A Study of the Trends in Sunni Qur’anic Exegesis in Iran from 1981 to 2011

Abstract

The present study seeks to identify and introduce the exegetical trends among Iranian Sunnis using a descriptive-analytical method. After the Iranian people's conversion to Islam, the Holy Qur’an became the focal point of scholarly activities in the region. Consequently, various intellectual efforts and services rendered to Islam and Islamic sciences were primarily centered around understanding and interpreting the Holy Qur’an. In this context, Iranian Sunnis were at the forefront of Qur’anic exegesis during the early Islamic era and throughout earlier centuries. However, over time, the process of composing exegetical works slowed down. Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, significant strides were once again taken in this field. The Sunni exegetical movement in Iran experienced notable growth in the post-revolutionary period, particularly during the 1980s to the 2010s. The study's findings indicate that during this era, a considerable number of Iranian Sunni exegetes undertook the task of writing Qur’anic commentaries. These works have been classified into two major exegetical currents: the traditionalist exegetical trend and the modernist exegetical trend.