PhD Degree in Tafsir Awarded to Mr. Bakil Yahya Saleh Al-Ghadhari
The Public Viva-Voce Examination for the PhD Dissertation hereto entitled, The Significance of Observable Manifestations and Their Impact on Preference (Tarjih) According to the Imams Al-Shawkani and Al-Alusi in Their Books ‘Fath al-Qadir’ and ‘Rooh Al-Ma’ani’: A Comparative Study, submitted by Mr. Mr. Bakil Yahya Saleh Al-Ghadhari, to the Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Sana’a University, was held on Thursday, Dhu al-Qa’dah 17, 1446 Hijri, corresponding to May 15, 2025. The Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
| # | Committee Members | Designation | University | Position |
| 1 | Prof. Ali Mohammed Maqbol Al-Ahdal | Internal examiner | Sana’a University | Chair |
| 2 | Assoc. Prof. Mutie Mohammed Abdo Shabalah | Main supervisor | Sana’a University | Member |
| 3 | Prof. Mohammed Shawqi Naser Abdullah | External Examiner | Hajjah University | Member |
The dissertation aimed to:
- Introduce Imam Al-Shawkani and Imam Al-Alusi, their works, and their methodologies in deriving juridical preferences from observable textual indications.
- Highlight points of agreement and divergence between the two scholars regarding the role of apparent meaning in Tafsir.
The dissertation reached several key findings, including:
- The field of Quranic exegesis remains fertile for modern scholarship, requiring further study to enrich Islamic academic discourse.
- Comparative exegesis sharpens researchers’ analytical skills, enabling critical evaluation of interpretive opinions and fostering intellectual engagement with Quranic guidance.
- The applied study analyzed 200 Quranic verses: Al-Alusi’s interpretations aligned with the researcher’s findings in 128 cases, differed in 67, while Al-Shawkani uniquely interpreted 5 verses.
The dissertation recommends the following:
- Future studies should examine the concept of apparent meaning in classical Tafsir works, such as Al-Razi’s Mafatih Al-Ghayb, Al-Baghawi’s Ma’alim al-Tanzil, and Al-Zamakhshari’s Al-Kashshaf, through comparative analysis.
- Universities should incorporate Comparative Tafsir into graduate curricula for Quranic studies, covering its foundations and research methodologies.
The PhD dissertation was examined and recommended by the Viva-Voce Committee for acceptance and approval. The Candidate was recommended to be awarded the degree of PhD in Tafsir (Quranic Exegesis).
The defense was attended by faculty members, scholars, fellow researchers, students, and the candidate’s family.
