A Systematic Literature Review on Qur’anic Verses Concerning Islamic Economics and Religious Moderation in Contemporary Tafsir Scholarship

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Jakarta– Qur’anic Hermeneutics, Islamic Economics, and Religious Moderation: Study Maps Integration Gaps in Indonesia. The research was conducted by Hasbullah Diman (Lajnah Pentashihan Mushaf Al-Qur'an), Sofwatun Nada (Islamic University 45), Abdul Hakim (Lajnah Pentashihan Mushaf Al-Qur'an), Asyrof Arobi (Islamic University of Jakarta), and Zainal Arifin Madzkur (Lajnah Pentashihan Mushaf Al-Qur'an) and published in the Journal of Educational Analytics (JEDA) Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026).

Research conducted by Hasbullah Diman (Lajnah Pentashihan Mushaf Al-Qur’an), Sofwatun Nada (Islamic University 45), Abdul Hakim (Lajnah Pentashihan Mushaf Al-Qur’an), Asyrof Arobi (Islamic University of Jakarta), and Zainal Arifin Madzkur (Lajnah Pentashihan Mushaf Al-Qur’an) revealed that contemporary interpretations of the economic verses in the Quran have great potential to strengthen religious moderation and inclusive sharia economic policies. However, the integration of the two in academic studies is still limited.

Why This Study Matters

Indonesia has actively promoted religious moderation as a response to extremism and polarization. However, most academic discussions position moderation primarily as a socio-political response to radicalization.

According to the study, there is still a research gap linking religious moderation to Sharia-based economic policy.

Yet Islamic economic principles—especially zakat, waqf, and wealth redistribution—have strong normative foundations in social justice, which align closely with moderation values.

The researchers argue that integrating these domains could help build a more inclusive and equitable social order.

Method: Systematic Literature Review with PRISMA

The study employed a qualitative-based SLR approach, guided by PRISMA standards (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses)

Key features of the methodology:

• Database: Scopus-indexed publications
• Period analyzed: 2020–2026
• Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria
• PECO framework (Population, Exposure, Comparison, Outcome)

The PECO model structured the analysis as follows (see Table on pages 4–6):

• Population (P): Contemporary Qur’anic hermeneutics scholars
• Exposure (E): Economic concepts in the Qur’an (ribā, zakāt, distributive justice)
• Comparison (C): Religious moderation (textual–contextual balance)
• Outcome (O): Implications for contemporary Islamic economic thought

This structured approach allowed the researchers to systematically map how interpretive trends influence Islamic economic discourse.

Key Findings

1️⃣ Religious Moderation Dominates Social Discourse

The review of 24 selected articles shows that most studies frame religious moderation as:

• A tool to reduce radicalization
• A strategy for social cohesion
• A framework for interfaith tolerance

For example, the bibliometric ranking table (pages 9–13) highlights top-cited works focusing on communication, cultural integration, and leadership in promoting moderation.

However, economic policy integration remains underexplored.

2️⃣ Islamic Economic Concepts Have Strong Moderation Potential

The study emphasizes that:

• Ribā prohibition promotes anti-exploitation principles
• Zakāt strengthens redistribution and social solidarity
• Distributive justice ensures equitable access to resources

These principles directly support moderation by preventing inequality-driven social tension.

Yet, few contemporary tafsir studies explicitly connect these economic norms with moderation frameworks.

3️⃣ Contemporary Hermeneutics Encourages Balance

The research underlines the importance of contextual Qur’anic interpretation. Contemporary hermeneutics avoids rigid literalism and instead emphasizes ethical balance and social relevance.

As discussed in the literature review (pages 3–7), moderation requires a textual–contextual balance in interpreting economic verses.

This approach ensures:

• Adaptation to globalization challenges
• Avoidance of economic extremism
• Alignment with pluralistic society values

4️⃣ Significant Integration Gap Identified

The strongest conclusion of the study is the existence of a structural academic gap:

• Religious moderation studies → focus on education and politics
• Islamic economics studies → focus on technical financial systems
• Limited cross-disciplinary synthesis

The authors argue that this separation weakens the potential of Islamic economics to function as a moderation-based policy tool.

Policy and Academic Implications

The study proposes several forward-looking directions:

🔹 Integrate Sharia Economic Policy with Moderation Frameworks

Zakat, waqf, and redistributive mechanisms can serve as practical instruments for strengthening inclusive welfare.

🔹 Develop Contemporary Tafsir-Based Economic Models

Hermeneutic approaches can reinterpret ribā and distributive justice in ways that respond to modern inequality challenges.

🔹 Encourage Cross-Disciplinary Research

Islamic economics scholars and religious moderation researchers should collaborate to design sustainable policy models.

The researchers emphasize that religious moderation is not only theological but also socio-economic.

Author Profiles

• Hasbullah Diman_Lajnah Pentashihan Mushaf Al-Qur’an, Indonesia
• Sofwatun Nada_Universitas Islam 45
• Abdul Hakim_Lajnah Pentashihan Mushaf Al-Qur’an
• Asyrof Arobi_Universitas Islam Jakarta
• Zainal Arifin Madzkur_Lajnah Pentashihan Mushaf Al-Qur’an
  

Source

Diman, H., Nada, S., Hakim, A., Arobi, A., & Madzkur, Z. A. (2026). A Systematic Literature Review on Qur’anic Verses Concerning Islamic Economics and Religious Moderation in Contemporary Tafsir Scholarship. Journal of Educational Analytics (JEDA), Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 45–60.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/jeda.v5i1.606

URL : https://nblformosapublisher.org/index.php/jeda