Tafsir

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A tafsir ( (Arabic: تفسير )tafsīr, also transliterated tafseer, Arabic "explanation") is Qur'anic exegesis or commentary. Someone who writes tafsir is a mufassir ( (Arabic: مفسر ) mufassir, plural (Arabic: مفسرون) mufassirūn).

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Sources of Tafsir

The five sources for commentary of the Qur'an are:

  1. The Qur'an. This is the highest form of tafsir, because the Qu'ran explains itself.
  2. The Hadith. Muslims believe that Muhammad was sent to explain and clarify the Qur'an to people. The books of the Hadith contain much tafsir of the Qur'an, under titles such as "Meaning of Qur'anic verses". This is the second highest form of tafsir, because the Islamic prophet is explaining it.
  3. The reports of the Sahaba. The Sahaba, or companions of Muhammad, knew Muhammad would have better insight into the Qur'an. If there is a consensus of the companions on a certain verse, then that consensus is followed. If there is no consensus, scholars interpret the verse using set principles.
  4. The reports of those who learned from the companions. These people grew up in an environment with people who had known the Prophet, so their insight is the next in line of the sources of tafsir.
  5. Reason. The use of reason (deductive logic and evaluation of arguments) is the final method of understanding the Qur'an.
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Genres of Tafsir

  • Asbāb al-nuzūl: defining the "occasions of revelation" of the suras.
  • Naskh: dealing with the abrogation of one Qur'anic verse by another.
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Prohibited Tafsir

It is prohibited to perform Qur'anic tafsir using solely one's own opinion. This is based on the authenticated hadith of Muhammad which states it is prohibited.

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Major Mufassireen

Major Tafsirs of the Qur'an include:

  • Ibn Kathir: "Tafsir ibn Kathir" - A classic tafsir, considered a summary of the earlier Tafseer by Ibn Jarir (at-Tabari). It is especially popular because it uses 'hadith' to explain each verse and chapter of the Qur'an.
  • Fakhr al-Din al-Razi: "Mafateeh ul Ghayb" also known as "Tafsir Kabir" - A voluminous work covering many aspects including science and medicine. Ibn Taymiyyah once critically said of this tafsir that it "contains everything but tafsir".
  • Qazi Abu Saud al-Hanafi: "Irshad ul Aql as-Saleem ila Mazaya al-Qur'an al-Kareem" also known as "Tafsir Abu Saud".
  • Imam Abu Abdullah al-Qurtabi: "al-Jami' li Akam il-Qur'an" by the famous Maliki Jurist of Cordoba. This 10-volume tafsir is a commentary on the Qur'anic verses dealing with legal issues. Although the authour was a Maliki he also presents legal opinions of other major schools of Islamic jurisprudence; thus it is popular with jurists from all of the schools of Islamic law. One volume of this tafsir was translated into English by Aisha Bewley.
  • "Tafsir al-Baghwi" - A popular tafsir amongst Sunni Muslims.
  • "Tafsir al-Baydawi" - Shortened version of the above tafsir printed in 2 volumes. In Turkey it is often published with marginal notes by an unknown Turkish Sheikh called 'Konyawi' in 7 volumes.
  • "Tafsir ibn Atiyyah" - A tafsir popular in North West Africa.
  • "Tafsir an-Nasafi" - Written by the great Hanafi theologian Nasafi and published in 2 volumes.
  • "Tafsir Abu Hayyan" also called "Bahr al-Muhit" - This tafsir is in several volumes and contains many stories that some commentators consider to be unreliable. However, it is popular in North Africa as it origiated from Andalusia.
  • "Tafsir Jalalayn" - The great Shafi Sheikh Jalal ud-Din Siyuti wrote 2 tafsirs - one named "Jalalayn" and the other "ad-Durr al-Munu'r". Both are published (the second in several volumes) and the Jalalayn is very popular with Muslims all over the world due to its simplicity.
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Modern Mutafassireen

  • Sayyed Qutb: In the Shade of the Qu'ran - Many praise it as a modern tafsir of the Qur'an. However, many critics including some Wahhabi and Salafi scholars say that Qutb had little Islamic knowledge and did tafsir in his own opinion. It has also been attacked for not containing the classical tafsir style (using the above mentioned sources).
  • Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi: Tafheem ul Quraan - One of the most widely read Tafsir, is another relatively modern exegesis of the Quran. It is written mostly for the general public with a view to relate the Islamic teachings to all sphere's of life. It is criticized for its free style explanations.
  • Amin Ahsan Islahi: Tadabbur-i Qur'an - written by Indian/Pakistani scholar. Based on idea of the nazm (thematic and structural coherence) in the Qur'an.
  • Muhammad Al-Ghazzali, a recent Egyptian scholar (not the Imam Al-Ghazali): "A Thematic Commentary of the Qur'an" - A Tafsir that tries to explore the themes that weave through the entire Qur'an as well as the main theme of each surah.
  • Hadhrat Mirza Basheerud Deen Mahmood. Tafseer e Kabeer[1]. Written by the second successor and son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam. This work is the most detailed commentary on the Quran in modern times. It has been published in Arabic, Urdu and English.
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Tafsir in other languages

Tafsir was almost always written in Arabic but during the 20th century with the emergence of modern states, the need was felt by Muslims to write commentaries in local languages so that those who do not know Arabic can still have access to the meaning of the Qur'an.

The following are a list of tafsirs that have been written in non-Arabic languages.

  • Elmalili tefsir: Published in 10 volumes it remains the most popular tafsir in the Turkish language.
  • Omer Bilmen: Author of an 8-volume tafsir written in the firct hlaf of XX. century. The language used is an old form of Turkish that many Turks find difficult to understand.
  • Konyali Tefsir. A voluminous tafsir written in simple Turkish language but less popular than the Elmalili tafsir.
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External links

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