Metode Kritik Sastra John Wansbrough terhadap Al-Qur'an dan Implikasinya bagi Studi Kesejarahan Islam Al-Qur’an

Abstract

This study examines John Wansbrough's method of literary criticism of the Qur'an and its implications for the study of early Islamic history. Although Wansbrough's revisionist approach often draws controversy for positioning the Qur'an as a text influenced by a Judeo-Christian sectarian milieu, this study aims to demonstrate that his method continues to provide a significant contribution to understanding the polemical functions and identity construction within the Qur'an. This research employs a descriptive-analytical library research method, utilizing Wansbrough's major works, namely Qur’anic Studies (1977) and The Sectarian Milieu (1978), as well as polemical verses in the Qur'an as primary sources. Wansbrough's analysis is then compared with classical interpretation through the exegesis (tafsir) of Mafatih al-Ghaib by Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī. The results of the study indicate that Wansbrough analyzed polemical verses such as the accusation of asāṭīr al-awwalīn (tales of the ancients), the shifting authority of jinn and kahin (soothsayers), Judeo-Christian polemics, and the narratives of Abraham and hanīfiyya as "salvation history" and literary rhetorical strategies used by the early Muslim community to establish theological legitimacy. In conclusion, Wansbrough's method of literary criticism can enrich the study of Islamic history by positioning the holy scripture as a text that records the dynamics of debates with surrounding groups; therefore, it is recommended that Muslim scholars critically integrate this method as a complementary instrument.