Qur’anic Studies in Colonial South Asia: Evolution and Intellectual Transformations

Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi’s (d. 1999) statement, “The Qu’ran was revealed in Arabia, recited in Egypt, and comprehended in India,” highlights South Asia’s pivotal role in Qur’anic scholarship. The colonial power not only greatly weakened the political authority of the Muslim community in the Indian Subcontinent, but also deeply affected its social structure. This led to a transformation in intellectual traditions over time. In this context, thinkers such as Shah Walī Allāh al-Dihlawī advocated the reinterpretation of the Qur’an as a strategic means of resisting Western epistemological influence. Particularly following 1857, this tajdid movement, systematized by subsequent generations (specially Deoband-rooted ʿulamāʾ, sometimes Aligarh and Ahl-i Hadith rooted ʿulamāʾ), sought to restore the Qur’an’s connection to its historical context and to revitalize its social relevance. During this period, Qur’anic studies expanded beyond the intellectual elite, with translations into vernacular languages enhancing accessibility. While classical exegetical traditions continued, certain interpretations began to incorporate Western epistemological and methodological influences, particularly those of Sayyid Ahmad Khan and his followers. Moreover, some ʿulamāʾ actively sought to integrate traditional Islamic scholarship with contemporary intellectual frameworks, fostering a nuanced reconfiguration of Qur’anic interpretations. This study contends that these transformations were intrinsically linked to the colonial milieu, wherein shifting socio-political structures and intellectual encounters with Western epistemologies necessitated novel approaches to Qur’anic interpretation and dissemination. This article explores the profound impact of colonialism on Qur’anic studies in South Asia, analyzing how the colonial environment shaped the development of Qur’anic thought, influenced interpretations, and transformed the intellectual landscape of Muslim scholarship.