From Physical to Spiritual Intoxication in Javanese Sufi Interpretation of Q. Al-Nisā’ [4]:43 in the Hakikate Bismillah Manuscript

Abstract

The study of local interpretation manuscripts in the Nusantara Islamic tradition holds significant potential for expanding Qur’anic interpretation beyond normative approaches toward contextual and spiritual dimensions. This research examines a Javanese-Pegon Sufistic commentary from a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Lamongan that interprets QS. al-Nisā’ [4]:43 with an emphasis on worship awareness. It explores how the term sukārā and the phrase ḥattā ta‘lamū mā taqūlūn are understood not merely as a prohibition of physical intoxication, but as a critique of inner negligence and diminished spiritual awareness during prayer. Employing a qualitative-descriptive approach through textual analysis, hermeneutic-contextual reading, and a brief textual examination, this study engages in dialogue with Sufi and Nusantara tafsir traditions. Primary data were obtained from digital manuscripts archived at the British Library (EAP061/2/65), supplemented by classical tafsir literature, Sufi commentaries, and studies on Javanese Sufism. The findings indicate that sukārā is interpreted as a state of forgetting God and ignorance of the meaning of prayer recitations, positioning worship without awareness as a form of “spiritual intoxication.” This interpretation underscores that worship quality is determined by conscious presence, understanding of meaning, and recognition of humanity’s dependence on Allah. The study strengthens the position of Nusantara tafsir as practical Sufism (taṣawwuf ‘amalī) that integrates Sufistic hermeneutics, local language, and spiritual ethics while offering a Qur’anic critique of formal ritualism in contemporary religious life.