Tafsir

For other uses, seeTafsir (disambiguation).

Tafsir(Arabic:تفسير,romanized:tafsīr[tafˈsiːr];English:Explanation) refers toexegesis,usually of theQuran.An author of atafsiris amufassir(Arabic:مُفسّر;plural:Arabic:مفسّرون,romanized:mufassirūn). A Quranictafsirattempts to provide elucidation, explanation, interpretation, context or commentary for clear understanding and conviction ofGod's will inIslam.

Principally, atafsirdeals with the issues oflinguistics,jurisprudence,andtheology.In terms of perspective and approach,tafsircan be broadly divided into two main categories, namelytafsir bi-al-ma'thur(lit. received tafsir), which is transmitted from the early days of Islam through theIslamic prophetMuhammadand hiscompanions,andtafsir bi-al-ra'y(lit.tafsirby opinion), which is arrived through personal reflection orindependent rational thinking.

There are different characteristics and traditions for each of thetafsirsrepresenting respectiveschools and doctrines,such asSunni Islam,Shia Islam,andSufism.There are also general distinctions between classictafsirscompiled by authoritative figures ofMuslim scholarshipduring theformative ages of Islam,and moderntafsirwhich seeks to address a wider audience, including the common people.

Etymology

The wordtafsīris derived from thethree-letter Arabic verbal rootofف-س-رF-S-R(fassara,'interpreted'). In its literal meaning, the word refers to interpreting, explaining, expounding, or disclosing.In Islamic contexts, it is defined as understanding and uncoveringGod's will which has been conveyed by theQuranictext, by means of theArabic languageand one's own knowledge.

History

The first examples oftafsircan be traced back to Muhammad. According to Islamic belief, as the Quran was revealed to him, he recited theversesto his companions, usually explaining their meanings to teach them, as it was one of Muhammad's responsibilities.Elements of Muhammad's explanations including clarifying verses whose intents are not understood, the indication of names, places, times etc. which have not been mentioned in the verse, restriction of meanings which have been given as absolute and reconciliation of expressions which seem contradictory.Although scholars includingibn Taymiyyahclaim that Muhammad has commented on the whole of the Quran, others includingGhazalicite the limited amount of narratives (hadith), thus indicating that he has commented only on a portion of the Quran.

After the death of Muhammad, his companions (sahabah) undertook the task of interpretation, thus starting a new age intafsir.Most of the sahabah, includingAbu Bakr,refrained from commenting based on their personal views, and only narrated comments by Muhammad. Others includingibn Abbasused their own knowledge from the Arabic language to interpret the Quran. At this stage,tafsirwas selective and concise regarding its coverage, and only certain words, phrases and verses were explained.The Quran was still not fully interpreted, and commentaries were not separated from the hadith collection nor written separately, mainly due to other occupations such as the collection of the Quran.

By the time of the next generations ensuing the sahabah, scholars in the age of the successors (tabi'in) started using a wide range of sources fortafsir.The whole of the Quran is interpreted, and narrations are separated fromtafsirinto separate books and literature. Grammatical explanations and historical data are preserved within these books; personal opinions are recorded, whether accepted or rejected. During this time, a whole range of schools oftafsircame into existence in different scholastic centers, includingMecca,MedinaandIraq.Iraqi schools oftafsircame to be known for an approach relied on personal judgment aside from the transmitted reports, andJewish apocryphal reportswere also widely employed.Notable compilers on this age includingSufyan al-Thawri.

Until this age,tafsirhad been transmitted orally and had not been collected independently in a book, rather, they had been gathered bymuhaddithun(lit. scholars of hadith) in their hadith books, under the topic oftafsir,along with other narrations of Muhammad.This indicates thattafsir,in its formative age, used to be a special domain within hadith. Widening of the scope oftafsirand emergence ofmufassirunin the age of the successors lead to the development of an independent discipline oftafsir.

Conditions

An author oftafsiris amufassir(Arabic:مُفسّر;plural:Arabic:مفسّرون,romanized:mufassirūn). According toSunniIslamic scholarAl-Suyuti,mufassirsare required to master 15 fields from different disciplines such aslinguistics,rhetoric,theologyandjurisprudencebefore one can authoritatively interpret the Quran.The foremost discipline that constitutes the basis of tafsir learning isArabic language.Arabic in this context specifically meansClassical Arabic.One of the earliest Islamic scholarsMujahid ibn Jabrsaid, "It is not permissible for one who holds faith in Allah and the Day of Judgment to speak on the Qur'an without learning classical Arabic." Especially relevant expertise is how one learns the meaning of each word. In this respect, it should be known that classical Arabic must be mastered in its entirety because one word may have various meanings; a person may only know two or three of them whereas the meaning of that word in the Qur'an may be altogether different. Other fields related to Arabic language includesPhilologyofArabic.It is important because any change in the diacritical marks affects the meaning, and understanding the diacritical marks depends on the science of Arabic philology.Morphologyof Arabic language is also important because changes in the configuration of verb and noun forms change the meaning. Ibn Faris said, "A person who misses out on Arabic morphology has missed out on a lot." Lastly,Al-Ishtiqaaqis the science of etymology which explains the reciprocal relation and radical composition between the root and derived word. It should be learned because sometimes one word derives from two root words, the meaning of each root word being different. For example, a wordmasihderives from the root wordmassah(مَسَّة) which means "to feel something and to touch something with a wet hand," but also derives from the root wordmasaahatwhich means "to measure."

Another relevant discipline is the science of interpreting the Arabic sentence.Ilm al-Ma'aniis the science by which one figures the syntax through the meaning of a sentence.Ilm al-Bayaanis the science by which one learns the similes, metaphors, metonymies,zuhoor(evident meanings) andkhafa(hidden meanings) of the Arabic language.Ilm al-Badi'is the science by which one learns to interpret sentences in which the beauty and eloquence of the spoken and written word are considered hidden. The above-mentioned three sciences are categorized asIlm-ul-Balagha(science of rhetoric). It is one of the most principal sciences to amufassiras it is deemed by Muslims that there are literal and non-literal meanings of the Quran, and one is able to reveal the miraculous nature of the Quran through these three sciences.A field from Quranic teaching is calledIlm al-Qira'at.This is a system of dialecticism of the different readings of the Quran. This science is important because oneqira'at(way of reading) of the Quran may differ in meaning from another, and one learns to favor one reading over another based on the difference in the meanings.

General sciences of Islamic theology and Islamic study are also imperative.Ilm al-Aqa'idandIlm al-Kalamare comprehensive sciences in Islamic theology and philosophy. They are important because upon these understandings, one may understand issues such as invalidity of attributing the literal meaning of someayahto God. In this case, one will be required to interpret the ayah as in 'the hand of Allah is over their hand'. Other key issues required to be addressed through comprehension of theology and philosophy includes that of free will and determinism, or the infallibility of theprophets.Comprehension ofFiqh,Islamic jurisprudence, is important because one cannot gain an overview of any issue until he has understood its particulars.Usul al-Fiqh,principles of Islamic jurisprudence, is also required so one understands the methodology of legal derivation and interpretation.

Other distinctive systems linked withtafsirstudy includingAsbaab al-Nuzul,which is the field by which one learns the circumstances in which an ayah is revealed. It is important because the meaning of the ayah is more clearly understood once the circumstances in which it was revealed are known. Sometimes, the meaning of an ayah is wholly dependent on its historical background. Another isIlm-ul-Naskh,which is knowledge of the abrogated ayah. In general, due to the Quran made up of revelations that revealed to Muhammad in the course of more than twenty years, certain verses are considered meant to be temporary and subsequently repealed by the following ones.Ilm-ul-Naskhis a science of identifying the abrogations, and it is important because abrogated rulings must be separated from the applied rulings.Ilm al-Hadithis knowledge of thehadithwhich explainmujmal(general) ayah, andIlm al-Ladunni(علم اللدّني) is the endowed knowledge which is considered granted by God to his closest servants. This is for example a knowledge obtained directly from Allah through inspiration. They are the servants indicated in the hadith: "Allah will grant one who acts upon whatever he knows from a knowledge he never knew."

Principles

There are several frames of reference in whichtafsircan be categorized. The main issue of framing constitutes its methodology.Tafsircan be broadly divided into two categories from the viewpoint of methodology employed in order to approach the interpretation. These categories are calledtafsīr bi'l-ma'thūr(Arabic:التفسير بالمأثور,lit. 'received tafsir', also known astafsīr bi'r-riwāyah(Arabic:تفسير بالرواية)) andtafsīr bi'r-ra'y(Arabic:التفسير بالرأي,lit. 'tafsir by opinion', also known astafsīr bi'd-dirayahArabic:تفسير بالدراية).

Tafsir bi'l-Ma'thur(orTafsir bi'r-Riwayah)

Tafsir bi'l-ma'thur,or commonly known asTafsir bi'r-riwāyah,is the method of commenting on the Quran using traditional sources.Tafsir bi'r-riwāyahconnotestafsirusing another portion of the Quran, or sayings of Muhammad, or saying of his companions.This classicaltafsirmethod is agreed upon by all scholars, and is the most used method throughout history, partly because other methods have been criticized. Criticism of non-riwaya method is mostly based on two grounds; for one, Muhammad has condemned those who interpret the Quran from their own point of view,and for two, most companions of Muhammad have refrained from presenting their own ideas.Some important examples oftafsir bi'r-riwāyahareJāmiʿ al-Bayānbyal-TabariandTafseer al-Qurʾān al-ʿAẓeembyibn Kathir.The sources used fortafsir bi'r-riwāyahcan be ordered by the rank of authority, as the Quran, hadiths, the reports by thesahabahandtabi'iun,classical Arabic literature, andIsra'iliyat.

The most authoritative source of the interpretation is the Quran itself. Interpretation of the Quran employing other Quranic reference is very common because of the close interrelatedness of the verses of the Quran with one another. The Quranic verses explain and interpret one another, which leads many to believe that it has the highest level of authenticity. Many verses or words in the Quran are explained or further clarified in other verses of the Quran. One example of the hadith which extensively employs this source of method isAl-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur'anbyMuhammad Husayn Tabataba'i.The authoritative source of method second to the Quran is Hadith, by usingnarrativesof Muhammad to interpret the Quran. In this approach the most important external aids used are the collected oral traditions upon which Muslim scholars based Islamic history and law. Authority of this method is considered established by the statement made in the Quran that Muhammad is responsible for explanation and guidance.While some narratives are of revelation origin, others can be the result of reasonings made by Muhammad.One important aspect of these narratives is their origin. Narratives used fortafsir,and in general, must be of authentic origin (sahih). Narratives of such origin are considered requisite fortafsir.

Other source of the interpretation includes the accounts ofṢaḥābah,companions of Muhammad, ortabi‘un,the generation after sahabah, andTabi‘ al-Tabi‘in,the generation after tabi'un. Their authority is based on an account in hadithSahih Bukhari,which accordingly, Muhammad said:

The best people are those living in my generation, then those coming after them (Tābi‘un), and then those coming after (the third generation).

If nothing is found in the Quran or the Hadīth, the commentator has recourse to what the Ṣaḥābah reported about various verses. These are generally considered above personal opinion, because these people grew up with everyday interaction with Muhammad, and had often asked about the meanings of verses or circumstances of their revelation; and they were very knowledgeable in both Arabic literature and Islamic thought. Another non-scripture based source of the interpretation is classicalArabic literature.ClassicalArabic poetryand the text of the Quran are two resources which can be used as foundational reference in ascertaining the meaning and signification of the remaining literal and figurative diction of the Quran and its style of expression.Using Arabic poetry for defining words is a long used practice, and very few scholars have not used this source.Less authoritative source of the interpretation isIsra'iliyat,which is the body of narratives originating fromJudeo-Christiantraditions, rather than from other well-accepted sources. The Isra'iliyat are mostly non-biblicalexplanatory stories and traditions (Hebrew:midrashim) giving extra information or interpretation about events or individuals recorded in the Hebrew scriptures. Scholars starting with the Sahabah have studied narrative accounts of otherAbrahamic religionsto further explain and clarify verses, especially parables, in the Quran. While some may be accurate, these narratives are not subject to hadith authenticity criteria, and are generally not favored for use.

Tafsir bi'r-Ra'y(orTafsir bi'd-dirayah)

Tafsir bi'r-ra'y,or commonly known astafsir bi-al-diraya,is the method of using one's independent rational reasoning and mind (ijtihad) to form an opinion-oriented interpretation. The most distinctive feature oftafsir bi-al-dirayais the inclusion of the opinions of the commentator, thus forming the more objective view on Quranic verses. The relative paucity of traditional sources is also a practical reason why the scope of the methodology is augmented. This is considered sanctioned by the Quran itself,as written in the surahSadverse 29:

˹This is˺ a blessed Book which We have revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ so that they may contemplate its verses, and people of reason may be mindful.

— Quran38:29

This method is not interpretation by mere opinion however, but rather opinions must be based on the main sources. Performing Quranic interpretation using solely one's own opinion is believed to be prohibited by some Muslims. This is based on an authenticated hadith of Muhammad which states "He who says (something) concerning the Qur'ân without knowledge, he has taken his seat of fire".However, this hadith can alternatively be interpreted to refer to the importance of first properly studying and learning the Quran before attempting to teach or preach it to others. Accordingly, the method of independent reasoning (ijtihad) has several qualifications and conditions that need to be satisfied. Due to the nature of orientation toward opinions, this method is rejected by certain scholars such asIbn Taymiyyah,and prohibited byWahhabiIslamic doctrine.Some important examples of suchtafsirsincludeAnwar al-Tanzilbyal-BaydawiandMafatih al-GhaybbyFakhr al-Din al-Razi.Some parameters used by these scholars including linguistic resources, historical sources, methodological concepts such asmaqasidor socio-cultural environment taken into consideration.

In terms of linguistic resources, literary elements of theArabic language,includingmorphology,eloquence, syntax are an integral part oftafsir,as they constitute the basis of understanding and interpretation. Arabic has a systematic way of shaping words so one can know the meaning by knowing the root and the form the word was coined from. If any word can be given a meaning that is compatible with the rules of grammar, Quranic text can be interpreted that way. In terms of historical resources, scholars may choose to interpret verses according to external factors, including their historical context and their place of revelation. Historical context (Asbab al-nuzul) is particularly important to interpret verses according to how the Quran was revealed, when and under which circumstances, and much commentary was dedicated to history. The earlytafsirsare considered to be some of the best sources forIslamic history.Classification of the place of revelation, whether it was revealed inMeccaorMedina,is important as well. This is because in generalMeccan versestend to have animan(loosely translated asfaith) nature that includes believing in Allah, Muhammad, and theday of judgment,whether it be theological foundations or basic faith principles. On the other hand,Medinan versesconstitute legislation, social obligations, and constitution of a state.

On the more conceptual level, the idea ofmaqasid(goals or purpose) can be taken into account. Verses may be interpreted to preserve the general goals ofshariah,which may be considered simply as bringing happiness to a person in this life and the hereafter. That way, any interpretation that threatens to compromise the preservation of religion, life, lineage, intellect or property may be discarded or ruled otherwise in order to secure these goals. Further, the socio-cultural environment may also taken into consideration. This includes understanding and interpreting the Quran while taking into account the cultural and social environment to which it has been revealed; or according to the scholars' own time. Often than not, the distinction can be made between the 'amm(general) verses that aimed at universal conditions for Muslims, andkhass(specific) verses that applied to specific conditions, time or need.This is considered an integral part of analyzing the universality of the Quran. Scholars usually do not favor to confine verses to a single time interval, but rather interpret according to the needs of their time.

Sects

See also:List of tafsir works

Islamic theology is divided into myriad ofschools and branches,and each of the schools' comments on the Quran with their own point of view.

Sunni

Mir Sayyid Aliwriting a Tafsir on theQuran,self-portrait 1555–1556

The time ofMuhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabarimarks the classical period, which encompassed important Sunnitafsirs,such asTafsir al-Thalabi,Tafsir of Al-ZamakhshariandTafsir al-Tabari.Tafsir al-Tabariis one of the most importanttafsirworks in Sunni Islam.This work provides exegetical material for the whole Quran, also contains conflicting information, which Tabari tries either to harmonize or argues in support of the one he feels more correct. Further he includes different readings, which according to him, both might be correct and gives his own opinion after each argumentation. Both linguistical and theological subjects are discussed throughout his work.

The period ofIbn Taimiyyais sometimes seen as a transition point between the Classical and post-Classical exegesis, due to his unique hermeneutic method.Tafsirsare geneaological, they rely on the core of previoustafsirs.Ibn Taimiyya challenged this core tradition by asserting that the Quran should only be interpreted by the Quran alone or thesunnah.Ibn Kathirwas the first who tried to use the hermeneutic method of his teacher ibn Taimiyya.By that, it is much more selective and critical compared to earlier Quranic exegesis and features only a few personal remarks.Al-Suyuti's(1445–1505)tafsir(Al-Dur al-Manthur) uses a similar hermeneutic. Unlike ibn Kathir, his work is one of a few completely devoid of any personal comments. Yet, following the approach of ibn Taimiyya, he is selective about the inclusion of hadiths. However, contrarily to ibn Taimiyya and ibn Kathir, his tafsir is without any personal comment. Further, despite using a similar methodology to ibn Taimiyya and ibn Kathir, he includes a wider range ofhadiths.

Not earlier than the mid-nineteenth century, the modern period oftafsirstarted.The modern approach is marked by a generally critical attitude towards much of the intellectual heritage of Islam, a declared intention to imitate thesalaf,and an emphasis on the unity of believers and a unified understanding of Islam.Other features may include, attempts to proof the rationality of the Quranic worldview, compatibility with modern sciences, liberalism, literary criticism, and making the message of the Quran emotional relevant for the believer.Although such modern approaches became a standard only late, their ideas were much earlier present in the Islamicate world.Kadizadeli(Qādīzādali), a seventeenth-century puritanical reformist religious movement in theOttoman Empire,shared a lot of ideas with modern Islamic interpretations.Al-Shawkānī(1759–1834) has been understood retroperspective by many Muslim scholars as asalafi.

A rationalistic approach, as proposed bySyed Ahmad KhanandMuhammad Abduhattempts to prove that the Quran and modern sciences do not contradict each other.This is close to thetafsir 'ilmi(scientific interpretation of the Quran), which claims that theQuran miraculously predicted scientific discoveries.Although this trend has existed prior to the modern era, its popularity is new. Nontheless, this approach still faces a lot of opposition among Muslims.Yet another approach, represented by scholars such asAmin al-Khuli,aims to decodifies the Quran to understand its impact on the first audience. Accordingly, the focus is not about historical or scientific truths, but about conveying a message through the means of the Quran.Similarly, according to yet another trend, the Quran should not only be understood as for the first Muslims, but also executed as the first Muslims did. Famous adherences to this approach includeSayyid QutbandAbul A'la Maududi.This approach often goes in hand with an attempt to establish a state based on an idealized Muslim society.

Among Salafis, the hermeneutics of ibn Taimiyya prevail. In the English language, an abridged version ofTafsīr al-Qurʾān al-ʿAẓīm(Tafsir Ibn Kathir), under the editorship ofMuhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman,gained widespread popularity, probably due to its salafistic approach but also a lack of alternative translations of traditionaltafsirs.Similarly, a translation of Tabari's exegetical work has been published only as an abridged version, byPierre Godéappeared in 1983.

Shi'ite

Tafsirs by Shia Muslims similarly deals with the issues concerned by Sunnis, and employs similar methodology as well, except for the adherence toward certain beliefs and creeds Shiism espouses. Distinctive features of Shiatafsirsinclude expounding of the concept ofimamate,the heavier weight put on verses that considered to be the foundation of successorship to Muhammad within the Prophet's family begins withAli,and the heavier authority put on interpretations attributed toThe Twelve Imams.These characteristics result in distinction being made between the esoteric and the exoteric meaning of the Quran, and the esoteric meaning attributed to the imams preferred over the exoteric meaning. Certain Shiatafsirsare influenced byMu'tazilithoughts as well, specifically on the theological issues. Some of the important examples of Shiamufassirsand theirtafsirareAl-Tibbyan Fi Tafsir al-QuranbyShaykh Tusi(460/1067) andMajma al-Bayan lif'ulum al-QuranbyShaykh Tabarsi(d. 548/1153).

On the other hand,tafsirbyZaidischool of jurisprudence, which espouses the doctrine closest with Sunnis of all Shia sects, producestafsirresembling Sunnitafsirin its quality. Some Zaiditafsirsare considered popular among Sunnis as well as shia.

Mu'tazila

TheMu'tazilatradition of tafsir has received little attention in modern scholarship, owing to several reasons.First, several exegetical works by Mu'tazila scholars have been studied as books on theology rather than as works oftafsir.Secondly, the large Mu'tazilitetafsirat-Tahdib fi tafsir al-Qur'anbyal-Hakim al-Jishumihas not been edited, and there is no complete copy of it available at any single location, which limits its accessibility to scholars.

Sufi

It is an interpretation of the Quran which includes attribution of esoteric or mystic meanings to the text by the interpreter. In this respect, its method is different from the conventional exegesis. Esoteric interpretations do not usually contradict the conventional (in this context called exoteric) interpretations; instead, they discuss the inner levels of meaning of the Quran. Ahadithfrom Muhammad which states that the Quran has an inner meaning, and that this inner meaning conceals a yet deeper inner meaning, and so on (up to seven levels of meaning), has sometimes been used in support of this view. Islamic opinion imposes strict limitations on esoteric interpretations especially when interior meaning is against exterior one. Esoteric interpretations are found mainly inSufismand in the sayings (hadiths) of Shi'a Imams and the teachings of theIsma'ilisect. But Muhammad and the imams gave importance to its exterior as much as to its interior; they were as much concerned with its revelation as they were with its interpretation. These are generally not independently written, however, they are found in the books of Sufis.

Among the most significant Sunni Sufi tafsirs are:

• Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azimbyal-Tustari(d. 283/896)
• Haqa'iq al-Tafsirbyal-Sulami(d. 412/1021)
• Lata'if al-Isharatbyal-Qushayri(d. 465/1072)
• 'Ara'is al-Bayan fi Haqa'iq al-Qur'anbyRuzbihan al-Baqli(d. 606/1209)
• Ruh al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'anbyIsma'il Haqqi al-Brusewi(d. 1137/1725)
• Al-Bahr al-Madid fi Tafsir al-Qur'an al-MajidbyAhmad ibn 'Ajiba(d. 1224/1809)
• Tafsir NaeemibyMufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi(d. 1391/1921)

Quranist

Quranists merely believe in the Qur'an and reject other oral traditions. Turkish Islamic theologianYaşar Nuri Öztürkdenounced contemporary Islamic practices as altered. He distinguished between what he defined as true Islam and what he saw as customs and traditions introduced in theUmayyad period.In 1992, he published a 760-page,tafsir-like exegetical work calledKur'an'daki Islam.Each chapter, which deals with one surah, is structured around certain verses of the surah, or words occurring in the text, which need to be explained.

Edip Yüksel,Layth Saleh al-Shaiban, and Martha Schulte-Nafeh wroteQuran: A Reformist Translation,an English translation and commentary of the Qur'an.Yüksel is a follower ofRashad Khalifa.

Ghulam Ahmed PerwezwroteMafhoom-ul-Quran,translated into English asExposition of the Holy Qur'an.

Methodologies

Scientific approach

Scholars deeply influenced by the natural and social sciences followed the materialists of Europe or the pragmatists. Under the influence of those secular theories, they declared that the religion's realities cannot go against scientific knowledge.What the religion claims to exist, but which the sciences reject should be interpreted in a way that conforms with the science; as for those things which the science is silent about, like the resurrection etc., they should be brought within the purview of the laws of matter; the pillars upon which the divine religious laws are based—like revelation, angel, Satan, prophethood, apostleship, Imamah (Imamate) etc.—are spiritual things, and the spirit is a development of the matter. As for the Quran itself, one should not explain it in the light of the old philosophy and theories, because they were not based on observations and tests—they were just a sort of mental exercise which has been totally discredited now by the modern science. Found by Ghazali and built upon by Razi, it is one of today's most abundant way oftafsir.A common example isMafatih al-GhaybbyFakhruddin al-Razi.

Legal approach

Legaltafsirdeals mainly with verses that have a legislative meaning (seeahkam), and it strives to obtain Islamic law from the Quran. Its practice was common in both the classical and modern periods. There is a dispute over the number of verses that contain jurisprudential guidance, with numbers ranging from 5 to 200 being reported. Works of legal tafsir were typically written from the perspectives of themadhhabof their respective authors. For example,Aḥkam al-Qur'anbyal-Jassaswas written according to theHanafi Madhhab,Aḥkam al-Qur'anbyQaḍi Abū Bakr ibn al-'Arabīandal-Jaami' Li'Aḥkam al-Qur'anbyal-Qurtubiwere written according to theMaliki Madhhab,andAḥkam al-Qur'anby Ilkiya was written according to theShafi'iMadhhab. Some also citeZad al-Maseerofibn al-Jawzias an example of a legal tafsir according to theHanbali Madhhab.

Linguistic

A newer work which incorporates and quotes the work of a multitude of previous scholars and analyzes the relevant Arabic root words (based on all available classic Arabic meanings), and references all relevant passages of the Quran, was done by Abdul Mannan Omar.

Comprehensive

Some works included numerous methodologies e.g. the very detailed tafsirs ofImam Razi'sTafsir Kabirin Arabic andMufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi'sTafsir Naeemiin Urdu.

See also

• Esoteric interpretation of the Quran(Ta'wil)
• Quranic hermeneutics
• Islamic studies
• List of tafsir works
• Quran translations