The Hermeneutical Hijacking: A Systematic Deconstruction of Extremist Qur'anic Interpretation Through Classical Exegesis and Maqasid al-Sharia

This dissertation presents a comprehensive methodological framework for the systematic deconstruction of extremist interpretations of Islamic scriptures through the rigorous application of classical tafsir (exegesis) methodology, historical contextualization, and the legal principle of maqasid al-sharia (the objectives of Islamic law). Through a qualitative analysis of extremist materials — including ISIS’s Dabiq magazine and al-Qaeda training manuals — the study identifies seven distinct manipulative hermeneutical techniques used to instrumentalize Qur’anic verses. By applying a dual-axis reconstruction — identifying mechanisms of manipulation and restoring normative interpretations — the research demonstrates that extremist theology does not constitute a legitimate interpretation of scripture but rather a systematic ideological hijacking that betrays the ethical commitments at the core of the Islamic textual tradition. The developed framework provides empirical tools for educators, policymakers, and counter-radicalization practitioners to identify and refute extremist claims at their epistemological roots, thereby removing the veneer of scriptural authority upon which such movements depend.