Hamka’s Thought in Tafsir Al-Azhar: Between Acculturation and Rejection of Local Culture

Abstract Indonesia is committed to the principle of religious moderation, essential in light of the nation’s vast religious, cultural, and traditional diversity. To support this commitment, Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has issued guidelines with four key indicators of religious moderation, one of which is cultural accommodation. This study examines religious moderation with a particular focus on the cultural accommodation indicator in Hamka’s Qur’anic exegesis. Using a library research method and a descriptive-analytical approach, the study finds that Hamka rejects cultural accommodation within religious moderation. Employing the al-Ijtimāʻī method, Hamka critiques Indonesian traditions and cultural practices that he views as incompatible with Islamic principles, labeling them as remnants of Jahiliyyah , acts of bid‘ah , superstition, myth, or even shirk . This perspective underscores Hamka’s belief that Muslims should adhere strictly to the Qur’an and reasoned judgment, rather than uncritically preserving ancestral customs.