Pendekatan Spiritual dalam Pemahaman Al-Qur’an Orientalis Studi Pemikiran Thomas Cleary

Abstract

Orientalist studies of the Qur’an have generally been dominated by historical-philological approaches and textual criticism, often overlooking the spiritual dimension of revelation. In this context, Thomas Cleary’s thought offers an alternative approach by emphasizing inner spirituality, universal ethics, and the transformation of consciousness in understanding the Qur’an. This study aims to analyze the forms of Thomas Cleary’s spiritual approach, the factors that contributed to its emergence, and its impact on the understanding of the Qur’an from an orientalist perspective. This research employs a qualitative method with a critical analytical approach toward Cleary’s major work, The Essential Koran (1998), supported by a literature review of relevant academic sources. The findings reveal that Cleary understands the Qur’an as a text of universal spiritual wisdom that functions as an ethical guide and a means of inner transformation, rather than merely a legal document or an object of historical criticism. This approach is shaped by Cleary’s multidisciplinary intellectual background and his belief in the universality of spiritual messages across religious traditions. The conclusion of this study confirms that Cleary’s spiritual approach offers a significant dialogical contribution to Qur’anic studies, although it still requires a critical reading in order to avoid reducing the epistemological and theological distinctiveness of the Qur’an within the Islamic tradition.