Theological Bias in Qur’anic Interpretation: An Analysis of the Relationship Between Kalam and Tafsir

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between kalam and tafsir by focusing on the role of theological bias in the production of exegetical meaning. Although tafsir is often regarded as an objective effort to uncover the meaning of divine revelation, the diversity of interpretations throughout Islamic intellectual history indicates that exegesis is inseparable from the theological assumptions of the interpreter. This study argues that theological bias is not merely an external influence upon interpretation but an inherent dimension of the exegetical process itself. Employing a qualitative library-based approach, the article combines conceptual analysis of hermeneutical theories with a historical examination of the interaction between kalam and tafsir. Particular attention is given to the interpretive debates between Muʿtazilite and Ashʿarite exegetes concerning Qur’anic verses on predestination and human agency. The study finds that theological doctrines concerning divine justice, omnipotence, free will, and the relationship between reason and revelation function as epistemological foundations that shape exegetical choices and interpretive conclusions. Consequently, tafsir should be understood not only as a linguistic explanation of scripture but also as a reflection of competing theological worldviews. The article concludes that the production of Qur’anic meaning is inseparable from the theological horizons through which interpreters engage the sacred text.