Usool at-Tafseer Part 2 (Books of Tafseer) by Abu Ameenah Billal Philips
Usool at-Tafseer (The Fundamental Principles of Qur’aanic Interpretation)
Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
BOOKS OF TAFSEER.
The books of tafseer have been divided into two general categories according to the emphasis of their authors in their explanations. The tafseer s of those who restricted their expla-nations to transmitting what was explained in the Qur’aan or stated by the Prophet (r), his companions, and their students were
referred to as tafseer bir-riwaayah or tafseer bil-ma’thoor (tafseer according to transmission). The authors of such tafseers also avoided unfounded interpretations and unnecessary expla-nations and always accepted authentic narrations. This is not to say that such tafseers are totally free of personal judgment and opinion, for any tafseer, of necessity, must reflect the opinion of the individual who compiles
it. But in this case, personal opinion was kept to a minimum.
On the other hand, those tafseers in which the authors often relied on their
personal opinions for explanations, inter-pretations and deductions were called
tafseer bid-diraayah or tafseer bir-ra’y (tafseer according to opinion). In some of
these types of tafseers, narrated explanations from the Prophet (r), the
sahaabah,and their students (taabi‘oon) are mentioned prior to personal
interpretation, and the deductions or opinions are in agreement with narrated
explanations, grammatical rules, and lexical meanings, while in others there is a
partial or even total disregard for narrated explanations, grammatical rules, and
word meanings. Tafseers of the first type are acceptable, while those based mostly
or solely on unfounded opinion are considered heretical or bordering on heresy.
Allaah and His Prophet (r) have expressly forbidden unfounded explanations of
the Qur’aan. For example, it was forbidden in the verse,
“And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.”111
The Prophet (r) also condemned expression of uninformed opinion in religious
matters, saying,
“Allaah won’t remove knowledge after giving it to you by removing it (from you). Rather he will remove it from (later generations) by taking (the souls of) the scholars along with their knowledge, until only ignorant people remain. They will be asked for religious verdicts, so they will issue verdicts based on their opinions, leading others astray and going astray themselves.” 112 Therefore, it could be generally said that narrations from the Prophet (r), the sahaabah, and the taabi‘oon are superior to those based on opinion. But if the narrations are not authentic, such tafseers may then be actually worse than some of those based on opinion. A brief description of some of the most famous tafseers and their authors follows.
TAFSEER BIR-RIWAAYAH
1.Tafseer Ibn ‘Ateeyah, al-Muharrar al-Wajeez
Abdul-Haqq ibn ‘Ateeyah al-Andaloosee (1089-1146 CE/481-540 AH) was a
Maalikee scholar and judge in both Spain and Morocco. Ibn ‘Ateeyah’s tafseer
contains a summary of accurate narrations found in the earlier tafseers birriwaayah.
He also included many examples from classical literature and discussed
extensively the grammatical wonders of the Qur’aan. A number of scholars
preferred Ibn ‘Ateeyah’s tafseer over that of az-Zamakhsharee’s.113 This tafseer
111 Soorah al-Israa’ (17):36.
112 Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 9, pp. 305-6, no. 410.
113 At-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 248-52.
consists of twenty volumes in manuscript form. It has recently been published in
sixteen volumes.114
2. Tafseer Abil-Layth as-Samarqandee, Bahr al-‘Uloom
Abul-Layth ibn Ibraaheem as-Samarqandee (d. 983 CE/ 372 AH) was a fiqh
scholar of the Hanafee school and was nicknamed “Imaam al-Hind.” His tafseer
was based on hadeeths and narrations from the sahaabah, the taabi‘oon, and later
scholars. However, it does contain some weak narrations, and the chains of
narrations for statements from the sahaabah and taabi‘oon were not mentioned,
nor were their opinions analyzed. This tafseer consists of four volumes and is in
print.115
3. Tafseer Abee Ishaaq, al-Kashf wa al-Bayaan ‘an Tafseer al-Qur’aan
Aboo Ishaaq, Ahmad ibn Ibraaheem ath-Tha‘labee (d. 1036 CE/427 AH),
from Nishapur, was a well-known Quraa’nic reciter of his time. In his tafseer, the
chains of narrations from the sahaabah are mentioned but condensed.
Grammatical explanations are quite extensive and legal issues are discussed at
length. However, Aboo Ishaaq also mentions a vast number of Israa’eeleeyaat
(Biblical stories) without any critical analysis of their content whatsoever.
Moreover, he also included many weak and fabricated hadeeths in his tafseer due
to his weak background in the science of hadeeth.116
4.Tafseer Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree, Jaami‘ al-Bayaan fee Tafseer al-Qur’aan
Muhammad Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree (839-923 CE/225-310 AH) was from Tabreez,
in what is now western Iran, and was a well-known legalist, hadeeth scholar, and
historian. Although originally a Shaafi‘ee scholar, he reached the level of ijtihaad
and became independent of the school. His tafseer is the oldest tafseer to reach us
intact. It contains narrations which are analyzed in most cases. He mentioned the
various recitations and their implications and he included many Biblical tales
which were discussed, and the positions of unorthodox schools, such as that of the
Mu‘tazilees, were mentioned and refuted. All later tafseers have depended on this
tafseer in one way or another.117 One of the more useful of the many printed
114 Published by Maktabah Ibn Taymeeyah, Cairo, 1992. There are other editions as well.
115 At-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 235-7.
116 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 238-45.
117 Ibid., vol. 1, pp. 215-34.
editions of this massive work is the one containing the comments of Ahmad
Shaakir on the isnaads of the many narrations cited by the author. Unfortunately,
the authentication effort was cut short by Shakir’s death, having only completed
up to verse five of Soorah Maa’idah.118
5.Tafseer al-Baghawee, Ma‘aalim at-Tanzeel
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Baghawee (d. 1117 CE/ 510 AH) was an
eminent jurist of the Shaafi‘ee school and one of the foremost hadeeth scholars of
his time. His tafseer was a condensed version of Tafseer ath-Tha‘labee, in which
the majority of weak and fabricated narrations were removed and all the chains of
narrators were mentioned. He also removed various heretical concepts mentioned
in ath-Tha‘labee’s tafseer, as well as scientific information not directly related to
tafseer. Al-Baghawee briefly mentions some of the various recitations and
explains grammatical constructions only where it is absolutely necessary. There
are a few Israa’eeleeyaat mentioned without critical analysis and some
conflicting opinions of early scholars which are also mentioned without
evaluation. This tafseer has been printed in a single edition along with Ibn
Katheer’s tafseer and Tafseer al-Khaazin and is among the most reliable tafseers
based on narration.119
6. Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-Atheem
Abul-Fidaa’ Ismaa‘eel ibn Katheer ad-Dimishqee (1300-1373 CE/699-774
AH) was a Shaafi‘ee fiqh scholar and a student of Ibn Taymeeyah. He was also an
eminent hadeeth scholar and a historian. His historical work, al-Bidaayah wa an-
Nihaayah, is considered the most authentic Islaamic history book. Tafseer ibn
Katheer is also considered the most authentic book of tafseer, and is second only
to Tafseer at-Tabaree in popularity among scholars. The book contains an
extensive preface covering the methodology of tafseer, and great emphasis has
been placed upon the interpretation of Qur’aan by Qur’aan. Ibn Katheer critically
analyzes all of his narrations and evaluates the conflicting statements of the
sahaabah and the taabi‘oon. He also warns against the dangers of Israa’eeleeyaat
and other false information commonly found in tafseers. Legal issues are
118 Printed by Daar al-Ma‘aarif in Cairo.
119 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 245-8.
discussed, and differences of opinion are evaluated.120 An abridged version of this
tafseer, from which the inauthentic narrations has been removed, was published in
four volumes in the 1980s.121
7.Tafseer ath-Tha‘labee, al-Jawaahir al-Hisaan fee Tafseer al-Qur’aan
Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Makhloof ath-Tha‘labee al-Jazaa’iree (d. 1472 CE/877
AH) was a North African Maalikee scholar well known for his piety and
knowledge. His tafseer was an abridgement of Ibn ‘Ateeyah’s tafseer, to which he
added information from other famous classical tafseers, especially that of at-
Tabaree. The hadeeths mentioned were from all the well-known works, and
Israa’eeleeyaat were all evaluated. Ath-Tha‘labee lists some of the variant
recitations and discusses some grammatical issues, but for the most part, his
tafseer is a condensation and compilation of previous works with very little added
from himself.122
8. Tafseer Jalaalud-Deen as-Suyootee, ad-Durr al-Manthoor fee at-Tafseer bi
al-Ma’thoor
Jalaalud-Deen ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Muhammad as-Suyootee (1445-1505
CE/849-910 AH) was a great Shaafi‘ee fiqh scholar, as well as the foremost
hadeeth scholar of his time. At first, he wrote a four volume tafseer called
Turjumaan al-Qur’aan, in which he placed over ten thousand hadeeths along with
their chains of narration. When he found his students uninterested in learning
chains of narration, he condensed the tafseer by deleting the chains and merely
mentioned the books from which the hadeeths were taken. This tafseer was
renamed ad-Durr al-Manthoor. In spite of his knowledge of the hadeeth sciences,
he seems to have been only concerned with gathering the largest possible quantity
of hadeeths, without discriminating between the true and the false.123
9.Tafseer ash-Shawkaanee, Fat-h al-Qadeer
Muhammad ibn ‘Alee ash-Shawkaanee (d. 1839 CE 1255 AH) was a resident
of San‘aa, Yemen who started his quest for knowledge as a student of the Zaydee
120 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 252-7.
121 Abridged by Ar-Rafaa‘ee.
122 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 257-61.
123 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 261-4.
math-hab. He studied hadeeth sciences extensively and became independent of
his math-hab. In his tafseer, ash-Shawkaanee has combined both methods of
tafseer (by opinion and by narration). He has condensed the hadeeth chains and
has mentioned the books in which each hadeeth may be found, and most opinions
are attributed to their sources. Grammatical, legal, and philosophical issues are
discussed and the positions of the great commentators are mentioned. This tafseer
is printed in five volumes and is widely favored among orthodox scholars. A
recent edition has footnotes that extensively document the hadeeths cited by the
author.124
10. Tafseer Ibn ‘Abbaas, Tanweer al-Miqbaas min Tafseer Ibn ‘Abbaas
This tafseer was compiled by Muhammad ibn Ya‘qoob al-Fayroozaabaadee
(d. 1414 CE/817 AH), who was a Shaafi‘ee scholar and author of the famous
Arabic dictionary, al-Qaamoos al-Muheet. The vast majority of this tafseer
consists of explanatory statements attributed to the great sahaabee and mufassir,
Ibn ‘Abbaas. The author mentions the chains of narrators for each section of
tafseer. Hence, this tafseer is considered as being among the tafseers birriwaayah.
However, chains of narration attributed to Ibn ‘Abbaas vary in their
level of authenticity, depending upon the reliability of the narrators themselves.
Chains from Mu‘aawiyah ibn Saalih and Qays ibn Muslim al-Koofee are
considered saheeh (highly authentic) and those from Ibn Is-haaq (the historian)
are considered hasan (authentic); while those from Ismaa‘eel ibn ‘Abdur-
Rahmaan as-Suddee al-Kabeer and ‘Abdul Maalik ibn Jurayj are doubtful. Those
from ad-Dahhaak ibn Mazaahim al-Hilaalee, ‘Ateeyah al-‘Awfee, Muqaatil ibn
Sulaymaan al-Azdee, and Muhammad ibn as-Saa’ib al-Kalabee, who was accused
of fabricating hadeeths, are all da‘eef (unacceptable). Nearly all of the so-called
“Tafseer of Ibn ‘Abbaas” is based on statements narrated in chains containing
Muhammad ibn as-Saa’ib al-Kalabee. Hence, this tafseer is considered unreliable
for the most part; and, despite its popularity among the masses, it is totally
rejected by Muslim scholars.125
TAFSEER BID-DIRAAYAH
1. Tafseer Fakhrud-Deen ar-Raazee, Mafaateeh al-Ghayb
Fakhrud-Deen ibn ‘Alee ar-Raazee (1150-1210 CE/544-606 AH) was a
Shaafi‘ee scholar who excelled in the grammatical sciences as well as philosophy.
124 Fat-h al-Qadeer , documentation by Sayyid Ibraaheem (Cairo: Daar al-Hadeeth, n.d.).
125 See Mabaahith fee ‘Uloom al-Qur’aan, pp. 360-62 and at-Tafseer wa al Mufassiroon, pp. 81-3.
His tafseer is printed in eight large volumes; however, his contemporaries
mentioned that Fakhrud-Deen did not complete his tafseer. It has been suggested
that the work was completed by his disciple, Shams ad-Deen Ahmad ibn al-
Khaleel al-Khuwayyee.126 Ar-Raazee’s tafseer is quite popular among scholars
due to its extensive treatment of various topics from a wide range of sciences.
This tafseer is noted for its concentration on the relationship between verses and
chapters. However, the tafseer is, for the most part, like an encyclopedia of
natural sciences. The author delves into mathematics and natural sciences and
evaluates the opinions of astronomers and philosophers using their terminology.
The various arguments of the Mu‘tazilah are mentioned and mildly refuted and
the positions of the various fiqh math-habs are explained whenever verses
containing legal issues appear. However, he always favors his school, the
Shaafi‘ee math-hab on legal issues. Ar-Raazee also discussed grammatical issues,
but to a much lesser extent than his discussions of natural sciences.127
2. Tafseer al-Qurtubee, Jaami‘ Ahkaam al-Qur’aan wa al-Mubayyin li Maa
Tadammana min as-Sunnah wa Aay al-Furqaan
Aboo ‘Abdillaah Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Ansaaree al-Qurtubee (d. 1273
CE/671 AH) was born in Cordoba in what is now Spain. He started his studies
there and participated in jihaad against the Christians, in the course of which he
was captured, but he managed to escape.128 He eventually travelled to the east,
settling in Egypt, where he died. He is most famous for his tafseer, but he is also
noted for his book on the afterlife, at-Tathkirah bi Ahwaal al-Mawtaa wa Ahwaal
al-Aakhirah and a book on zuhd, the downplaying of worldly ambitions in order
to concentrate on success in the hereafter.129
His tafseer starts with an introduction of some seventy pages on the virtues of
the Qur’aan, the etiquettes of its recitation and the proper methodology of tafseer.
The tafseer is characterized by a heavy emphasis on fiqh issues, but it is by no
means limited to that. One may consider al-Qurtubee’s work in the category of attafseer
bid-diraayah because fiqh by its nature involves deductions from the texts.
However, he includes the hadeeths relevant to each verse, as well as explanations
of the sahaabah, taabi‘oon and major scholars, although usually stripped of the
isnaad. When quoting a hadeeth, he cites the book where it may be found or the
126 See Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam, p. 470.
127 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 298-304.
128 See al-Jaami‘ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, vol. 10, pp. 175-6.
129 See Shatharaat ath-Thahab, vol. 5, p. 335, and al-Jaami‘ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, vol. 1,
publisher’s preface.
author who mentioned it. After presenting the text of a verse, he will state the
number of issues relating to it that he plans to discuss. He usually starts with an
explanation of the vocabulary of the verse, quoting a line or two of poetry to
illustrate the definition of any difficult words. He also mentions variant recitations
and their reciters. In discussing fiqh issues, he mentions the major opinions along
with their evidence, then evaluates them. He generally supports the Maalikee
position, although not always. He also refutes deviant sects like the Shee‘ah, the
Mu‘tazilah, and the Qadareeyah, but he does so with scholarly etiquette. His
tafseer is considered one of the monumental works in this field, and is
indispensable for the fiqh issues of the Qur’aan.130
3. Tafseer al-Baydaawee, Anwaar at-Tanzeel wa Asraar at-Ta’weel
Naasirud-Deen, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Alee al-Baydaawee (d. 1291 CE/691 AH)
was a Persian scholar of the Shaafi‘ee math-hab and was appointed chief judge of
Shiraaz. His tafseer was an abridgement of al-Kash-shaaf by az-Zamakhsharee,
with most of the Mu‘tazilee philosophy deleted. However, he does occasionally
get caught up in az-Zamakhsharee’s explanations. He has also followed az-
Zamakhsharee’s practice of mentioning at the end of every chapter weak and
fabricated hadeeths extolling the virtues of reading that chapter. Al-Baydaawee
draws some of his material from Mafaateeh al-Ghayb of ar-Raazee and Tafseer
ar-Raaghib al-Isfahaanee and includes narrations from the sahaabah and the
taabi‘oon. Hence, he does not leave any verse about the wonders of creation
without expounding on the theories and facts of natural sciences. He also
mentions Qur’aanic recitations, but does not limit himself to the authentic ones.
Nevertheless, the tafseer is quite free from Israa’eeleeyaat. Its language is also
very polished and elegant. Islaamic scholars throughout the ages have held this
tafseer in high esteem, and many commentaries on it and annotated versions of it
have been produced.131
3. Tafseer an-Nasafee, Madaarik at-Tanzeel wa Haqaa’iq at-Ta’weel
‘Abdullaah ibn Mahmood an-Nasafee (d. 1302 CE/701 AH) was a Hanafee
scholar of wide renown. He wrote numerous books on usool al-fiqh and
commentaries on earlier works. His tafseer was an abridgement of al-
Baydaawee’s tafseer in which he deleted the fabricated hadeeths on the virtues of
130 See al-Jaami‘ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, vol.1, pp. 6-7, Author’s Introduction, and al Mabaahith
fee ‘Uloom al-Qur’aan, p. 391.
131 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 304-11.
each chapter. In his discussions of the various recitations, he limits himself to the
authentic seven and attributes each to its reciter. An-Nasafee debated the various
legal issues connected with verses by explaining the arguments of each math-hab,
refuting them and supporting the positions of his own math-hab, the Hanafee
school. Discussions of grammatical issues are mostly very brief. On the whole,
the tafseer is medium-sized and its style is brief and clear.132
4. Tafseer al-Khaazin, Lubaab at-Ta’weel fee Ma‘aani at-Tanzeel
‘Alee ibn Khaleel ash-Shayhee (1279-1340 CE/678-740 AH) was known by
the nickname of “al-Khaazin” (the warehouseman) because he used to be in
charge of a book warehouse in Damascus. This Shaafi‘ee scholar was born and
raised in Baghdaad, but did the greater part of his studies in Damascus. He wrote
a vast number of books on a variety of topics, such as the ten-volume work called
Maqbool al-Manqool, in which he gathered the hadeeths found in the Musnads of
ash-Shaafi‘ee and Ahmad, the six major books, the Muwatta’ of Maalik, and the
Sunan of ad-Daaraqutnee. His tafseer is a condensed version of al-Baghawee’s
tafseer with additions from earlier tafseers. He mentions many Biblical tales
(Israa’eeleeyaat) without evaluating them. Al-Khaazin also wrote extensively on
the battles which took place during the Prophet’s era wherever mention was made
of them in the verses. His tafseer also deals with legal issues in great detail,
sometimes touching on areas not related to tafseer at all. There is also great
emphasis in the tafseer on spiritual lessons and advice, a reflection of al-
Khaazin’s Soofee leanings. The tafseer is in seven medium-sized volumes and is
in wide circulation and is particularly liked by those who enjoy stories; however,
the tafseer needs critical revision before being used as a reliable reference for
scholars.133
5. Tafseer Abee Hayyaan, al-Bahr al-Muheet
Muhammad ibn Yoosuf ibn Hayyaan al-Andaloosee (1256-1344 CE/654-745
AH), more commonly known by the name Aboo Hayyaan, was a scholar in the
field of recitations and poetry and was a master in the field of grammar. In his
early years, he belonged to the Thaahiree school of law, but later left it for the
Shaafi‘ee school. He studied in schools throughout North Africa and eventually
132 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 311-17.
133 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 318-24.
settled in Egypt. This tafseer is in eight large volumes and is widely used by
scholars as an important reference work on grammatical constructions in the
Qur’aan. Aboo Hayyaan mentions in detail the differences among grammarians
and makes most of his tafseer from a grammatical point of view, so much so that
it bears a closer resemblance to a grammar book than it does to a tafseer of the
Qur’aan. However, he does develop the other areas of tafseer, such as fiqh issues,
recitations, Qur’aanic eloquence, and narrations from early orthodox scholars. In
numerous places, he also refutes many of az-Zamakhsharee’s philosophical
arguments, as well as his grammatical positions.134
6. Tafseer an-Naysaabooree, Gharaa’ib al-Qur’aan wa Raghaa’ib al-Furqaan
Nithaamud-Deen ibn al-Hasan an-Naysaabooree (d.1328 CE/728 AH),
nicknamed an-Nithaam al-A‘raj, was born in Qum, but grew up in Nishapur,
where he became a famous literary scholar, grammarian, and Qur’aan reciter.
An-Naysaabooree wrote his tafseer by critically condensing ar-Raazee’s tafseer,
adding additional material from al-Kash-shaaf and other tafseers, as well as
tafseers of the sahaabah and taabi‘oon. The format used in his tafseer is quite
unique among tafseers. After mentioning the verse, he mentions the various
recitations, carefully attributing them to one of the ten major reciters. Then he
mentions the possible places where pauses may take place and explains the
resulting meanings of the verse. After that, he discusses the relationship between
verses and begins the tafseer by explaining the grammatical meaning of the
verses. He then mentions the fiqh issues and the opinions of the various
philosophical and theological arguments, firmly defending the orthodox position
of Ahl as-Sunnah. Verses concerning the wonders of creation are discussed from
the viewpoint of natural sciences. Due to the author’s strong Soofee leanings, he
delves into the spiritual implications and his personal enlightenment at the end of
each verse’s tafseer. This tafseer is presently printed in the margin of one edition
of Tafseer at-Tabaree and is widely read by scholars.135
7. Tafseer al-Jalaalayn
This tafseer is the product of two scholars, both of whom had the title,
“Jalaalud-Deen” (Glory of the Religion): Jalaal ad-Deen as-Suyootee (1445-1505
CE), author of ad-Durr al-Manthoor, and Jalaalud-Deen al-Mahallee (1389-1460
134 Ibid., vol. 1, pp. 325-9.
135 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 329-40.
CE/791-864 AH). The former was discussed previously, so we will only concern
ourselves with the latter. His name was Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Mahallee
and his birthplace was Egypt. He became a great scholar of the Shaafi‘ee mathhab
and refused the post of the chief judge, preferring to teach fiqh in the local
schools and engage in trade. He wrote a number of simple and concise books in
various fields which became very popular. He began his tafseer starting with
Soorah al-Kahf (18) and ending with Soorah an-Naas (114). He then did the
tafseer of the first soorah, al-Faatihah; however, he died before completing the
rest. As-Suyootee then began from Soorah al-Baqarah (2) and ended with Soorah
al-Israa’ (17), which is a little less than one half of the Qur’aan. He followed al-
Mahallee’s format. The basic meanings of the verses are explained and the most
probable opinions are mentioned. Grammatical explanations are only relied on
where absolutely necessary. Some reference is also made to the more famous
recitations. There are very few areas where the two authors differed. One of them
concerns the rooh (soul), which al-Mahallee explains in Soorah Saad (38) as a
subtle body or substance that brings man to life when it is blown into him. As-
Suyootee agrees with him in his own tafseer of Soorah al-Hijr (15), but in his
tafseer of verse 85 of Soorah al-Israa’:
“And they ask you about the rooh. Say: ‘The rooh is by my Lord’s
command,’ for you have been only given a little amount of
knowledge,”136
as-Suyootee contradicts al-Mahallee. He wrote that this verse clearly indicates
that the reality of the rooh is the exclusive knowledge of Allaah; hence, it would
be better not to try to define it. In spite of this tafseer’s brevity (one volume), it is
without a doubt a very valuable work and it is among the most popular tafseers.
136 Soorah al-Israa’ (17):85.
Numerous editions have been printed, and many commentaries have been written
on it, the most famous being Haasheyah al-Jamal and Haasheyah as-Saawee.137
8. Tafseer al-Khateeb ash-Shirbeenee, As-Siraaj al-Muneer
Muhammad ibn Muhammad ash-Shirbeenee (d. 1569 CE/1569 AH) was an
Egyptian scholar of the Shaafi‘ee school of legal thought. He was most commonly
known by the title, “al-Khateeb.” His tafseer is a concise abridgement of earlier
tafseers and is filled with many quotes from Tafseer ar-Raazee. He avoids
conflicting opinions, choosing only the most suitable or likely among them.
Grammatical breakdowns are only given where necessary and, occasionally,
recitations from the famous seven mentioned. Also, he only mentions reliable
hadeeths (saheeh or hasan) and criticizes some of the earlier mufassirs, like az-
Zamakhsharee and al-Baydaawee, for their use of fabricated hadeeths. Ash-
Shirbeenee took care to note various problematic verses and the relationship
between verses. As for legal issues, he only mentions them occasionally and in
concise terms. However, the author often mentions weird stories and the strangest
of Israa’eeleeyaat without making any comment on their accuracy.138
9. Tafseer Abis-Sa‘ood, Irshaad al-‘Aql as-Saleem ilaa Mazaayaa al-Kitaab al-
Kareem
Abus-Sa‘ood Muhammad ibn Mustafaa al-‘Imaadee (1489-1574 CE/894-982
AH) was born in a village near Constantinople and became a scholar of the
Hanafee school. He taught in many Turkish Islaamic schools and was appointed
judge in a number of cities, including Constantinople itself. Later, he was
appointed a muftee and remained one for over thirty years.139 His tafseer was
based on al-Kash-shaaf and that of al-Baydaawee, except that he avoided many of
their pitfalls. He did, however, fall into the trap of mentioning fabricated hadeeths
concerning the merits of each soorah. The author spends a great deal of effort
explaining the eloquence and miraculous construction of Qur’aanic expressions.
He only mentions variant recitations where they further explain the verses.
137 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 341-5.
138 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 346-52.
139 In fact, he was probably the single most influential scholar in the history of the Ottoman
empire. See The Venture of Islaam, vol. 3, The Gunpowder Empires, pp. 110-11.
Very few Israa’eeleeyaat are mentioned and the various legal opinions on
legal issues are listed only occasionally. He sometimes mentions the various
grammatical meanings of verses and chooses the most appropriate after producing
proof to that effect. The tafseer has been reprinted in five medium-sized volumes
numerous times and is quite popular among scholars due to its clarity and
beauty.140
10. Tafseer al-Aaloosee, Rooh al-Ma‘aanee fee Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-Atheem
wa as-Sab‘ al-Mathaanee
As-Sayyid Mahmood Afandee al-Aaloosee141 (1802-1853 CE/1217-1269
AH) was among the greatest Shaafi‘ee scholars of ‘Iraaq. He was appointed
muftee of Baghdaad and was very familiar with the legal positions of the various
math-habs. In fact, he often followed the opinions of Aboo Haneefah on many
issues. The author has compiled in his tafseer the opinions and narrations of the
early scholars and the explanations of latter-day scholars with great care and
honesty. All statements are attributed to their authors, and their conflicting
opinions are weighed without any bias. Al-Aaloosee often times refutes the
unorthodox interpretations and heretical explanations of the Mu‘tazilees and the
Shee‘ah. He also mentions the scientific theories relating to the verses on creation
and criticizes those he considers inaccurate or unlikely. Grammatical and legal
issues are discussed at great length through the tafseer without bias. Al-Aaloosee
severely criticizes the Israa’eeleeyaat and even ridicules them occasionally. He
also mentions the variant recitations, but does not restrict himself to the authentic
ones. Many quotes from classical literature are used to support his grammatical
arguments, and he usually closes off his tafseer by mentioning the spiritual
implications.
Rooh al-Ma‘aanee is a virtual tafseer encyclopedia, in which most of what
has been written on tafseer has been gathered and critically presented. Despite the
author’s occasional overemphasis on technical areas not directly related to tafseer,
his approach is always balanced and unbiased.142
Tafseers of the Mu‘tazilees
The Mu‘tazilee scholars interpreted the Qur’aan in such a way as to support
and defend their unique and unorthodox ideas which had never before been
expressed by the early scholars among the sahaabah, the taabi‘oon, or their
140 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 353-60.
141 Aaloos is the name of an island in the Euphrates River. His foreparents inhabited a village on
it.
142 See at -Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 360-70.
students. Many of their early tafseers, like those of orthodox scholars, were lost in
time and we only know about them from references made to them by their
contemporaries. Their method of tafseer is considered tafseer bid-diraayah of the
worst kind. Such tafseers are noted for their total disregard for the opinions of the
early mufassirs, as well as their complete dismissal of classical lexical meanings.
The following are brief reviews of Mu‘tazilee-oriented tafseers which have
survived until today:
1. Tafseer ‘Abdul-Jabbaar al-Hamdaanee, Tanzeeh al-Qur’aan ‘an al-
Mataa‘in.
‘Abdul-Jabbaar ibn Ahmad al-Hamdaanee (d. 1024 CE/ 415 AH), a major
Mu‘tazilee scholar of his time, was appointed judge of the city of Rayy, where he
lectured until he died. He authored books in usool al-fiqh and other Islaamic
sciences, as well as a highly acclaimed historical work called Dalaa’il an-
Nuboowah (Proofs of the Prophethood). His tafseer is not a complete explanation
of the Qur’aan, as only the controversial and equivocal verses are interpreted in
order to refute the position of Sunnee scholars. The tafseer begins with Soorah al-
Faatihah (1) and ends with Soorah an-Naas (114); however, many chapters and
verses remain unexplained. The book is organized around certain issues whereby
a problem is presented and its solution proposed.143
2. Tafseer ash-Shareef al-Murtadaa, Gharar al-Fawaa’id wa Durar al-
Qabaa’id
‘Alee ibn at-Taahir, Aboo Ahmad al-Husayn (966-1048 CE/355-439 AH)
traces his ancestry back to the Shee‘ah Imaam Moosaa al-Kaathim, the son of
Ja‘far as-Saadiq. He was the main scholar of the Shee‘ah in ‘Iraaq and an adamant
follower of the Mu‘tazilee school of thought. The book of sayings attributed to
‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib, Nahj al-Balaaghah, was written either by him or by his
brother, Shareef Ridaa. Shareef Murtadaa’s tafseer contains lectures which he
dictated in eighty lessons, covering studies in tafseer, hadeeth,and literature.
Hence, this tafseer was nicknamed “Amaalee ash-Shareef al-Murtadaa” (The
Dictations of Shareef Murtadaa). The tafseer section of the book does not explain
all of the Qur’aan, but instead interprets selected passages in such a way as to
establish the fundamental principles of the Mu‘tazilees. The author also skillfully
takes certain verses which obviously contradict some of the Mu‘tazilee
143 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 399-410
fundamentals and neutralizes them with unorthodox linguistic explanations. In
fact, the whole tafseer has a heavily linguistic, analytical slant.144
3. Tafseer az-Zamakhsharee, al-Kash-shaaf ‘an Haqaa’iq at-Tanzeel
Mahmood ibn ‘Umar az-Zamakhsharee al-Khwaarazmee (1075-1144
CE/467-538 AH) was a Hanafee scholar who studied in Baghdaad and Khurasaan
and wrote a number of books on Arabic literature and grammar, usool al-fiqh,
hadeeth commentary, etc. Despite az-Zamakhsharee’s blatant Mu‘tazilee
leanings, his tafseer is considered a literary masterpiece. His explanations of the
various miraculous aspects of the Qur’aan were the most detailed and extensive
written, and his discussions of the beauty of Qur’aanic rhyme, rhythm, and
eloquence the most comprehensive. Az-Zamakhsharee uses his mastery of the
Arabic language to interpret the Qur’aan according to Mu‘tazilee thought. Verses
which conflict with his fundamentals are made allegorical and reinterpreted. His
handling of legal issues is brief and unbiased, and he rarely uses
Israa’eeleeyaat.145
144 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 410-36.
145 See at -Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 437-89.
Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
BOOKS OF TAFSEER.
referred to as tafseer bir-riwaayah or tafseer bil-ma’thoor (tafseer according to transmission). The authors of such tafseers also avoided unfounded interpretations and unnecessary expla-nations and always accepted authentic narrations. This is not to say that such tafseers are totally free of personal judgment and opinion, for any tafseer, of necessity, must reflect the opinion of the individual who compiles
it. But in this case, personal opinion was kept to a minimum.
On the other hand, those tafseers in which the authors often relied on their
personal opinions for explanations, inter-pretations and deductions were called
tafseer bid-diraayah or tafseer bir-ra’y (tafseer according to opinion). In some of
these types of tafseers, narrated explanations from the Prophet (r), the
sahaabah,and their students (taabi‘oon) are mentioned prior to personal
interpretation, and the deductions or opinions are in agreement with narrated
explanations, grammatical rules, and lexical meanings, while in others there is a
partial or even total disregard for narrated explanations, grammatical rules, and
word meanings. Tafseers of the first type are acceptable, while those based mostly
or solely on unfounded opinion are considered heretical or bordering on heresy.
Allaah and His Prophet (r) have expressly forbidden unfounded explanations of
the Qur’aan. For example, it was forbidden in the verse,
“And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.”111
The Prophet (r) also condemned expression of uninformed opinion in religious
matters, saying,
“Allaah won’t remove knowledge after giving it to you by removing it (from you). Rather he will remove it from (later generations) by taking (the souls of) the scholars along with their knowledge, until only ignorant people remain. They will be asked for religious verdicts, so they will issue verdicts based on their opinions, leading others astray and going astray themselves.” 112 Therefore, it could be generally said that narrations from the Prophet (r), the sahaabah, and the taabi‘oon are superior to those based on opinion. But if the narrations are not authentic, such tafseers may then be actually worse than some of those based on opinion. A brief description of some of the most famous tafseers and their authors follows.
TAFSEER BIR-RIWAAYAH
1.Tafseer Ibn ‘Ateeyah, al-Muharrar al-Wajeez
Abdul-Haqq ibn ‘Ateeyah al-Andaloosee (1089-1146 CE/481-540 AH) was a
Maalikee scholar and judge in both Spain and Morocco. Ibn ‘Ateeyah’s tafseer
contains a summary of accurate narrations found in the earlier tafseers birriwaayah.
He also included many examples from classical literature and discussed
extensively the grammatical wonders of the Qur’aan. A number of scholars
preferred Ibn ‘Ateeyah’s tafseer over that of az-Zamakhsharee’s.113 This tafseer
111 Soorah al-Israa’ (17):36.
112 Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 9, pp. 305-6, no. 410.
113 At-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 248-52.
consists of twenty volumes in manuscript form. It has recently been published in
sixteen volumes.114
2. Tafseer Abil-Layth as-Samarqandee, Bahr al-‘Uloom
Abul-Layth ibn Ibraaheem as-Samarqandee (d. 983 CE/ 372 AH) was a fiqh
scholar of the Hanafee school and was nicknamed “Imaam al-Hind.” His tafseer
was based on hadeeths and narrations from the sahaabah, the taabi‘oon, and later
scholars. However, it does contain some weak narrations, and the chains of
narrations for statements from the sahaabah and taabi‘oon were not mentioned,
nor were their opinions analyzed. This tafseer consists of four volumes and is in
print.115
3. Tafseer Abee Ishaaq, al-Kashf wa al-Bayaan ‘an Tafseer al-Qur’aan
Aboo Ishaaq, Ahmad ibn Ibraaheem ath-Tha‘labee (d. 1036 CE/427 AH),
from Nishapur, was a well-known Quraa’nic reciter of his time. In his tafseer, the
chains of narrations from the sahaabah are mentioned but condensed.
Grammatical explanations are quite extensive and legal issues are discussed at
length. However, Aboo Ishaaq also mentions a vast number of Israa’eeleeyaat
(Biblical stories) without any critical analysis of their content whatsoever.
Moreover, he also included many weak and fabricated hadeeths in his tafseer due
to his weak background in the science of hadeeth.116
4.Tafseer Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree, Jaami‘ al-Bayaan fee Tafseer al-Qur’aan
Muhammad Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree (839-923 CE/225-310 AH) was from Tabreez,
in what is now western Iran, and was a well-known legalist, hadeeth scholar, and
historian. Although originally a Shaafi‘ee scholar, he reached the level of ijtihaad
and became independent of the school. His tafseer is the oldest tafseer to reach us
intact. It contains narrations which are analyzed in most cases. He mentioned the
various recitations and their implications and he included many Biblical tales
which were discussed, and the positions of unorthodox schools, such as that of the
Mu‘tazilees, were mentioned and refuted. All later tafseers have depended on this
tafseer in one way or another.117 One of the more useful of the many printed
114 Published by Maktabah Ibn Taymeeyah, Cairo, 1992. There are other editions as well.
115 At-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 235-7.
116 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 238-45.
117 Ibid., vol. 1, pp. 215-34.
editions of this massive work is the one containing the comments of Ahmad
Shaakir on the isnaads of the many narrations cited by the author. Unfortunately,
the authentication effort was cut short by Shakir’s death, having only completed
up to verse five of Soorah Maa’idah.118
5.Tafseer al-Baghawee, Ma‘aalim at-Tanzeel
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Baghawee (d. 1117 CE/ 510 AH) was an
eminent jurist of the Shaafi‘ee school and one of the foremost hadeeth scholars of
his time. His tafseer was a condensed version of Tafseer ath-Tha‘labee, in which
the majority of weak and fabricated narrations were removed and all the chains of
narrators were mentioned. He also removed various heretical concepts mentioned
in ath-Tha‘labee’s tafseer, as well as scientific information not directly related to
tafseer. Al-Baghawee briefly mentions some of the various recitations and
explains grammatical constructions only where it is absolutely necessary. There
are a few Israa’eeleeyaat mentioned without critical analysis and some
conflicting opinions of early scholars which are also mentioned without
evaluation. This tafseer has been printed in a single edition along with Ibn
Katheer’s tafseer and Tafseer al-Khaazin and is among the most reliable tafseers
based on narration.119
6. Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-Atheem
Abul-Fidaa’ Ismaa‘eel ibn Katheer ad-Dimishqee (1300-1373 CE/699-774
AH) was a Shaafi‘ee fiqh scholar and a student of Ibn Taymeeyah. He was also an
eminent hadeeth scholar and a historian. His historical work, al-Bidaayah wa an-
Nihaayah, is considered the most authentic Islaamic history book. Tafseer ibn
Katheer is also considered the most authentic book of tafseer, and is second only
to Tafseer at-Tabaree in popularity among scholars. The book contains an
extensive preface covering the methodology of tafseer, and great emphasis has
been placed upon the interpretation of Qur’aan by Qur’aan. Ibn Katheer critically
analyzes all of his narrations and evaluates the conflicting statements of the
sahaabah and the taabi‘oon. He also warns against the dangers of Israa’eeleeyaat
and other false information commonly found in tafseers. Legal issues are
118 Printed by Daar al-Ma‘aarif in Cairo.
119 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 245-8.
discussed, and differences of opinion are evaluated.120 An abridged version of this
tafseer, from which the inauthentic narrations has been removed, was published in
four volumes in the 1980s.121
7.Tafseer ath-Tha‘labee, al-Jawaahir al-Hisaan fee Tafseer al-Qur’aan
Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Makhloof ath-Tha‘labee al-Jazaa’iree (d. 1472 CE/877
AH) was a North African Maalikee scholar well known for his piety and
knowledge. His tafseer was an abridgement of Ibn ‘Ateeyah’s tafseer, to which he
added information from other famous classical tafseers, especially that of at-
Tabaree. The hadeeths mentioned were from all the well-known works, and
Israa’eeleeyaat were all evaluated. Ath-Tha‘labee lists some of the variant
recitations and discusses some grammatical issues, but for the most part, his
tafseer is a condensation and compilation of previous works with very little added
from himself.122
8. Tafseer Jalaalud-Deen as-Suyootee, ad-Durr al-Manthoor fee at-Tafseer bi
al-Ma’thoor
Jalaalud-Deen ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Muhammad as-Suyootee (1445-1505
CE/849-910 AH) was a great Shaafi‘ee fiqh scholar, as well as the foremost
hadeeth scholar of his time. At first, he wrote a four volume tafseer called
Turjumaan al-Qur’aan, in which he placed over ten thousand hadeeths along with
their chains of narration. When he found his students uninterested in learning
chains of narration, he condensed the tafseer by deleting the chains and merely
mentioned the books from which the hadeeths were taken. This tafseer was
renamed ad-Durr al-Manthoor. In spite of his knowledge of the hadeeth sciences,
he seems to have been only concerned with gathering the largest possible quantity
of hadeeths, without discriminating between the true and the false.123
9.Tafseer ash-Shawkaanee, Fat-h al-Qadeer
Muhammad ibn ‘Alee ash-Shawkaanee (d. 1839 CE 1255 AH) was a resident
of San‘aa, Yemen who started his quest for knowledge as a student of the Zaydee
120 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 252-7.
121 Abridged by Ar-Rafaa‘ee.
122 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 257-61.
123 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 261-4.
math-hab. He studied hadeeth sciences extensively and became independent of
his math-hab. In his tafseer, ash-Shawkaanee has combined both methods of
tafseer (by opinion and by narration). He has condensed the hadeeth chains and
has mentioned the books in which each hadeeth may be found, and most opinions
are attributed to their sources. Grammatical, legal, and philosophical issues are
discussed and the positions of the great commentators are mentioned. This tafseer
is printed in five volumes and is widely favored among orthodox scholars. A
recent edition has footnotes that extensively document the hadeeths cited by the
author.124
10. Tafseer Ibn ‘Abbaas, Tanweer al-Miqbaas min Tafseer Ibn ‘Abbaas
This tafseer was compiled by Muhammad ibn Ya‘qoob al-Fayroozaabaadee
(d. 1414 CE/817 AH), who was a Shaafi‘ee scholar and author of the famous
Arabic dictionary, al-Qaamoos al-Muheet. The vast majority of this tafseer
consists of explanatory statements attributed to the great sahaabee and mufassir,
Ibn ‘Abbaas. The author mentions the chains of narrators for each section of
tafseer. Hence, this tafseer is considered as being among the tafseers birriwaayah.
However, chains of narration attributed to Ibn ‘Abbaas vary in their
level of authenticity, depending upon the reliability of the narrators themselves.
Chains from Mu‘aawiyah ibn Saalih and Qays ibn Muslim al-Koofee are
considered saheeh (highly authentic) and those from Ibn Is-haaq (the historian)
are considered hasan (authentic); while those from Ismaa‘eel ibn ‘Abdur-
Rahmaan as-Suddee al-Kabeer and ‘Abdul Maalik ibn Jurayj are doubtful. Those
from ad-Dahhaak ibn Mazaahim al-Hilaalee, ‘Ateeyah al-‘Awfee, Muqaatil ibn
Sulaymaan al-Azdee, and Muhammad ibn as-Saa’ib al-Kalabee, who was accused
of fabricating hadeeths, are all da‘eef (unacceptable). Nearly all of the so-called
“Tafseer of Ibn ‘Abbaas” is based on statements narrated in chains containing
Muhammad ibn as-Saa’ib al-Kalabee. Hence, this tafseer is considered unreliable
for the most part; and, despite its popularity among the masses, it is totally
rejected by Muslim scholars.125
TAFSEER BID-DIRAAYAH
1. Tafseer Fakhrud-Deen ar-Raazee, Mafaateeh al-Ghayb
Fakhrud-Deen ibn ‘Alee ar-Raazee (1150-1210 CE/544-606 AH) was a
Shaafi‘ee scholar who excelled in the grammatical sciences as well as philosophy.
124 Fat-h al-Qadeer , documentation by Sayyid Ibraaheem (Cairo: Daar al-Hadeeth, n.d.).
125 See Mabaahith fee ‘Uloom al-Qur’aan, pp. 360-62 and at-Tafseer wa al Mufassiroon, pp. 81-3.
His tafseer is printed in eight large volumes; however, his contemporaries
mentioned that Fakhrud-Deen did not complete his tafseer. It has been suggested
that the work was completed by his disciple, Shams ad-Deen Ahmad ibn al-
Khaleel al-Khuwayyee.126 Ar-Raazee’s tafseer is quite popular among scholars
due to its extensive treatment of various topics from a wide range of sciences.
This tafseer is noted for its concentration on the relationship between verses and
chapters. However, the tafseer is, for the most part, like an encyclopedia of
natural sciences. The author delves into mathematics and natural sciences and
evaluates the opinions of astronomers and philosophers using their terminology.
The various arguments of the Mu‘tazilah are mentioned and mildly refuted and
the positions of the various fiqh math-habs are explained whenever verses
containing legal issues appear. However, he always favors his school, the
Shaafi‘ee math-hab on legal issues. Ar-Raazee also discussed grammatical issues,
but to a much lesser extent than his discussions of natural sciences.127
2. Tafseer al-Qurtubee, Jaami‘ Ahkaam al-Qur’aan wa al-Mubayyin li Maa
Tadammana min as-Sunnah wa Aay al-Furqaan
Aboo ‘Abdillaah Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Ansaaree al-Qurtubee (d. 1273
CE/671 AH) was born in Cordoba in what is now Spain. He started his studies
there and participated in jihaad against the Christians, in the course of which he
was captured, but he managed to escape.128 He eventually travelled to the east,
settling in Egypt, where he died. He is most famous for his tafseer, but he is also
noted for his book on the afterlife, at-Tathkirah bi Ahwaal al-Mawtaa wa Ahwaal
al-Aakhirah and a book on zuhd, the downplaying of worldly ambitions in order
to concentrate on success in the hereafter.129
His tafseer starts with an introduction of some seventy pages on the virtues of
the Qur’aan, the etiquettes of its recitation and the proper methodology of tafseer.
The tafseer is characterized by a heavy emphasis on fiqh issues, but it is by no
means limited to that. One may consider al-Qurtubee’s work in the category of attafseer
bid-diraayah because fiqh by its nature involves deductions from the texts.
However, he includes the hadeeths relevant to each verse, as well as explanations
of the sahaabah, taabi‘oon and major scholars, although usually stripped of the
isnaad. When quoting a hadeeth, he cites the book where it may be found or the
126 See Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam, p. 470.
127 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 298-304.
128 See al-Jaami‘ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, vol. 10, pp. 175-6.
129 See Shatharaat ath-Thahab, vol. 5, p. 335, and al-Jaami‘ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, vol. 1,
publisher’s preface.
author who mentioned it. After presenting the text of a verse, he will state the
number of issues relating to it that he plans to discuss. He usually starts with an
explanation of the vocabulary of the verse, quoting a line or two of poetry to
illustrate the definition of any difficult words. He also mentions variant recitations
and their reciters. In discussing fiqh issues, he mentions the major opinions along
with their evidence, then evaluates them. He generally supports the Maalikee
position, although not always. He also refutes deviant sects like the Shee‘ah, the
Mu‘tazilah, and the Qadareeyah, but he does so with scholarly etiquette. His
tafseer is considered one of the monumental works in this field, and is
indispensable for the fiqh issues of the Qur’aan.130
3. Tafseer al-Baydaawee, Anwaar at-Tanzeel wa Asraar at-Ta’weel
Naasirud-Deen, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Alee al-Baydaawee (d. 1291 CE/691 AH)
was a Persian scholar of the Shaafi‘ee math-hab and was appointed chief judge of
Shiraaz. His tafseer was an abridgement of al-Kash-shaaf by az-Zamakhsharee,
with most of the Mu‘tazilee philosophy deleted. However, he does occasionally
get caught up in az-Zamakhsharee’s explanations. He has also followed az-
Zamakhsharee’s practice of mentioning at the end of every chapter weak and
fabricated hadeeths extolling the virtues of reading that chapter. Al-Baydaawee
draws some of his material from Mafaateeh al-Ghayb of ar-Raazee and Tafseer
ar-Raaghib al-Isfahaanee and includes narrations from the sahaabah and the
taabi‘oon. Hence, he does not leave any verse about the wonders of creation
without expounding on the theories and facts of natural sciences. He also
mentions Qur’aanic recitations, but does not limit himself to the authentic ones.
Nevertheless, the tafseer is quite free from Israa’eeleeyaat. Its language is also
very polished and elegant. Islaamic scholars throughout the ages have held this
tafseer in high esteem, and many commentaries on it and annotated versions of it
have been produced.131
3. Tafseer an-Nasafee, Madaarik at-Tanzeel wa Haqaa’iq at-Ta’weel
‘Abdullaah ibn Mahmood an-Nasafee (d. 1302 CE/701 AH) was a Hanafee
scholar of wide renown. He wrote numerous books on usool al-fiqh and
commentaries on earlier works. His tafseer was an abridgement of al-
Baydaawee’s tafseer in which he deleted the fabricated hadeeths on the virtues of
130 See al-Jaami‘ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, vol.1, pp. 6-7, Author’s Introduction, and al Mabaahith
fee ‘Uloom al-Qur’aan, p. 391.
131 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 304-11.
each chapter. In his discussions of the various recitations, he limits himself to the
authentic seven and attributes each to its reciter. An-Nasafee debated the various
legal issues connected with verses by explaining the arguments of each math-hab,
refuting them and supporting the positions of his own math-hab, the Hanafee
school. Discussions of grammatical issues are mostly very brief. On the whole,
the tafseer is medium-sized and its style is brief and clear.132
4. Tafseer al-Khaazin, Lubaab at-Ta’weel fee Ma‘aani at-Tanzeel
‘Alee ibn Khaleel ash-Shayhee (1279-1340 CE/678-740 AH) was known by
the nickname of “al-Khaazin” (the warehouseman) because he used to be in
charge of a book warehouse in Damascus. This Shaafi‘ee scholar was born and
raised in Baghdaad, but did the greater part of his studies in Damascus. He wrote
a vast number of books on a variety of topics, such as the ten-volume work called
Maqbool al-Manqool, in which he gathered the hadeeths found in the Musnads of
ash-Shaafi‘ee and Ahmad, the six major books, the Muwatta’ of Maalik, and the
Sunan of ad-Daaraqutnee. His tafseer is a condensed version of al-Baghawee’s
tafseer with additions from earlier tafseers. He mentions many Biblical tales
(Israa’eeleeyaat) without evaluating them. Al-Khaazin also wrote extensively on
the battles which took place during the Prophet’s era wherever mention was made
of them in the verses. His tafseer also deals with legal issues in great detail,
sometimes touching on areas not related to tafseer at all. There is also great
emphasis in the tafseer on spiritual lessons and advice, a reflection of al-
Khaazin’s Soofee leanings. The tafseer is in seven medium-sized volumes and is
in wide circulation and is particularly liked by those who enjoy stories; however,
the tafseer needs critical revision before being used as a reliable reference for
scholars.133
5. Tafseer Abee Hayyaan, al-Bahr al-Muheet
Muhammad ibn Yoosuf ibn Hayyaan al-Andaloosee (1256-1344 CE/654-745
AH), more commonly known by the name Aboo Hayyaan, was a scholar in the
field of recitations and poetry and was a master in the field of grammar. In his
early years, he belonged to the Thaahiree school of law, but later left it for the
Shaafi‘ee school. He studied in schools throughout North Africa and eventually
132 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 311-17.
133 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 318-24.
settled in Egypt. This tafseer is in eight large volumes and is widely used by
scholars as an important reference work on grammatical constructions in the
Qur’aan. Aboo Hayyaan mentions in detail the differences among grammarians
and makes most of his tafseer from a grammatical point of view, so much so that
it bears a closer resemblance to a grammar book than it does to a tafseer of the
Qur’aan. However, he does develop the other areas of tafseer, such as fiqh issues,
recitations, Qur’aanic eloquence, and narrations from early orthodox scholars. In
numerous places, he also refutes many of az-Zamakhsharee’s philosophical
arguments, as well as his grammatical positions.134
6. Tafseer an-Naysaabooree, Gharaa’ib al-Qur’aan wa Raghaa’ib al-Furqaan
Nithaamud-Deen ibn al-Hasan an-Naysaabooree (d.1328 CE/728 AH),
nicknamed an-Nithaam al-A‘raj, was born in Qum, but grew up in Nishapur,
where he became a famous literary scholar, grammarian, and Qur’aan reciter.
An-Naysaabooree wrote his tafseer by critically condensing ar-Raazee’s tafseer,
adding additional material from al-Kash-shaaf and other tafseers, as well as
tafseers of the sahaabah and taabi‘oon. The format used in his tafseer is quite
unique among tafseers. After mentioning the verse, he mentions the various
recitations, carefully attributing them to one of the ten major reciters. Then he
mentions the possible places where pauses may take place and explains the
resulting meanings of the verse. After that, he discusses the relationship between
verses and begins the tafseer by explaining the grammatical meaning of the
verses. He then mentions the fiqh issues and the opinions of the various
philosophical and theological arguments, firmly defending the orthodox position
of Ahl as-Sunnah. Verses concerning the wonders of creation are discussed from
the viewpoint of natural sciences. Due to the author’s strong Soofee leanings, he
delves into the spiritual implications and his personal enlightenment at the end of
each verse’s tafseer. This tafseer is presently printed in the margin of one edition
of Tafseer at-Tabaree and is widely read by scholars.135
7. Tafseer al-Jalaalayn
This tafseer is the product of two scholars, both of whom had the title,
“Jalaalud-Deen” (Glory of the Religion): Jalaal ad-Deen as-Suyootee (1445-1505
CE), author of ad-Durr al-Manthoor, and Jalaalud-Deen al-Mahallee (1389-1460
134 Ibid., vol. 1, pp. 325-9.
135 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 329-40.
CE/791-864 AH). The former was discussed previously, so we will only concern
ourselves with the latter. His name was Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Mahallee
and his birthplace was Egypt. He became a great scholar of the Shaafi‘ee mathhab
and refused the post of the chief judge, preferring to teach fiqh in the local
schools and engage in trade. He wrote a number of simple and concise books in
various fields which became very popular. He began his tafseer starting with
Soorah al-Kahf (18) and ending with Soorah an-Naas (114). He then did the
tafseer of the first soorah, al-Faatihah; however, he died before completing the
rest. As-Suyootee then began from Soorah al-Baqarah (2) and ended with Soorah
al-Israa’ (17), which is a little less than one half of the Qur’aan. He followed al-
Mahallee’s format. The basic meanings of the verses are explained and the most
probable opinions are mentioned. Grammatical explanations are only relied on
where absolutely necessary. Some reference is also made to the more famous
recitations. There are very few areas where the two authors differed. One of them
concerns the rooh (soul), which al-Mahallee explains in Soorah Saad (38) as a
subtle body or substance that brings man to life when it is blown into him. As-
Suyootee agrees with him in his own tafseer of Soorah al-Hijr (15), but in his
tafseer of verse 85 of Soorah al-Israa’:
“And they ask you about the rooh. Say: ‘The rooh is by my Lord’s
command,’ for you have been only given a little amount of
knowledge,”136
as-Suyootee contradicts al-Mahallee. He wrote that this verse clearly indicates
that the reality of the rooh is the exclusive knowledge of Allaah; hence, it would
be better not to try to define it. In spite of this tafseer’s brevity (one volume), it is
without a doubt a very valuable work and it is among the most popular tafseers.
136 Soorah al-Israa’ (17):85.
Numerous editions have been printed, and many commentaries have been written
on it, the most famous being Haasheyah al-Jamal and Haasheyah as-Saawee.137
8. Tafseer al-Khateeb ash-Shirbeenee, As-Siraaj al-Muneer
Muhammad ibn Muhammad ash-Shirbeenee (d. 1569 CE/1569 AH) was an
Egyptian scholar of the Shaafi‘ee school of legal thought. He was most commonly
known by the title, “al-Khateeb.” His tafseer is a concise abridgement of earlier
tafseers and is filled with many quotes from Tafseer ar-Raazee. He avoids
conflicting opinions, choosing only the most suitable or likely among them.
Grammatical breakdowns are only given where necessary and, occasionally,
recitations from the famous seven mentioned. Also, he only mentions reliable
hadeeths (saheeh or hasan) and criticizes some of the earlier mufassirs, like az-
Zamakhsharee and al-Baydaawee, for their use of fabricated hadeeths. Ash-
Shirbeenee took care to note various problematic verses and the relationship
between verses. As for legal issues, he only mentions them occasionally and in
concise terms. However, the author often mentions weird stories and the strangest
of Israa’eeleeyaat without making any comment on their accuracy.138
9. Tafseer Abis-Sa‘ood, Irshaad al-‘Aql as-Saleem ilaa Mazaayaa al-Kitaab al-
Kareem
Abus-Sa‘ood Muhammad ibn Mustafaa al-‘Imaadee (1489-1574 CE/894-982
AH) was born in a village near Constantinople and became a scholar of the
Hanafee school. He taught in many Turkish Islaamic schools and was appointed
judge in a number of cities, including Constantinople itself. Later, he was
appointed a muftee and remained one for over thirty years.139 His tafseer was
based on al-Kash-shaaf and that of al-Baydaawee, except that he avoided many of
their pitfalls. He did, however, fall into the trap of mentioning fabricated hadeeths
concerning the merits of each soorah. The author spends a great deal of effort
explaining the eloquence and miraculous construction of Qur’aanic expressions.
He only mentions variant recitations where they further explain the verses.
137 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 341-5.
138 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 346-52.
139 In fact, he was probably the single most influential scholar in the history of the Ottoman
empire. See The Venture of Islaam, vol. 3, The Gunpowder Empires, pp. 110-11.
Very few Israa’eeleeyaat are mentioned and the various legal opinions on
legal issues are listed only occasionally. He sometimes mentions the various
grammatical meanings of verses and chooses the most appropriate after producing
proof to that effect. The tafseer has been reprinted in five medium-sized volumes
numerous times and is quite popular among scholars due to its clarity and
beauty.140
10. Tafseer al-Aaloosee, Rooh al-Ma‘aanee fee Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-Atheem
wa as-Sab‘ al-Mathaanee
As-Sayyid Mahmood Afandee al-Aaloosee141 (1802-1853 CE/1217-1269
AH) was among the greatest Shaafi‘ee scholars of ‘Iraaq. He was appointed
muftee of Baghdaad and was very familiar with the legal positions of the various
math-habs. In fact, he often followed the opinions of Aboo Haneefah on many
issues. The author has compiled in his tafseer the opinions and narrations of the
early scholars and the explanations of latter-day scholars with great care and
honesty. All statements are attributed to their authors, and their conflicting
opinions are weighed without any bias. Al-Aaloosee often times refutes the
unorthodox interpretations and heretical explanations of the Mu‘tazilees and the
Shee‘ah. He also mentions the scientific theories relating to the verses on creation
and criticizes those he considers inaccurate or unlikely. Grammatical and legal
issues are discussed at great length through the tafseer without bias. Al-Aaloosee
severely criticizes the Israa’eeleeyaat and even ridicules them occasionally. He
also mentions the variant recitations, but does not restrict himself to the authentic
ones. Many quotes from classical literature are used to support his grammatical
arguments, and he usually closes off his tafseer by mentioning the spiritual
implications.
Rooh al-Ma‘aanee is a virtual tafseer encyclopedia, in which most of what
has been written on tafseer has been gathered and critically presented. Despite the
author’s occasional overemphasis on technical areas not directly related to tafseer,
his approach is always balanced and unbiased.142
Tafseers of the Mu‘tazilees
The Mu‘tazilee scholars interpreted the Qur’aan in such a way as to support
and defend their unique and unorthodox ideas which had never before been
expressed by the early scholars among the sahaabah, the taabi‘oon, or their
140 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 353-60.
141 Aaloos is the name of an island in the Euphrates River. His foreparents inhabited a village on
it.
142 See at -Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 360-70.
students. Many of their early tafseers, like those of orthodox scholars, were lost in
time and we only know about them from references made to them by their
contemporaries. Their method of tafseer is considered tafseer bid-diraayah of the
worst kind. Such tafseers are noted for their total disregard for the opinions of the
early mufassirs, as well as their complete dismissal of classical lexical meanings.
The following are brief reviews of Mu‘tazilee-oriented tafseers which have
survived until today:
1. Tafseer ‘Abdul-Jabbaar al-Hamdaanee, Tanzeeh al-Qur’aan ‘an al-
Mataa‘in.
‘Abdul-Jabbaar ibn Ahmad al-Hamdaanee (d. 1024 CE/ 415 AH), a major
Mu‘tazilee scholar of his time, was appointed judge of the city of Rayy, where he
lectured until he died. He authored books in usool al-fiqh and other Islaamic
sciences, as well as a highly acclaimed historical work called Dalaa’il an-
Nuboowah (Proofs of the Prophethood). His tafseer is not a complete explanation
of the Qur’aan, as only the controversial and equivocal verses are interpreted in
order to refute the position of Sunnee scholars. The tafseer begins with Soorah al-
Faatihah (1) and ends with Soorah an-Naas (114); however, many chapters and
verses remain unexplained. The book is organized around certain issues whereby
a problem is presented and its solution proposed.143
2. Tafseer ash-Shareef al-Murtadaa, Gharar al-Fawaa’id wa Durar al-
Qabaa’id
‘Alee ibn at-Taahir, Aboo Ahmad al-Husayn (966-1048 CE/355-439 AH)
traces his ancestry back to the Shee‘ah Imaam Moosaa al-Kaathim, the son of
Ja‘far as-Saadiq. He was the main scholar of the Shee‘ah in ‘Iraaq and an adamant
follower of the Mu‘tazilee school of thought. The book of sayings attributed to
‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib, Nahj al-Balaaghah, was written either by him or by his
brother, Shareef Ridaa. Shareef Murtadaa’s tafseer contains lectures which he
dictated in eighty lessons, covering studies in tafseer, hadeeth,and literature.
Hence, this tafseer was nicknamed “Amaalee ash-Shareef al-Murtadaa” (The
Dictations of Shareef Murtadaa). The tafseer section of the book does not explain
all of the Qur’aan, but instead interprets selected passages in such a way as to
establish the fundamental principles of the Mu‘tazilees. The author also skillfully
takes certain verses which obviously contradict some of the Mu‘tazilee
143 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 399-410
fundamentals and neutralizes them with unorthodox linguistic explanations. In
fact, the whole tafseer has a heavily linguistic, analytical slant.144
3. Tafseer az-Zamakhsharee, al-Kash-shaaf ‘an Haqaa’iq at-Tanzeel
Mahmood ibn ‘Umar az-Zamakhsharee al-Khwaarazmee (1075-1144
CE/467-538 AH) was a Hanafee scholar who studied in Baghdaad and Khurasaan
and wrote a number of books on Arabic literature and grammar, usool al-fiqh,
hadeeth commentary, etc. Despite az-Zamakhsharee’s blatant Mu‘tazilee
leanings, his tafseer is considered a literary masterpiece. His explanations of the
various miraculous aspects of the Qur’aan were the most detailed and extensive
written, and his discussions of the beauty of Qur’aanic rhyme, rhythm, and
eloquence the most comprehensive. Az-Zamakhsharee uses his mastery of the
Arabic language to interpret the Qur’aan according to Mu‘tazilee thought. Verses
which conflict with his fundamentals are made allegorical and reinterpreted. His
handling of legal issues is brief and unbiased, and he rarely uses
Israa’eeleeyaat.145
144 See at-Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 410-36.
145 See at -Tafseer wal-Mufassiroon, vol. 1, pp. 437-89.
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