Interdisciplinary Qur’anic Hermeneutics: Integrating Scientific Literacy and Tafsir in Muhammadiyah Higher Education

Abstract

This study examines the conceptual and pedagogical integration of scientific literacy and tafsir in Muhammadiyah higher education through the framework of interdisciplinary Qur’anic hermeneutics. The research aims to analyze how scientific literacy can function as an interpretive competence in Qur’anic studies, to identify the gap between institutional discourse and classroom practice, and to formulate its implications for curriculum and learning development. This study employed a qualitative method with a multiple-site case study design because the research focused on meaning, institutional context, and interpretive practice rather than statistical measurement. The study was conducted at three Muhammadiyah higher education institutions, referred to as Campus A, Campus B, and Campus C, selected purposively due to their relevance to Islamic studies, curriculum development, and interdisciplinary academic orientation. The study involved fifteen informants, consisting of academic leaders, lecturers, curriculum actors, and students, chosen because they possessed direct experience and knowledge related to tafsir teaching and integrative learning. The findings reveal that integration is strongly supported at the level of institutional ideals, yet its implementation remains partial, lecturer-dependent, and insufficiently structured in curriculum design. The study recommends the development of a formal interdisciplinary model, lecturer training, and curriculum reform to strengthen the integration of scientific literacy and tafsir in Muhammadiyah higher education.