurAoanic commentary of Muhammadiyah, as a form of interpretation grounded in the contemporary social realities of Indonesia.
Using a descriptive-critical approach with thematic categorization, the research reveals that its anti-corruption discourse is constructed through three main perspectives: as a deviation from the principle of tawhid, as a failure to integrate worship with social ethics, and as a consequence of neglecting Islamic values in leadership and wealth management.
The analysis demonstrates that rather than adopting a neutral stance, the commentary explicitly positions itself as part of MuhammadiyahAos ideological daAowah strategy to realize an ideal Islamic society.
Thus.
Tafsir At-Tanwir is not merely an explanatory text of sacred verses but also a powerful tool for social transformation.
Keywords: Tafsir At-Tanwir.
anti-corruption discourse.
Muhammadiyah.
QurAoanic social critique.
Indonesia.
Introduction QurAoanic interpretation is an intellectual practice that never exists in a vacuum because it is always influenced by the political, cultural, and social contexts in which it emerges and evolves .
This phenomenon is evident globally, where QurAoanic interpretations often reflect the socio-political realities of their time.
The political activism and state critique in Sayyid QutbAos F eilAl alQurAoAn, for example, were inseparable from the socio-political turmoil of mid20th century Egypt, just as Abul AAola MaududiAos Tafhm al-QurAoAn was intricately connected with his vision for an Islamic socio-political order in the Indian subcontinent .
Essentially, interpretation is not merely a literal understanding UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
Banten.
Indonesia.
Corresponding akhlisalmajid@gmail.
Orcid: https://orcid.
org/0009-0002-7318-4931 UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
Banten.
Indonesia.
Email: ali.
thaufan@uinjkt.
Email:
QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
Vol 4.
No 2, 2025 Akhlis Al Majid.
Ali Thaufan Dwi Saputra of divine revelation, but rather, it is the product of a complex interaction between the text, the interpreter, and the surrounding social reality .
This dynamic is explained through various theoretical lenses.
From the perspective of philosophical hermeneutics.
Hans-Georg GadamerAos concept of Aufusion of horizonsAy posits that understanding occurs through a meeting between the historical horizon of the text and the contemporary horizon of the interpreter .
Amn al-Khl reinforces this by highlighting that interpretation is a dynamic process, shaped by the interpreterAos knowledge, experiences, and intellectual inclinations.
Ultimately, as Islah Gusmian argues.
QurAoanic interpretation functions as a cultural product that emerges from the interpretersAo engagement with the social, political, and intellectual discourses of its time .
Indeed, the history of QurAoanic interpretation is rich with examples where the text has been used as a medium for social critique.
The history of QurAoanic interpretation in Indonesia records various such efforts.
For instance.
Misbah MusthofaAos work contains criticism of the banking system and family planning programs .
KH Ahmad Sanusi utilized interpretation to oppose Dutch colonialism .
and SyuAobah Asa adopted a journalistic QurAoanic approach to denounce corruption and human rights violations during the New Order regime .
This local tradition mirrors a global phenomenon, where figures such as Farid Esack and Shaadab Rahemtulla position QurAoanic interpretation as a medium of liberation in the face of injustices experienced by marginalized Muslim communities .
Following this long tradition of social engagement, contemporary Indonesian interpretations are now confronted with corruption, one of the nationAos most deep-rooted and widespread problems.
Data from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) recorded more than 1,300 corruption cases processed between 2004 and 2022, with bribery and embezzlement as the most dominant forms .
Transparency International has consistently placed IndonesiaAos Corruption Perception Index below 50, indicating low public trust in the integrity of the government sector .
This score places Indonesia significantly below other Muslim-majority countries such as Malaysia .
and Saudi Arabia .
, emphasizing the severity of the national challenge .
In such a context, religious discourse, including QurAoanic interpretation, faces two positions, either serving as a legitimizing tool for power structures or functioning as a space of resistance and critique against social injustice.
Tafsir At-Tanwir, compiled by the Majelis Tarjih and Tajdid of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah, clearly takes the latter stance.
At-Tanwir does not present itself as ideologically neutral.
Instead, it explicitly constructs an anticorruption discourse as a central part of its interpretive project.
In contrast to critical interpretations that originate from individual thinkers.
Tafsir At-Tanwir is a collective and institutional project consciously designed to respond to the QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
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No 2, 2025 Interpreting the QurAoan in a Corruption A national crisis.
While previous studies have highlighted At-TanwirAos progressive and responsive nature, its specific anti-corruption discourse remains For instance.
Rabbany et al.
, in their study on the AtTanwirAos environmental interpretations, acknowledged its frequent criticism of corruption but did not analyze it in depth .
Consequently, a significant research gap remains regarding how this anti-corruption discourse is ideologically constructed and shaped by Muhammadiyah within IndonesiaAos socio-political context.
This article aims to fill this gap, demonstrating how QurAoanic interpretation can serve as a transformative and contextually grounded form of daAowah.
The main research questions are: how does Muhammadiyah, through Tafsir At-Tanwir, construct its anti-corruption discourse? And how do ideological frameworks and IndonesiaAos socio-political conditions influence this Method This study employs a qualitative approach using descriptive-critical analysis and complemented by thematic categorization.
The primary data source is Tafsir At-Tanwir Volumes 1 and 2, compiled by the Majelis Tarjih and Tajdid of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah.
In addition to textual analysis, this research is enriched by primary data from interviews with key members of the compilation team and non-systematic observation of Tafsir At-TanwirAos ongoing drafting processes, which provide insight into the consistent institutional methodology applied throughout the project.
Based on an initial review, the term korupsi .
appears 25 times throughout these two volumes, distributed across the interpretation of verses such as Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 3, 4, 6Ae7, 21, 42, 48, 63Ae66, 85, 163, 168, 170, 183, 186, 188, 205, 208, 257, 267-269, and 270.
This count does not include related terms such as korup .
and other similar However, not all interpretations of these verses formulate a systematic anti-corruption discourse, as some passages recurring ideas or similar themes.
For this reason, this study identified several main themes within the discourse and categorized the verses accordingly.
To maintain analytical focus and depth, this study limits its in-depth analysis to twelve selected verses from Surah alBaqarah .
: 3, 21, 85, 163, 170, 183, 188, 205, 208, 257, 267, and 268.
These verses were chosen because they represent the core thematic and argumentative approaches in constructing the anti-corruption discourse.
This limitation is intended to ensure coherence and sharpness in the reading, while also providing a systematic understanding of how Tafsir At-Tanwir contextualizes its critique within IndonesiaAos socio-political reality.
QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
Vol 4.
No 2, 2025 Akhlis Al Majid.
Ali Thaufan Dwi Saputra The data analysis was carried out in two stages: first, a descriptive analysis to identify the forms of the anti-corruption discourse articulated in Tafsir AtTanwir.
And second, a critical interpretation to examine how MuhammadiyahAos ideology and IndonesiaAos socio-political context influence the formation of this Results and Discussion Criticism of Corruption in Tafsir At-Tanwir The anti-corruption discourse in Tafsir At-Tanwir is a logical consequence of an interpretive orientation that is responsive to the socio-political realities of Indonesia.
This discourse is constructed through at least three main thematic frameworks, which are analyzed below based on the interpretation of several verses in Surah al-Baqarah .
Table 1: Thematic Frameworks of Anti-Corruption Discourse in Tafsir At-Tanwir Thematic Framework Corruption Deviation from Tawhid Key Verses Analyzed 2: 163, 170, 85, 257 Ritualism Without Social Ethics 2: 3, 21, 183, 208, 188 Corruption.
Leadership
Ethics, and Unlawful Wealth
2: 205,
267, 268
Core Argument in Tafsir At-Tanwir Corruption is a form of Aumodern polytheismAy where wealth and power are deified.
It is normalized through the blind imitation .
of a corrupt systemic Ritual worship .
, hajj, fastin.
devoid of ethical impact is empty formalism.
rise in ritual piety must correlate with a decrease in corruption.
Corruption is a destructive act .
by hypocritical leaders.
Donating illicitly gained wealth cannot AupurifyAy it and indicates a deeper moral decay.
QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
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No 2, 2025 Connection to Indonesian Context Critiques materialism and the normalization of corrupt practices within the bureaucracy and Addresses the paradox of high religious observance in Indonesia coexisting with high corruption rates.
Critiques the behavior of officials who use religious symbols while engaging in corruption, and the phenomenon of Aumoney Interpreting the QurAoan in a Corruption A launderingAy through charity.
Corruption as a Deviation from Tawhid One of the most fundamental themes in Tafsir At-TanwirAos anti-corruption discourse frames the practice of corruption within a theological framework, positioning tawhid .
he oneness of Go.
as the central principle of social life.
Tawhid is understood not merely as a theoretical acknowledgment but as an existential commitment that demands full adherence to divine values and a rejection of modern Auidolatry,Ay such as the obsession with wealth, status, and In interpreting Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 163.
Tafsir At-Tanwir asserts that many people treat wealth and power as ultimate life goals, leading them to violate divine commandments through acts of corruption, theft, and plunder.
At-Tanwir expands the concept of ilAh .
beyond traditional idols to include anything that becomes the object of ultimate loyalty.
By referencing classical scholars like al-AfahAn and Ibn Taymiyyah.
Tafsir At-Tanwir argues that when wealth or position becomes the primary focus of life, it effectively becomes a Augod.
Ay This verse is thus used to show that corruption is not merely a criminal offence but a deviation from tawhid, a form of modern polytheism where God is replaced by the AudeityAy of material wealth .
This is further reinforced by the interpretation of Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 170, which addresses taqlid .
lind imitatio.
Tafsir At-Tanwir connects this to a corrupt mentality where corruption becomes culturally inherited and This interpretation frames corruption as a form of systemic and cultural corruption, where perpetrators feel no guilt because they are merely Aufollowing what has already been doneAy as part of a Ausystematic legacyAy .
AtTanwirAos analysis finds a parallel in academic discussions of systemic corruption.
James C.
Scott, for example, argues that such behavior often emerges from a clash between formal public norms and deeply ingrained traditional values, such as obligatory gift-giving or strong kinship loyalties .
Furthermore, the interpretation of Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 85 adds another The verse refers to the behavior of the Children of Israel who practiced religion selectively.
At-Tanwir highlights the tendency among some to exhibit religious symbols while, in practice, deifying rank and authority.
In this context, corruption emerges as a form of dishonesty disguised in religious appearances .
Additionally.
al-Baqarah .
: 257, which uses the metaphors of eulumAt .
and nr .
, is interpreted as representing a socially decayed condition resulting from the abandonment of tawhidic values.
QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
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Ali Thaufan Dwi Saputra Those who distance themselves from tawhid are said to live in moral darkness, reflected in practices of corruption and injustice .
By framing corruption through these diverse verses.
Tafsir At-Tanwir achieves a significant conceptual reframing.
It elevates corruption from a mere legal or criminal offence into a profound spiritual crisis rooted in the deviation from tawhid.
Whether manifested as the deification of materialism, the blind imitation of corrupt culture, or the hypocrisy of selective piety, the core message is consistently that corruption is ultimately a symptom of a compromised monotheistic conviction.
Ritualism Without Social Ethics The next most pointed theme in the discourse is directed at the phenomenon of increasing religious expression through rituals that are not accompanied by social implications.
Tafsir At-Tanwir identifies a growing gap between ritual observances, such as prayer .
, fasting, and hajj, and the Muslim communityAos social responsibility.
In its interpretation of Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 3.
Tafsir At-Tanwir criticizes ritual prayer that fails to impact ethical conduct.
At-Tanwir defines a perfect prayer as one that integrates both its spiritual and physical dimensions, requiring not only correct movements but also a state of humility .
and submissiveness .
that internalizes its moral purpose.
By linking this verse to Q.
al-`Ankabt .
: 45 (AuIndeed, prayer prevents immorality and wrongdoingA.
Tafsir At-Tanwir argues that prayer must function as a moral Consequently, if individuals who pray regularly still engage in corruption, theft, and fraud, then they are most likely not acting in accordance with GodAos guidance.
A similar message is found in Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 21, which calls on humanity to worship Allah.
Here.
Tafsir At-Tanwir criticizes religious practice that reduces worship to a mere formality.
At-Tanwir specifically links this verse to the increasing number of hajj pilgrims, an outward display of piety that, paradoxically, does not correlate with a reduction in corruption, collusion, and nepotism (KKN) .
This critique is particularly relevant when validated by contemporary data.
IndonesiaAos hajj pilgrim quota reached a record 241,000 in 2024 .
, reflecting high religious enthusiasm.
Yet, during the same period.
IndonesiaAos Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has shown no sustained improvement, returning to 34 in 2023, the same level as in 2014 .
Another report, such as a national survey by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) in 2017, also confirms this paradox, showing that a high level of religiosity correlates with a strong anti-corruption attitude, but does not significantly reduce the corrupt behavior itself .
QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
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No 2, 2025 Interpreting the QurAoan in a Corruption A The critique continues in the interpretation of Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 183, a verse about fasting, which is presented as a mechanism for cultivating a taqwa (God-consciousnes.
with direct social implications.
Citing a hadith from auu al-BukhAr.
Tafsir At-Tanwir emphasizes that fasting is meaningless if one does not abandon false speech and wrongful actions.
Furthermor.
At-Tanwir directly states the irony that in a nation where so many fast, corruption remains rampant, suggesting that the spiritual essence of the ritual has been lost .
Moreover, in the interpretation of Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 208 which commands Muslims to enter Islam kAffah .
Tafsir At-Tanwir interprets this as a critique of sectoral religiosity, where Islamic values are applied in personal worship but neglected in social conduct.
This is seen in behaviors such as environmental destruction, corruption, looting, adultery, hedonism, and In Tafsir At-TanwirAos view, complete Islam must manifest in all aspects of life, encompassing faith .
, worship .
bAda.
, ethics .
, and worldly transactions .
uAmalah dunyawiyya.
The critique of ineffective religiosity also appears in Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 188, which forbids bribery, stating that such acts indicate a failure to make faith the foundation of ethical decisionmaking .
Through its reading of these verses.
Tafsir At-Tanwir delivers a vital message that authentic piety is piety with social implications.
Worship must not remain a symbolic formality but should shape individuals who are honest, just, and accountable.
Corruption.
Leadership Ethics, and Unlawful Wealth In addition.
Tafsir At-Tanwir interprets corruption as a deviation from ethical values in leadership, symbolically portrayed through actions that destroy the social order.
In its interpretation of Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 205.
At-Tanwir illustrates a figure who appears to promote peace but behaves destructively when given power.
This character not only causes environmental damage but also represents the hypocritical nature of leadership devoid of trustworthiness.
Tafsir At-Tanwir suggests that social destruction, often exacerbated by corruption, is frequently cloaked in religious imagery and rhetoric of good, while it causes profound harm .
Further, the interpretation of Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 267 highlights the importance of the source of wealth used in charitable giving .
The verse commands believers to give from the Augood thingsAy .
they have earned.
Tafsir At-Tanwir uses this to launch a sharp critique of those who donate wealth acquired through illicit means like corruption, rejecting the notion that such charity can AupurifyAy unlawful gains.
At-Tanwir argues this practice is worse than what the verse literally forbids, as it stems from an inability to even distinguish lawful from unlawful wealth .
This theme is reinforced through the QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
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Ali Thaufan Dwi Saputra interpretation of verses 168, 170, and 188, which similarly link corruption to impure sustenance and unethical economic behavior.
Meanwhile, in the interpretation of Q.
al-Baqarah .
: 268.
Tafsir AtTanwir offers a more explicit socio-historical critique relevant to the Indonesian At-Tanwir recounts how, during the early years of IndonesiaAos independence, leaders exhibited a sincere spirit of service, living simply and refraining from self-enrichment or nepotism.
However, over the following decades, a shift in values emerged.
Leadership gradually became oriented toward personal and familial gain, even through unethical means such as corruption .
Thus, although Tafsir At-Tanwir does not provide specific historical references, the interpretation of verse 268 not only highlights personal moral failure but also offers a historical and sociological reading of the shift in leadership values in Indonesia.
Tafsir At-Tanwir presents corruption as not merely an individual wrongdoing but a systemic symptom of deteriorated value orientation at the structural level.
Through this approach.
Tafsir At-Tanwir expands its QurAoan-based critique to include social injustice legitimized by These examples demonstrate that Tafsir At-Tanwir constructs a layered critique of corrupt leadership, one that harms society and taints religious values.
Corruption is not treated merely as an isolated act, but as a phenomenon linked to the erosion of integrity in the management of authority and wealth.
Consequently, the commentary functions both as a moral warning and as a call to build a governance system that is clean, just, and aligned with religious The Institutional Production of Discourse: A View from the Field The claim that Tafsir At-Tanwir is a strategic and consciously designed project is not merely an analytical inference but is substantiated by observations of its production process.
Unlike QurAoanic interpretations authored by individuals.
At-Tanwir is the product of a highly structured, multi-stage institutional mechanism coordinated by the Majelis Tarjih dan Tajdid .
This process, observed firsthand, ensures that the final text is both intellectually rigorous and ideologically aligned with MuhammadiyahAos broader mission .
The first stage is the Halaqah Penemaan (Theme-Setting Roundtabl.
, where the leadership of the Majelis Tarjih and the editorial team collaboratively determine the specific themes and sub-themes to be addressed for a given section of the QurAoan.
This top-down thematic planning is crucial, as it is the stage where contemporary societal issues are explicitly identified and selected as the interpretive focus.
The authorsAo observation confirms that these discussions directly engage with urgent national problems, ensuring that the commentary is QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
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Following this, expert writers from within the Muhammadiyah network, who possess relevant academic backgrounds for the chosen themes, are selected and commissioned .
Before beginning their work, these commissioned writers are gathered for a Halaqah Pra-Penafsiran (Pre-Interpretation Worksho.
This stage serves as a crucial orientation where the editorial team aligns the vision and provides detailed technical instructions.
Here, writers are briefed on the assigned themes, the mandatory application of the Manhaj Tarjih methodology, and Tafsir AtTanwirAos desired characteristics, which are to be responsive, inspiring, and ethosbuilding.
This briefing process ensures that each author, despite their individual expertise, operates within a unified institutional framework from the very outset .
Once the initial drafts are written, they are subjected to a critical review process in the Halaqah Penafsiran (Interpretation Discussion Foru.
In this forum, the writer presents their work to a panel of reviewers, which includes senior members of the Majelis Tarjih, other subject-matter experts, and the editorial team.
This stage functions as an internal peer-review system, where drafts are debated, challenged, and refined to ensure consistency, clarity, and fidelity to the Manhaj Tarjih .
he official methodolog.
This collective intellectual vetting process, therefore, does not merely refine individual opinions but actively constructs the anti-corruption discourse as a consolidated, institutional stance.
Ideological and Contextual Dimensions: The Driving Forces Behind the Discourse The anti-corruption discourse in Tafsir At-Tanwir is not a neutral textual reading but is profoundly shaped by a dialectical process involving MuhammadiyahAos institutional identity and the Indonesian socio-political The commentary project was formally established during the organizationAos Centennial Congress in 2010 .
, though its origins trace back to a 2009 magazine column .
It functions as a strategic tool for MuhammadiyahAos mission, transforming QurAoanic interpretation into a medium for shaping public consciousness and promoting social transformation.
This interpretive approach is rooted in two key foundations, which are its core ideology and its epistemology.
Ideologically.
Tafsir At-Tanwir reflects MuhammadiyahAos identity as an Islamic movement of DaAowah Amar MaAoruf Nahi Munkar .
njoining good and forbidding evi.
and Tajdid (Renewa.
, with the vision of realizing Aua truly Islamic societyAy .
This envisioned society comprehensively implements Islamic values across all dimensions of life, as described in the QurAoan through terms such as khaira ummah .
he best communit.
and umatan wasatha .
balanced natio.
and syuhada Aoala al-nas QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
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Ali Thaufan Dwi Saputra .
itnesses over humanit.
In terms of its epistemology.
Tafsir At-Tanwir is grounded in the Manhaj Tarjih, a distinctive framework integrating bayani .
, burhani .
, and irfani .
approaches, allowing for interpretations relevant to modern social dynamics .
The bayani approach ensures that interpretations are anchored in textual and linguistic analysis of the QurAoan and Sunnah.
The burhani approach, however, is what enables At-TanwirAos deep contextual engagement by legitimizing the integration of rational thought and social realities into the interpretive process, producing a critique whose relevance is affirmed by the external empirical data cited earlier, such as the corruption statistics from KPK and LSI.
Finally, the irfani approach allows the interpretersAo moral sensitivity and spiritual insight, shaped by MuhammadiyahAos activist ethos, to guide the interpretation toward addressing societal injustices.
Furthermore.
Tafsir At-TanwirAos official foreword explicitly outlines three guiding characteristics intended to ensure its transformative impact.
It was designed to be .
Responsive, directly addressing concrete societal problems.
Inspiring Dynamics, motivating Muslims toward proactive social and intellectual engagement.
Inspiring Ethos, cultivating various societal values including a social ethos built upon justice, transparency, trustworthiness, and accountability.
This stated intentionality to foster an ethos of good governance confirms that At-TanwirAos engagement with corruption was not incidental but a deliberate and systematic feature of its design .
Moreover, the interpretations framing corruption as a deviation from tawhid align perfectly with this ideological stance, as tawhid serves as MuhammadiyahAos fundamental principle .
By elevating corruption from a legal issue to a matter of core faith, the discourse becomes a powerful tool for moral mobilization.
However, this theological framing also presents a critical Defining a universal civic problem in such exclusive terms may inadvertently limit its appeal to a broader audience.
This reflects a dynamic within modern Islamic movements, which, as noted by scholars like Fazlur Rahman, often reinterpret classical concepts for contemporary socio-political ends .
Similarly, interpretations linking ritual worship with social responsibility reflect MuhammadiyahAos transformative daAowah orientation.
This approach is rooted in the Theology of Al-MaAoun, introduced by its founder.
KH.
Ahmad Dahlan .
The principle is particularly evident in the interpretation of Surah alBaqarah .
: 208.
Here, the four central elements of MuhammadiyahAos Islamic doctrine, faith .
, ethics .
, worship .
, and worldly transactions .
uamalah duniaw.
, are underscored as integral components of a holistic Islamic life .
QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
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Tafsir At-Tanwir was composed within a context of a severe national crisis of public trust due to corruption.
The anti-corruption discourse in Tafsir At-Tanwir is a direct continuation of a long-standing institutional concern within Muhammadiyah.
This concern did not emerge suddenly.
Rather, it had been a primary agenda of the organization long before this commentary was This concern was formally articulated in the Pernyataan Pikiran Muhammadiyah Abad Kedua, an ideological document produced at the same Centennial Congress in 2010 that mandated Tafsir At-TanwirAos compilation.
The declaration explicitly identifies corruption as a primary national challenge, thus directly linking At-TanwirAos mission to this problem from its very inception .
This focus was not new but built upon earlier initiatives.
These include a pre-centennial declaration in 2005 .
and the 2006 publication of Fikih Antikorupsi by the Majelis Tarjih dan Tajdid .
The latter is particularly significant, as its development was driven by figures like Syamsul Anwar, who was also the key initiator of the Tafsir At-Tanwir project.
In fact, his original proposal for the commentary again cited corruption as a critical motivation .
This consistent thread demonstrates that Tafsir At-Tanwir is an ideologically grounded and deliberate response to a tangible and urgent socio-political Chart 1: The Production Flow of Anti-Corruption Discourse in Tafsir At-Tanwir Muhammadiyah's Core Ideology Tawhid.
Theology of Al-Ma'un.
DaAowah Amar MaAoruf Nahi Munkar and Tajdid.
Methodological Framework Manhaj Tarjih: Integration of Bayani.
Burhani, 'Irfani.
gical Framework Centennial Congress Mandate .
& National Corruption Crisis.
gical Framework Collective Halaqah System: Theme-Setting.
Expert Writing.
Critical Review.
gical Framework Systematic Anti-Corruption Discourse in Tafsir AtTanwir gical Framework Institutional Mandate & Contextual Trigger Intellectual Production Process Discursive Output QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies.
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Ali Thaufan Dwi Saputra Conclusion This study demonstrates that Tafsir At-Tanwir, as an official interpretive project of Muhammadiyah, represents a contextual approach to QurAoanic interpretation that actively engages with IndonesiaAos contemporary social Rather than functioning as a theologically neutral text, this commentary positions itself as a medium for social critique and constructs a robust anticorruption discourse by framing corruption as a deviation from tawhid, a failure of ritual piety to translate into social ethics, and a consequence of neglecting Islamic values in leadership and wealth management.
This research contributes a new perspective to the study of contemporary QurAoanic interpretation by highlighting how institutional and collective commentaries like Tafsir At-Tanwir function as socio-political documents, not just theological texts.
The model of socially engaged interpretation offered here, collectively produced by a civil society movement to address a national crisis, presents a compelling case study for understanding the role of religious discourse in modern nation-states and offers a potential model for other social movements in the Muslim world seeking to utilize scriptural interpretation as a tool for systemic change.
This study has three main implications.
For QurAoanic studies, it reinforces the need to analyse modern commentaries through an interdisciplinary lens that considers their ideological and socio-political dimensions.
For anti-corruption studies, it introduces a theological-ethical framework as a vital component in the fight against corruption, offering an internal accountability mechanism based on faith that complements external legal enforcement.
Finally, for the study of transnational Islamic thought, this research presents a distinct Indonesian model of Islamic activism, where scriptural interpretation becomes a strategic tool for civil society to engage in nation-building and advocate for social justice.
Acknowledgement The authors acknowledge the use of ChatGPT .
ttps://chat.
and Google Gemini .
ttps://gemini.
com/) to help refine the academic language and coherence.
The authors manually rechecked all output for accuracy and modified it further to better represent their own tone and style of writing.
The authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the whole content of the article.
Funding This research was funded by the Muhammadiyah Study Center in collaboration with Lembaga Amil Zakat.
Infaq dan Shadaqah Muhammadiyah (LAZISMU) through the 2024 Research and Final Project Scholarship Program.
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