Gender-Based Interpretation of Khalifah in Tafsir Nurul Huda: An Analysis of Mudhar Tamim's Thought

Abstract

This article examines the construction of meaning attributed to the Qur'anic concept of khalifah (vicegerency) through a gender lens, with particular focus on Tafsir Nurul Huda—the vernacular Madurese-language exegetical work of KH. Mudhar Tamim (1969). Classical tafsir has predominantly associated the khalifah mandate with masculine leadership, producing an enduring gender bias in Islamic religious interpretation that restricts women's participation in public and political life. This study aims to uncover how Mudhar Tamim constructs the meaning of khalifah, to evaluate the degree to which gender equality is accommodated in his hermeneutical framework, and to assess the broader contribution of Tafsir Nurul Huda to Indonesian gender-progressive Islamic discourse. Employing a qualitative-descriptive approach grounded in library research (studi kepustakaan), this article applies thematic (mawdū'ī) Qur'anic analysis alongside content analysis and comparative methodology. The findings reveal that Mudhar Tamim interprets khalifah as a universal human mandate—unrestricted by sex—rooted in moral capacity, spiritual responsibility, and social accountability. Tafsir Nurul Huda asserts that men and women hold equal standing as subjects of vicegerency, with complementary roles directed toward realizing the common good (maṣlaḥah). The discussion situates these findings within the broader landscape of Islamic feminist hermeneutics, classical exegetical tradition, and Indonesian Muslim public discourse, demonstrating that Tamim's work constitutes a significant local pesantren contribution to global debates on Islam and gender justice.