REVISITING PROPHET NOAH: APPLYING A HISTORICAL CRITICAL LENS TO ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS NARRATIVES IN INDONESIA

Abstract

This study offers a historical-critical reinterpretation of the age of Prophet Noah, challenging the conventional understanding of his 950-year lifespan. Moving beyond predominantly normative and theological approaches in Indonesian scholarship, this research advances an interdisciplinary framework that integrates historical context and numerical analysis. By situating the narrative within the Sumerian cultural milieu and examining the possibility of a quinary numerical system, the study proposes that Noah’s age more plausibly corresponds to approximately 75 years prior to the great flood. This reinterpretation constitutes the central theoretical contribution of the study, providing a critical lens for reassessing Qur’anic narratives beyond literalist readings. The findings also indicate that the narrative has been predominantly employed as a medium for moral instruction, reinforcing its pedagogical function in Islamic discourse. By bridging classical exegetical traditions with contemporary analytical approaches, this research opens new avenues for contextual and interdisciplinary studies of religious texts. The study thus contributes to the development of more nuanced methodologies in Islamic scholarship and encourages further exploration of external historical sources in interpreting scriptural narratives.