A Comparative Analysis of the Categorizations of the Contemporary Procedures Toward the Style of Thematic Interpretation

Abstract

Nowadays, the subject-based "thematic interpretation" has been proposed as an efficient style in answering the doubts in human societies. In order to make it more productive and useful, the researchers promoted this interpretive style in each direction and sought to fix its deficiencies. The result of these efforts is the creation of various procedures in this interpretation style, each of which claims to discover a more complete and accurate view of the Qur'an. The multiplicity and diversity of these methods has led the people to categorize these procedures. The categorizations proposed by the researchers have been made from the perspective, which is sometimes not arranged on a single axis and is not comprehensive of all procedures and divisions of each other, which has led to the split of opinions and dispersion of minds. This article firstly introduces the contemporary classifications of the procedures and then proposes a comprehensive classification by using a descriptive-analytical method. The classification consists of five general procedures for thematic interpretation which cover all the known previous procedures: "Science-based", "Problem-based, coming from Society", "Method-based", "Vocabulary-based" and "Analysis-based". These five procedures are both inclusive and exclusive.