The Epistemology of Audiovisual Exegesis: A Study of the Interpretation of Verses on Fasting from the Perspective of Sheikh Sami bin Muhammad al-Saqiran

This study examines the epistemological construction of audiovisual Qur'anic exegesis by Shaykh Sami bin Muhammad Al-Saqiran in his interpretation of Qur'an 2:183, focusing on epistemic sources, mechanisms of istidlāl (evidence-based reasoning), interpretive methods, and argumentative validity. Employing a qualitative approach, the study conducts a qualitative content analysis of two recordings from the Āyah wa Tafsīr series, delivered during Ramadan 1443 AH and 1444 AH and documented in the Baheth digital archive. The data are examined at the level of argumentative segments by identifying textual evidence, interpretive explanations, reasoning processes, and three dimensions of argumentative validity: correspondence, coherence, and pragmatic relevance. The findings indicate that the Qur'an and Hadith serve as the principal epistemic sources, while linguistic explanation functions as an interpretive instrument. Three patterns of istidlāl are identified: lexical-normative reasoning in explaining the obligation of fasting, textual-ethical reasoning in connecting the objective of piety with moral conduct, and conceptual-textual reasoning in relating fasting to patience. The analysis further identifies textual connections between evidence and conclusions, coherence in the reasoning process, and practical orientations within the interpretations, although comprehensive verification of the recordings and cited sources remains necessary. The study contributes a relational analytical framework linking epistemic sources, mechanisms of istidlāl, interpretive conclusions, and the evaluation of argumentative validity. This framework provides a systematic approach to tracing argumentative construction in audiovisual Qur'anic exegesis, while its findings remain limited to the two recordings examined