INTERPRETING THE QUR'AN IN THE LIGHT OF MODERN SCIENCE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RAMAḌĀN AL-BŪṬĪ AND ZAGHLŪL AL-NAJJĀR

Abstract

Modern scientific exegesis of the Qur’ān has e merged as a response to intellectual challenges posed by materialist worldviews and claims of incompatibility between revelation and empirical science. Among contemporary Muslim scholars, Dr. Zaghlūl al-Najjār is recognized for systematically relating Qur’ānic verses to established scientific findings. In contrast, Imam Muḥammad Saʿīd Ramaḍān al-Būṭī adopts a more cautious methodology, emphasizing clear epistemological limits to prevent the Qur’ān from being interpreted through speculative or changing scientific theories. This paper examines the methodological similarities and differences between al-Būṭī and al-Najjār regarding the role of science in Qur’ānic interpretation. Using a thematic and analytical approach, it argues that both scholars seek to defend the authority and relevance of the Qur’ān in the modern intellectual context. However, they differ in the extent to which scientific knowledge should influence tafsīr. Al-Najjār frequently employs established scientific discoveries to illuminate selected Qur’ānic verses, whereas al-Būṭī maintains that scientific findings may support reflection but should never determine the intended meaning of the text. The study concludes that scientific exegesis can serve as a valuable interpretive aid when guided by sound epistemological principles and applied with methodological restraint. Such a balanced framework preserves the Qur’ān’s textual integrity and primary function as divine guidance while encouraging meaningful engagement with contemporary scientific knowledge.