Qur’anic Hermeneutics in Pashto Sufi Literature: Analytical Insights from Rahman Baba

Abstract

This study examines Qur’anic hermeneutics in Pashto Sufi literature through an analytical reading of the poetry of Rahman Baba (d.1711). It explores how Qur’anic meanings are interpreted and rearticulated within a vernacular mystical tradition, highlighting their role in shaping spiritual and intellectual discourse. The research employs a qualitative and interpretive methodology, analyzing selected Qur’anic themes reflected in Rahman Baba’s verses in light of classical exegetical insights. The study argues that Rahman Baba presents a distinctive hermeneutical approach grounded in Sufi epistemology. His poetry reveals a strong intertextual relationship with the Qur’an, particularly in themes such as tawḥīd (Divine Unity), moral purification, divine love, and awareness of the Hereafter. Rather than engaging in formal exegesis, he adopts a symbolic and experiential mode of interpretation that emphasizes inner transformation and spiritual realization. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates that Rahman Baba’s interpretive style, while resonating with classical Sufi tafsīr, reflects a unique cultural and linguistic expression of the Pashto context. His work illustrates how Qur’anic teachings can be meaningfully localized without losing their universal significance. The study concludes that Pashto Sufi poetry represents an important yet underexplored dimension of Qur’anic interpretation, contributing to broader discussions on hermeneutics and the diversity of interpretive traditions within Islam.

Keywords: Qur’anic Hermeneutics, Pashto Sufi Literature, Rahman Baba, Tafsīr.