Penafsiran Klasik tentang Hoax dan Relevansinya di Era Kontemporer

Abstract

The event of Hadîts al-Ifk—the slander against Ummul Mukminin ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)—is one of the most significant incidents in Islamic history, containing profound moral, legal, and social lessons. This slander, recorded in Surah An-Nur verses 11–20, establishes ethical principles for Muslim society in rejecting false information without evidence. The main problem discussed in this study is the differences and similarities between Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi’s exegetical approaches to these verses, and how the values they convey remain relevant to modern social contexts marked by digital misinformation, hoaxes, and defamation. This research employs a qualitative-descriptive method using a library research approach. Primary data were obtained from Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Aẓīm by Ibn Kathir and Al-Jāmi‘ li Aḥkām al-Qur’ān by Al-Qurtubi, supported by secondary sources such as scholarly journals and classical tafsir studies. The findings indicate that Ibn Kathir applies a tafsir bi al-ma’tsur (narrative-based exegesis) approach, emphasizing historical and moral aspects—particularly the importance of tabayyun (information verification). In contrast, Al-Qurtubi adopts a tafsir ahkam (legal exegesis) approach, focusing on the normative principles of qadzf (prohibition of unfounded accusations) and husnuzan (positive presumption) as the foundations of social ethics. The study concludes that the Qur’anic values embedded in Surah An-Nur verses 11–20 remain highly relevant in the digital age, especially in addressing the spread of hoaxes, hate speech, and online defamation. The principles of tabayyun, qadzf, and husnuzan serve as essential foundations for ethical communication and social law, aligning with the spirit of Indonesia’s Law No. 19 of 2016 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE Law).