This thesis is an attempt to analyze and compare the methods of exegesis of `Abduh and Rid&dotbelow;a. The analysis focuses on their works of Qur'anic exegesis, especially their joint project Tafsir al-Manar. Their school of exegesis and principles of exegesis are a reflection of the socio-political setting in which they found themselves. They provide an antithesis to the schools and principles of exegesis favoured by traditional exegetes. `Abduh and Rida accused traditional exegetes of deviating from the guidance of the Qur'an by allowing their exegesis to develop into an intellectual exercise in grammar, theology, jurisprudence or even philosophical dispute. In the views of `Abduh and Rid&dotbelow;a, traditional exegetes tended to treat the Qur'an as a justification of their position in debate, a tendency that should be reversed. Both men tried to reformulate the approach of Qur'anic hermeneutics which they regarded as being applicable to social issues. Due to the differences in their respective intellectual backgrounds, experiences and attitudes towards different schools of thought, they applied different methods of interpretation. `Abduh was consistent in his modernist call to go "back to the Qur'an," for which he extracted guidance from the Qur'an through his own perception. As a consequence he limited the use of the intertextual approach to h&dotbelow;adith and philological analysis in his commentaries. Rid&dotbelow;a, on the other hand, extended their use in his interpretation. Rid&dotbelow;a also favoured the use of scientific knowledge in exegesis which `Abduh rejected due to its relativity. Rid&dotbelow;a's interpretation was also characterized by the extensive use of the opinions of earlier exegetes, which `Abduh tended to neglect.

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