Tafsir

Tafsir (Arabic: تفسير, romanized: tafsīr [tafˈsiːr]; English: explanation) refers to an exegesis, or commentary, of the Quran. An author of a tafsir is called a mufassir (Arabic: مُفسّر; plural: Arabic: مفسّرون, romanized: mufassirūn). A Quranic tafsir tries to provide education, explanation, interpretation, context or commentary so people can clearly understand and believe in God's will in Islam. The idea of interpreting the Quran first appears in the Quran itself, talking about cases where it is clear and others where it is not.

Principally, a tafsir deals with issues of linguistics, jurisprudence, and theology. In terms of perspective and approach, tafsir can be broadly divided into two main categories: tafsir bi-al-ma'thur (lit. received tafsir), which is passed down from the early days of Islam through the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions, and tafsir bi-al-ra'y (lit. tafsir by opinion), which comes from personal reflection or independent rational thinking.

There are different traditions for each of the tafsirs representing various schools and doctrines, such as Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, and Sufism. There are also differences between classic tafsirs written by important Muslim scholars during the early years of Islam, and modern tafsir which tries to speak to a wider audience, including everyday people. According to American scholar Samuel Ross, there are 2,700 Quran commentaries that still exist in old writings, and 300 commentaries have been printed. Because around 96% of the Arabic writings have not been studied, Ross believes that "by extrapolation there may be thousands of additional commentaries still waiting to be discovered."

Etymology

The word tafsīr comes from an Arabic root meaning "to interpret" or "to explain." In Islam, tafsīr is about understanding and explaining the messages of God as shared in the Quran. This helps people learn what the Quran teaches using the Arabic language and our own thinking.

Qualifications for the interpreter

See also: Quranic hermeneutics and Hikmah

A person who writes a tafsir—an explanation of the Quran—is called a mufassir. Before someone can explain the Quran, they need to know many important subjects very well. These include understanding the Arabic language, how to speak clearly and persuade others rhetoric, beliefs about God and religion theology, and how to decide what is right and wrong in Islam jurisprudence.

Here are the main things a mufassir must know:

1. Being very good at Arabic – This helps understand the Quran’s words, sentences, and special ways of speaking.
2. Knowing the whole Quran – The most important thing is to understand all of the Quran.
3. Understanding when and why each part was written – This helps explain the Quran correctly.
4. Using trusted sources – This includes the Quran itself and stories about what Muhammad said and did, called the Sunnah.
5. Using careful thinking – Scholars can use their own ideas to understand the Quran, but they should check with other Islamic writings.
6. Knowing Islamic law – This helps explain the rules in the Quran and see which ones have changed.
7. Sticking to Islamic beliefs – Any explanation must match what Muslims believe.

History

See also: List of tafsir works

After the time of Muhammad, his close followers began explaining the Quran. They were good with the language and culture of the Quran, which helped them share its meanings.

Later, people started writing down these explanations. One of the earliest known writers was Muqatil ibn Sulayman in the 700s. His work was simple, focusing on short explanations of the Quran's words and phrases.

As time went on, more scholars began writing about the Quran. They used many sources and recorded their own ideas, too. Different places, like Mecca, Medina, and Iraq, had their own styles of explaining the Quran. These writings helped people understand the Quran better and became a separate area of study.

Methods

The way people explain the Quran can be divided into two main styles. One style uses well-known stories and teachings from long ago to help explain the Quran. This is called tafsīr bi'l-ma'thūr. Many important books use this style, like Jāmiʿ al-Bayān by al-Tabari and Tafseer al-Qurʾān al-ʿAẓeem by ibn Kathir. These stories come from the Quran itself, old tales told by the Prophet Muhammad, or his close friends. They help make the meanings of the Quran clearer.

The other style is called tafsīr bi'r-ra'y, where people use their own thinking and understanding to explain the Quran. This style looks at the words and history around the verses to find meanings. Some important books using this style are Anwar al-Tanzil by al-Baydawi and Mafatih al-Ghayb by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi. Scholars also think about the goals of the Quran and the world around them when they explain it.

Denominations

Islamic theology is divided into many schools and branches, and each school comments on the Quran with its own point of view.

Sunni

The time of Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari marks an important period, which included significant Sunni explanations of the Quran, such as Tafsir al-Thalabi and Tafsir al-Tabari. Tafsir al-Tabari is one of the most important explanation works in Sunni Islam. This work provides material for the whole Quran and includes different readings, which Tabari tries to harmonize or supports what he feels is more correct. Both language and theological subjects are discussed throughout his work.

Shi'ite

Explanations by Shia Muslims deal with similar issues as Sunnis and use similar methods, but they focus on certain beliefs unique to Shia Islam. These include the concept of imamate, giving more importance to verses about leadership after Muhammad, starting with Ali, and placing more trust in interpretations linked to The Twelve Imams.^{[citation needed]} These features lead to differences between the hidden and open meanings of the Quran, with the hidden meaning linked to the imams being preferred. Some Shia explanations are also influenced by Mu'tazili thoughts, especially on theological matters. Important examples of Shia explanation works include Al-Tibbyan Fi Tafsir al-Quran by Shaykh Tusi and Majma al-Bayan lif'ulum al-Quran by Shaykh Tabarsi.

Sufi

Main article: Esoteric interpretation of the Quran

This is a way of explaining the Quran that includes hidden or mystic meanings. These meanings do not usually go against the usual explanations but talk about deeper levels of meaning in the Quran. Hidden meanings are found mainly in Sufism and in the teachings of Shi'a Imams and the Isma'ili sect.

Quranist

Quranists believe only in the Quran and reject other traditions. Turkish Islamic theologian Yaşar Nuri Öztürk published a major explanation work called Kur'an'daki Islam in 1992. Other authors like Edip Yüksel, Layth Saleh al-Shaiban, and Martha Schulte-Nafeh wrote Quran: A Reformist Translation, and Ghulam Ahmed Perwez wrote Mafhoom-ul-Quran, translated as Exposition of the Holy Quran.

Tafsīr-ilmī (scientific interpretation)

Some people believe the Quran encourages scientific study. Starting in the 1970s and 80s, the idea that the Quran contains scientific facts discovered much later became popular. Supporters say the Quran includes miracles like relativity, quantum mechanics, Big Bang theory, black holes, pulsars, genetics, embryology, modern geology, thermodynamics, the laser, and hydrogen fuel cells. Critics say these verses contain mistakes and are not scientific. Both Muslims and non-Muslims debate whether there are truly "scientific miracles" in the Quran.