The Tradition of Reciting Surah Yasin in Muslim Communities: A Living Qur'an Study

Abstract

The tradition of reciting Surah Yasin has become a deeply rooted religious practice within Muslim communities, particularly in Indonesia, where it manifests in various forms across different social and cultural contexts. This qualitative literature-based study examines the tradition of reciting Surah Yasin through the lens of the Living Qur'an approach, which investigates how the Qur'an is understood, experienced, and practiced in everyday life beyond textual exegesis. Drawing upon a comprehensive review of scholarly literature on the Yasinan tradition across various community settings—including the Yasinan ritual among Nahdliyin communities, the tradition of Surah Yasin Faḍilah in various regions, the Nisfu Sya'ban recitation traditions, and other local practices—this study explores the meanings, functions, and social dynamics embedded within these traditions. Thematic analysis of the reviewed literature reveals that the recitation of Surah Yasin serves layered functions: spiritual (seeking divine proximity, protection, and blessings), social (strengthening communal solidarity, role distribution, and moral bonding), and cultural (integrating Qur'anic text with local symbolic expressions and wisdom). The findings demonstrate that Yasinan functions as a form of performative tafsīr in which meanings of the Qur'an are materialized through ritual sequences involving tawassul, communal recitation, and collective supplication. This study contributes to Living Qur'an scholarship by demonstrating how local epistemologies shape Qur'anic meaning-making beyond textual interpretation, offering a model for analyzing the Qur'an as a socially enacted and ritually embodied text.