Tafsir Of The Qur'an
by
Shaykh Abū Ammār Yasir al-Qadhī
The topic of tafsir is the most important topic of 'ulum al-Qur'an, since in many ways it is the primary goal of'ulum al-Qur'an - to understand and implement the Qur'an properly. This has also been the first topic of 'uloom al-Qur'an to have been written on, and without a doubt the one in which most of the works in this field have been written about.
The Definition of Tafsir and Ta'wil
The word 'tafsir' comes from 'fassara', which means, 'to explain, to expound, to elucidate, to interpret.' The word tafsir is the verbal noun of 'fassara', and means 'the explanation or interpretation of something.'
According to another opinion,[1] the word tafsir is a transposition from s-f-r, which means, 'to expose, to uncover.' Thus, a woman who uncovers her face is called a 'saafirah', and the act of uncovering her face is called 'sufur.' Therefore, according to this definition, 'tafsir would mean uncovering the meanings and exposing the secrets of the Qur'an. However, the stronger opinion is the first one, even though both of these meanings are correct.
In Islamic sciences, tafsir is defined to be:
The science by which the Qur'an is understood, its meanings explained, and its rulings derived.[2]
Another common word that is heard in this subject is the word 'ta'wil'. What, then, is the difference, if any, between tafsir and ta'wil?
The word 'ta'wil is from a-w-l, which means 'to return, to revert,' which implies going back to the original meaning of a word to see what its meanings and connotations are. The meanings of the word 'ta'wil' were given earlier, and are repeated here.
The word 'ta'wil has three meanings:
- To understand a word in light of one of its connotations, despite the fact that this connotation is not the primary intent of the word.
- To explain a word or phrase.
- The actuality of an event.
With these two definitions in mind, there are five main opinions as to the difference between tafsir and ta'wil,as follows:[3]
- They are equivalent in meaning. This was the opinion of at-Tabari (d. 310 A.H.), as his commentary of the Qur'aan uses these two terms interchangeably.
- Tafsir is used in explaining a word which carries only one meaning, whereas ta'wil is used in choosing one of the connotations of a word that possesses many connotations.
- According to al-Maturidi (d. 333 A.H.), when the interpretation is based on certain knowledge, this is called tafsir,whereas when it is based on personal reasoning (ijtihad), it is known as ta'wil.
- Abu Talib at-Tha'labi held the view that tafsir was the explanation of the literal meaning of the verse, whereas ta'wil was the actual intent behind the verse. For example, the tafsir of the verse,
Verily, your Lord is ever-Watchful [89:14]
is that Allaah is aware of all that man does, but the ta'wil is that the verse is a warning to man not to lapse into sins or to belittle the commandments of Allah.
- Tafsir is meant to give the meanings of the individual words in a verse, whereas ta'wil gives the meaning of the verse as a whole.
There is no one correct opinion amongst these five, since various authors use these two words in all of these meanings. However, the most common understanding in modern usage of the two words is the second one, namely that tafsir is used to explain the meaning or intent of a verse which has only one connotation, whereas tawil is used when one of the possible connotations of a verse or word is chosen over the others due to external factors.
Footnotes
Source: http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=631&category=4
The Necessity and Importance of Tafsīr
The question arises:
Why is there a need for tafsīr After all, does not Allāh say in the Qūr'an: Verily this Qūr'an leads to the path that is most right [17:9] and thus everybody can find the Straight Path through this Book? And is not the Qūr'an a complete source of guidance in and of itself as it says,
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And We have sent down the Book to you as an explanation for everything, a guidance, a mercy and glad tidings for Muslims [16:89] |
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Indeed, it is true that anyone who approaches the Qūr'an with a pure heart, seeking the guidance of Allāh, will find it. As Allāh says,
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This (Qūr'an) is a declaration for mankind, a guidance and an admonition for those who ward off evil [3:138] |
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But this in no way implies that a person who is unaware of the numerous hadīth of the Prophet (saws) in explaining the Qūr'an, and of the reasons behind the revelation of specific verses, and of the intricacies of Arabic grammar and principles of rhetoric, and of the various qirāt,and of the knowledge of the abrogated rulings, and of all of the other topics of 'Ulūm al Qūr'an will benefit from the Qūr'an to the same degree that a person who does know these facts will. For example, an Arabic linguist or grammarian might be able to see a certain wisdom behind the phrasing of a verse that the average person may not. A person specialised in the topics of 'Ulūm al Qūr'an will be better able to grasp the intended meanings of a verse, and derive rulings from it, in contrast to the average layman, who is not qualified to derive rulings from the Qūr'an.
As-Suyūti also discusses the necessity of tafsīr in his al-Itqān.[1] He begins by stating that it is a known fact that Allaah communicates with man in a way that the will be able to understand. This is the reason that every messenger has been sent in the language of his people. However, there are three basic reasons why tafsīr is necessary despite these facts.
First of all, Allaah uses the most clear, eloquent and concise language, and in doing so the meaning is clear to those who are well-grounded in the Arabic language, but not so clear to those who are not.
Secondly, the Qūr'an itself does not always mention the events or references for which each particular verse was revealed, and these must be known in order for the verse to be fully and totally understood.
Lastly, some words may have multiple meanings, and it is the job of the person that does tafsīr to explain what is meant by the word. It can be said that the purpose of tafsīr is to elaborate the principles which the Qūr'an came to clarify:[2]
1) The elaboration of a perfect set of beliefs with regards to the Creator, and the relationship of the created with the Creator.
2) The perfection of personal conduct and good morals.
3) The establishment of a set of laws and code of conduct to govern individual and familial relations.
4) The establishment of laws governing societal and political dealings between communities and nations.
5) The narrations of the history of the previous nations, so that the pious among them may be followed, and the impious to act as a warning.
6) To give the good news of Paradise and the blessings in store for the believers, and the evil tidings of the punishment of Hell in store for the disbelievers.
7) To prove the truthfulness of the Prophet (saws), and this is done by explaining the miraculous nature of the Qūr'an (i'jāz).
Therefore, the job of a mufāssir is to explain all of the above points to mankind. From the above discussion, the importance of tafsīr should become apparent. The science of tafsīr is meant to explain to mankind the Book that has been revealed to them from Allaah. The Qūr'an is like a treasure trapped in a glass receptacle; mankind can view and benefit from this treasure, but they are in need of tafsīr,for tafsīr acts like the key that unlocks the treasure, so that mankind can benefit from it to the greatest possible extent. Iyās ibn Mu'āwiyah (d. 122 A.H.) said, "The example of a people who recite the Qūr'an and do not know its explanation is like a group of people who have a written message from their king that comes to them during the night, and they do not have a lamp. Therefore, they do not know what is in the message. The example of one who knows tafsīr is like a person who comes to them with a lamp and reads to them what is in the message." And the Successor Sa' īd ibn Jubayr (d. 95 A.H.) said, "Whoever recites the Qūr'an and does not explain it, is like an ignorant person."[3]
As-Suyūti said, (The science of tafsīr) is the most honourable of all sciences for three reasons. The first reason is with respect to its topic. It deals with the Speech of Allaah, which contains every kind of wisdom and virtue. It contains pronouncements about what has passed, reports of what will happen and judgements concerning what happens between the people. Its wonders never cease. The second reason is with respect to its goal. Its goal is to lead mankind to the firm handhold of Allaah, and to the true happiness, one that does not end. The third reason is with respect to the great need for this science. Every aspect of this religion and this world, in the near or distant future, is in need of the sciences of the Sharī' ah and knowledge of the religion, and this knowledge can only be obtained through the understanding of the Book of Allāh.[4]
Apart from these reasons, the Qūr'an itself commands its readers to ponder over it, and to reflect upon its meanings, for it says,
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(This is) a Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, so that they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may remember [38:29] |
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It is the science of tafsīr which is the fruit of 'pondering over its verses.'
Footnotes
The History of Tafsīr
A. The Time of The Prophet (SAWS)
It is no surprise to discover that the science of tafsīr started during the lifetime of the Prophet (saws) himself, In fact, one of the primary roles of the Prophet (saws), as shall be expounded on later, was to interpret the Qūr'an. Allāh says,
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And We have sent down to you
(O Muhammad (saws)) the Remembrance, so that you may clearly explain to mankind what has been revealed to them, and so that they may give thought [16:44] |
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The science of tafsīr during the Prophet's (saws) life was a relatively easy matter. This was so for a number of factors. Firstly, the Companions were witnessing the revelation of the Qūr'an, and the circumstances during which it was revealed. They were aware of the reason behind the revelation of a verse (asbāb an-nuzūl), and as such did not need to search for this knowledge as later interpreters would have to.
Secondly, the Arabic of the Companions was the Arabic of the Qūr'an, as the Qūr'an was revealed in their dialect. Therefore the Arabic of the Qūr'an was, in general, understood by them without any difficulties.
Lastly, and most importantly, the Prophet (saws) was alive, and the Qūr'an was still being revealed, so even if there were any difficulties in understanding any verse, they could turn to the Prophet (saws) for an explanation. An example quoted earlier is with regards to the verse,
Those who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice...[6:82]
The Companions asked, "O Messenger of Allāh! Who amongst us does not do injustice (to his soul)?"The Prophet (saws) replied, "Have you not read the statement of Luqman, «Verily, shirk is a great injustice?» [31:13] [1]
In other words, the Prophet (saws) informed them that the injustice referred to in this verse was shirk or the association of partners with Allāh.
The Companions were careful that they understood every single verse in the Qūr'an properly. Abū 'Abd ar-Rahmān as-Sulamī (d. 75 AH.) reported that whenever the people who taught them the Qūr'an, like'Uthmān ibn 'Affān, 'Abdullāh ibn Mas'ūd, and others, learnt ten verses of the Qūr'an, they would not proceed further until they had understood whatever ideas and regulations those verses contained. They used to say, "We learnt the Qūr'an, and studied its ideas and injunctions all together."[2]
This narration shows that the Companions were eager to understand Qūr'an, so much so that they would not memorise any verses until they had already understood what they knew. The role of the Prophet (saws), and quantity of the Qūr'an that he interpreted, will be elaborated upon in the next section.
B. The Period of The Companions
After the death of the Prophet (saws), the science of tafsīr took on a more systematic approach. Thus it can be considered that the first true mufassirs were actually the Companions. The sources that the Companions used for tafīr were the Qūr'an, the statements of the Prophet (saws), the principles of Arabic grammar and rhetoric, their own personal reasoning(ijtihād), and pagan and Judaeo-Christian customs that were prevalent at the time of the revelation of the Qūr'an. These sources will be discussed in greater detail in the following section.
There were many among the Companions who were well known for their knowledge of the interpretation of the Qūr'an. As-Suyūtī wrote, "There are ten who were famous for their knowledge of tafīr among the Companions: the four Khulafā ar-Rāshidūn [3] 'Abdullāh ibn Mas'ūd, 'Abdullāh ibn 'Abbās, Ubay ibn Ka'ab, Zayd ibn Thābit, Aboo Mūsā al-Ash'arī and'Abdullāh ibn Zubayr. As for the Khulafā 'Alī ibn Abī Tālib has the most narrations amongst them; as for the other three, there reports are very rare to find, since they died relatively earlier..."[4]
In other words, the tafsīr narrations of Abī Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthmān are not as common due to the fact that they were not compiled because of their relatively early deaths. Also, during their time, there was no great need to interpret much of the Qur'ān, as the Companions were many and wide-spread. During later times, however, such as during the Caliphate of 'Alī, the need to interpret the Qur'ān was much greater than before.
There were others besides these ten Companions who were well known for their knowledge of tafsīr, such as Anas ibn Mālik, Abū Hurayrah, Jābir ibn 'Abdillāh and'Aa'ishah, except that they were not in the same category as the ten whom as-Suyūtī mentioned.
The most knowledgeable Companion with regards to the interpretation of the Qur'ān is considered to be Ibn 'Abbās. 'Abdullāh ibn 'Umar said, "Ibn 'Abbās is the most knowledgeable of this ummah concerning the revelation given to Muhammad (saws)."[5]
This is due to the fact that the Prophet (saws) himself prayed for Ibn 'Abbās, for he (saws) said, "O Allāh! Give him the knowledge of the Book, and of Wisdom!"and in another narration, "O Allāh! Give him the knowledge of the religion, and interpretation."[6]
He used to accompany the Prophet (saws) during his youth, as he was his (saws) cousin. Also, his aunt Maymūnah was a wife of the Prophet (saws)
Ibn 'Abbās was held in great esteem by the Companions, despite his age (he was only thirteen when the Prophet (saws) passed away). 'Umar used to let Ibn 'Abbās enter into the meetings of the older Companions, so some of them complained, "Why is it that you let him enter, even though we have sons the same age as him (whom you do not allow to enter)?"
'Umar answered, "Since he is amongst the most knowledgeable of you!" So he called them one day, to prove to them this statement, and he asked them, "What do you think of the verse, When the help of Allāh comes, and the Conquest [110:1] ?
Some of them did not reply, while others said, "We have been commanded to thank Allāh and ask for His forgiveness whenever we are helped and aided to victory."'Umar asked Ibn 'Abbās, "And do you think the same also, O Ibn 'Abbās?"He answered, "No!" 'Umar asked, "Then what do you say."
He replied, "This is an indication to the Prophet (saws) from Allāh that his life is about to end. The verse means, When the help of Allāh comes, and the Conquest then this is a sign of your approaching death, therefore, Glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask for Forgiveness, for verily He is ever accepting repentance! [110:3]
'Umar said, "I don't know any other meaning to this except what you have said!"[7]
The narrations of Ibn 'Abbās, along with those of'Abdullāh ibn Mas'ūd, 'Alī ibn Abī Tālib, and Ubay ibn Ka'ab, are the most numerous narrations from Companions that are to be found in tafsīr literature. Each one of them established centres of learning during their lifetimes, and left many students among the Successors after their deaths.
The Companions did not leave narrations concerning every single verse in the Qur'ān. This is because the people of their time understood much of what the Qur'ān discussed, and only where the possibility for misinterpretation or ignorance existed did the Companions give their own interpretation of the relevant verse. Such interpretation typically consisted of explaining a verse in clearer words, or explaining a particular phrase or word with pre-Islamic poetry. Another characteristic of this time is the relatively trivial differences in tafsīr as compared to later generations.
C. The Period of The Successors
After the generation of the Companions, the students of the Companions took over the responsibility of explaining the Qur'ān. The Successors used the same sources to interpret the Qur'ān that the Companions did, except that they added to the list of sources the interpretations of the Companions. They understood that an interpretation given by the Companions of the Prophet (saws) could not be compared to an interpretation of any person after them. Therefore, the sources for interpreting the Qur'ān during this generation were: the Qur'ān, the statements of the Prophet (saws) that the Companions had informed them of, the Companions' personal reasoning (ijtihād) of the verse, the Arabic language, their own personal reasoning (ijtihād), and Judaeo-Christian tradition.
After the death of the Prophet (saws), the Companions spread out to different Muslim cities in order to teach people the religion of Islām. Each one taught many Successors, most of whom became scholars in their own right in due time.
Historically, three primary learning centres were established in the Muslim empire: Makkah, Madīnah and Kūfah. Each of these areas became leading centres of knowledge during the period of the Successors, including the knowledge of tafsīr.
In Makkah, where Ibn 'Abbās had taught, his primary students became the scholars of this area. In particular, Sa'īd ibn Jubayr (d. 95 A.H.), Mujāhid ibn Jabr (d. 104 A.H.), 'Ikrimah (d. 104 A.H.), Tāwūs (d. 106 A.H.), and 'Atā ibn Rabāh (d. 114 A.H.) became leading authorities in this field, and their names are still to be found in many works of tafsīr.
In Madīnah, the influence of 'Ubay ibn Ka'ab was the strongest in the arena of tafsīr, and his students Abū al-'Aaliyah (d. 90 A.H.), Muhammad ibn Ka'ab al-Quradī (d. 118 A.H.) and Zayd ibn Aslam (d. 136 A.H.) emerged as the scholars of tafsīr in Madīnah during this period.
In Kūfah, 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ūd left behind his great legacy to 'Alqamah ibn Qays (d. 61 A.H.), Masrūq (d. 63 A.H.), and al-Aswad ibn Yazīd (d. 74 A.H.). Other Successors from Kūfah who were famous for their knowledge of' tafsīr were: 'Aamir ash-Sha'bī (d. 109 A.H.), al-Hasan al-Basrī (d. 110 A.H.) and Qatādah as-Sadūsī (d. 117A.H.)
During this period, greater emphasis was placed on Judaeo-Christian tradition (known as Isrā īliyāt), and because of this, many of these narrations entered into Islāmic literature. Most of the people who narrated these traditions were Jews and Christians who had embraced Islām, such as 'Abdullāh ibn Salaam (he was a Companion, d. 43 A.H.), Ka'ab al-Ahbār (he embraced Islām after the death of the Prophet (saws) and did not see him; he died 32 A.H.), Wahb ibn Munnabih (d. 110 A.H.), and 'Abdul Mālik ibn Jurayj (d. 150 A.H.). Much of the Judaeo-Christian traditions prevalent in tafsīr literature can be traced back to these scholars.
Also during this time, the differences in interpreting the Qur'ān were much greater than during the time of the Companions. Another characteristic of this period is the increase of forged narrations attributed to the Prophet (saws). This was due to the political and religious strife that was rampant throughout the Muslim territories at that time. Lastly, the quantity of verses for which narrations exist from the Successors is greater than that for the Companions, since more verses needed explanation than during the time of the Companions.
Footnotes
Source: http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=640&category=4
The Compilation of Tafsīr
D. The Compilation of Tafsīr
After the period of the Successors, the stage of the actual compilation and writing of tafsīr began. The most important works were by scholars of hadīth, who, as part of their narrations and works of hadīth, also had sections on tafsīr. Therefore, during this stage, the narrations of tafsīr were considered a branch of hadīth literature. Some of the scholars of this period that were known for their tafsīr narrations include Yazīd ibn Hārūn as-Sulamī (d. 117 A.H.), Sufyān al-Thawri (d. 161 A.H.), Sufyān ibn 'Uyaynah (d. 198 A.H.), Wakī' ibn al-Jarāh (d. 197 A.H.), Shu'bah ibn al-Hajjāj (d. 160 A.H.), Aadam ibn Abī lyās (d. 220 A.H.), and 'Abd ibn-Humayd (d. 249 A.H.). None of their works have survived intact until the present day.[1]
The next stage in the history of tafsīr saw the separation of tafsīr literature from hadīth, and the emergence of independent works solely on tafsīr. Another stride during this stage was that every verse was discussed, so that tafīr was not only limited to those verses for which narrations from the Prophet (saws) and Companions existed; rather, these tafsīrs encompassed all the verses in the Qur'ān.
In attempting to answer who the first person to write a comprehensive tafsīr of the Qur'ān was, the researcher is faced with a rather significant impediment: a lack of almost all manuscripts written during the first century of the hijrah. However, there are a number of references in later works to such manuscripts, and among the earliest works referenced is that of Sa'īd ibn Jubayr (d. 95 A.H.).[2] Most likely, this work was not a complete tafsīr of the Qur'ān, but rather composed of narrations from the previous generations. An interesting narration in the Fihrist of Ibn Nadīm (d. 438 A.H.) reads as follows:[3]
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'Umar ibn Bukayr, one of the students of al-Farrā, was with the governor Hasan ibn Sahl. He wrote to al-Farrā: The governor sometimes questions me concerning (the tafsīr of) a verse in the Qur'ān, but I am unable to respond to him. Therefore, if you think it suitable to compile something with regards to the Qur'ān, or write a book concerning this, I can return to this book (whenever he asks me)'. al-Farrā said to his students, 'Gather together so that I may dictate to you a book on the Qur'ān'...and he told the muadhin to recite Sūrah al-Fātihah, so that he may interpret it, until the whole book (i.e., the Qur'ān) was finished. The narrator of the story, Abū al-'Abbās, said, 'No one before him every did anything like it, and I don't think that anyone can add to what he wrote!' |
Al-Farrā died in the year 207 A.H., and thus we can say that this is definitely one of the earliest works of this nature.[4] Ibn Mājah (d. 273), of Sunan fame, also wrote a tafsīr of the Qur'ān, but again this was limited to narrations from the previous generations.
One of the greatest classics available is without a doubt the monumental tafīr of the Qur'ān by Muhammad ibn Jarīr at-Tabarī (d. 310 A.H.). This tafsīr, although heavily based on narrations, also discusses the grammatical analysis of the verse, the various qira'āt and their significance on the meaning of the verse, and, on occasion, Ibn Jarīr's personal reasoning (ijtihād) on various aspects of the verse. In many ways, this can be considered to be the first tafsīr to attempt to cover every aspect of a verse. Other tafsīrs followed quickly; in particular the tafīr of Abū Bakr ibn Mundhir an-Naisapūrī (d. 318 A.H.), Ibn Abī Hātim (d. 327 AH.), Abū Shaykh ibn Hibbān (d. 369 A.H.), al-Hākim (d. 405 A.H.) and Abū Bakr ibn Mardawayh (d. 410).[5]
This era also saw the beginning of the specialisation in tafsīr, with tafsīrs being written, for example, with greater emphasis on the grammatical analysis and interpretation of the Qur'ān. Greater emphasis was also placed on personal reasoning ( ijtihād), and tafsīrs written solely for the defence of sectarian views (such as the tafīrs of the Mutazilah), and even for the defence of ones fiqh madhhab, such as the tafsīrs of the Hanafīs, Shāfi'īs and Mālikīs) appeared. Another aspect that started during this era was the deletion of the isnād from tafsīr narrations, and this led to the increasement of weak and fabricated reports in tafsīr literature.
A Summary
To summarise, it is possible to divide the history of tafsīr into five periods.[6] The first period is considered to be the time of the Companions and Successors, and consisted mainly of narrations concerning those verses over which there was a difference of opinion or misunderstanding, in addition to the hadīth of the Prophet (saws) dealing with tafsīr. Personal reasoning ( ijtihād) from the Companions and Successors was, in general, only resorted to when absolutely necessary.
The second period is the era of the late Successors, and the generation after them. During this time, hadīth literature had begun to be compiled, and tafsīr narrations therefore become a part of hadīth works. Also during this time, the various hadīth of the Prophet (saws) and narrations from different Companions began to be compiled, whereas in the first period, these narrations were typically limited to a specific area.
The third stage saw the rise of independent tafsīr works, based on the hadīth works of the previous generation, and thus tafsīrs became an independent science among the Islāmic sciences. This stage, which can be said to begin in the second half of the third century, also produced the first complete Qur'ānic tafsīr, whose commentary was not limited to only those verses concerning which narrations existed from previous generations. However, during this stage, the primary source of tafsīr still remained narrations from the previous generation.
It was only during the fourth stage where reliance on narrations decreased, and much greater emphasis was placed on personal reasoning, and tafsīrs were written based on sectarian bias. For example, as-Suyūtī narrates concerning the verse,
..Not the path of those whom You are angry with, nor those who are astray [1:7]
that there exist ten different opinions concerning who this verse refers to, despite the fact that the Prophet (saws) has clearly explained that it refers to the Jews and Christians![7] This period also witnessed the increasement of forged narrations in tafsīr literature, as the isnād disappeared from tafsīr works.
The final period of the history of tafsīr, which has lasted from the fourth century of the hijrah until today, saw the culmination of the science of tafsīr, and the emergence of various categories of tafsīr, such as tafsīr based on narrations, on personal reasoning, topic-wise interpretation, polemical interpretation, and jurisprudential interpretation (these will be discussed in greater detail below). Other tafsīrs sought to combine all of these topics into one work, thus giving a broad, all-encompassing approach to interpretation.
Footnotes
The Principles of Tafsīr: The Qur'ānic Context
By the 'Principles of tafsīr is meant the proper methodology in interpreting the Qūr'an, which includes the conditions and characteristics of a mufassir (one who interprets the Qūr'an), and the basis and characteristics of a proper tafsīr.
The science of tafsīr is one which, similar to the other sciences of Islām, is based on well-grounded, systematic principles. These principles are derived from the Qūr'an, the Sunnah and the statements of the Companions.
As-Suyūtī, in summarising the principles of tafsīr, said,[1]
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The scholars have said: Whoever wishes to interpret the Qūr'an, he should first turn to the Qūr'an itself. This is because what has been narrated succinctly in one place might be expounded upon in another place, and what is summarized in one place might be explained in another...
If he has done that, then he turns to the Sunnah, for it is the explainer of the Qūr'an, and a clarifier to it. Imām as-Shāfi'ī said, All that the Prophet (saws) said is based on his understanding of the Qūr'an.' And Allāh said,
Verily, We have revealed to you the Book, in truth, so that you may judge between mankind by that which Allāh has shown you [4:105]
And the Prophet (saws) said, Indeed, I have been given the Qūr'an, and something similar to it, [2]meaning the Sunnah. If he does not find it (the tafsīr) in the Sunnah, he turns to the statements of the Companions, for they are the most knowledgeable of it, since they witnessed the circumstances and situations the Qūr'an was revealed in, and since they were blessed with complete understanding, and true knowledge, and pious actions... |
These principles, and others, will now be discussed in greater detail.
Tafsīr of the Qūr'an by the Qūr'an
The most important source of understanding the Qūr'an is the Qūr'an itself after all, the Qūr'an is an entire Book that has been revealed by Allāh, and therefore in order to understand any one verse, the entire context of this verse must be looked at. The meanings of the Qūr'an can never contradict each other, as Allāh says,
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Do they not ponder over the Qūr'an? For indeed, had it been from other than Allāh, they would surely have found many contradictions in it [4:82] |
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In this verse, the command is given to ponder over the whole Qūr'an, verse by verse, for had it been from any other than Allāh, its verses would have contradicted one another. Therefore, it is essential to turn to the Qūr'an itself in order to interpret any verse in the Qūr'an.
This principle is demonstrated in many verses in the Qūr'an. Sometimes, a question is asked, and then answered in the next verses. For example,
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By the Heavens, and the tāriq. And what will make you know what the tāriq is? (It is) the star of piercing brightness [86:1-3] |
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In other cases, the reference to another verse is not obvious. For example, the reference to the path of those whom You have favoured [1:7] is explained in 4:69 as:
And whoever obeys Allāh and His Messenger, they will be in the company of those whom Allāh has shown favour, of the Prophets, and the truthful followers, and the martyrs, and the pious. And how excellent these companions are! Therefore, the second verse explains who 'those whom You have favoured' are.
In some places in the Qūr'an, a story is mentioned in brief and in another place it is elaborated. For example, in the story of the repentance of Aadam, verse 2:37 states,
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Then Aadam received from his Lord words, and He relented towards him. |
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In this verse, the 'words' that Aadam received are not mentioned, and it is essential to turn to another verse to know what Aadam said:
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They (Aadam and Eve) said, 'Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If you do not forgive us and have Mercy on us, we will be of the lost! [7:23] |
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Other verses direct the reader to another passage in the Qūr'an, or tell the reader that the subject has already been mentioned. For example, Allāh says,
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And unto the Jews, We forbade them such (foods) that We have already mentioned to you before... [16:118] |
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In other words, these prohibitions have already been elaborated upon elsewhere in the Qūr'an (cf 6:146). In another verse, Allāh states,
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Lawful to you (for food) are all the beasts of cattle, except that which will have been recited to you. [5:1] |
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After two verses, the beasts that are forbidden are 'recited':
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Forbidden to you are all dead animals, and blood, and the flesh of pigs.... [5:3] |
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The Prophet (saws) also showed the principle of interpreting the Qūr'an by the Qūr'an when he was asked concerning the verse,
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Those who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice...[6:82] |
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The Companions asked, "O Messenger of Allāh! Who amongst us does not do injustice (to his soul)?" The Prophet (saws) replied, "Have you not read the statement of Luqman, 'Verily, shirk is a great injustice?'" (31:13).[3] In other words, the Prophet (saws) quoted them another verse in the Qūr'an to explain to them what the 'injustice' referred to in the verse actually meant - an example of tafsīr of the Qūr'an by the Qūr'an.
Included in the interpretation of the Qūr'an with the Qūr'an is the knowledge of asbāb an-nuzūl, the knowledge of makkī and madanī verses, the nāsikh and mansūkh verses, the various qira'āt, and the knowledge of the different categories of verses (the muhkam and mutashābih, the 'ām and the khās, the mutlaq and the muqqayad, the mantūq and the mafhūm, the haqīqī and the majāzī, and other categories which were not discussed).
This is because a general ruling ('ām) in one verse might be specified ( khās) in another verse, and so forth. In addition, all the different qira'āt of a verse must be considered to arrive at a proper understanding of a verse. All the relevant verses must be taken into account to form a complete picture, as all the verses of the Qūr'an complement one another.
To conclude, it is essential that every verse of the Qūr'an be looked at in light of its sister verses; no interpretation of any verse can contradict another verse.
Footnotes
Tafsīr through the Sunnah
After the tafsīr of the Qur'ān by the Qur'ān itself the second source of tafsīr is tafsīr by the Sunnah. It must be mentioned that even though the Sunnah is taken to be the 'second' source of tafsīr, it is in fact of equal importance to the Qur'ān. In other words, a person wishing to understand the Qur'ān must turn to the Sunnah in order to understand it correctly. The Qur'ān and Sunnah must be taken together to arrive at a proper understanding of a verse.
In fact, one of the primary roles of the Prophet (saws) was to explain the meanings of the Qur'ān to mankind. Allāh says,
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And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad (saws) the Remembrance, so that you may clearly explain to mankind what has been revealed to them, and so that they may give thought [16:44] |
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Therefore, not only was the job of the Prophet (saws) to convey the literal text of the Qur'ān, he also had to convey its explanation as well.[1]
How Much of the Qurān was Explained?
The question arises, then, as to how much of the Qur'ān was actually explained by the Prophet (saws)? In other words, do there exist narrations from the Prophet (saws) concerning the interpretation of every single verse, and if not, then how is the previous quoted verse of the Qur'ān understood?
The scholars of Islām were divided into two opinions with regards to this issue. Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 A.H.) was of the view that the Prophet (saws) explained all of the Qur'ān, whereas Jalāl ad-Dīn as-Suyūtī (d. 911 AH.) claimed that the Prophet (saws) only explained a small portion of it.[2] In fact, both of these opinions are correct once the intent of both sides is understood. Those who claimed that the Prophet (saws) only explained a small portion of the Qur'ān meant that there do not exist very many verbal narrations from the Prophet (saws) concerning the detailed explanation of every single verse in the Qur'ān. On the contrary, as-Suyūtī only managed to find a few hundred narrations from the Prophet (saws) (including weak and fabricated ones) in which he (saws) explicitly interpreted a verse.[3]
On the other hand, what Ibn Taymiyyah meant was that the Prophet (saws) left us all the necessary knowledge needed in order to properly understand the Qur'ān. As 'Aa'ishah reported, the Prophet's (saws) character embodied the Qur'ān.[4] Therefore, even though there might not exist many explicit statements from the Prophet (saws) concerning tafsīr, the Prophet (saws) did leave us with the information and methodology necessary for understanding the Qur'ān. Therefore, it is essential to understand the Qur'ān not only in light of the explicit narrations of the Prophet (saws) on the Qur'ān, but also in light of all of the hadīth of the Prophet (saws), whether they are concerning beliefs or laws, and in light of the actions of the Prophet (saws), since his sayings and actions can be considered to be embodying the laws of the Qur'ān.
This opinion is supported by numerous statements from the Companions. Abū 'Abd ar-Rahmān as-Sulamī (d. 75 A.H.), the famous Successor, narrated,
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"Those who taught us the Qur'ān, such as 'Uthmān ibn 'Affān, 'Abdullāh ibn Mas'ūd, and others, told us that they would not memorise more than ten verses until they had understood what knowledge it contained, and implemented it. They used to say, 'So we learnt the Qur'ān, (its) knowledge and (its) implementation at the same time."[5] |
It is apparent, then, that the Companions made sure that they understood the meaning of the Qur'ān, and then implemented it.
'Umar narrated,
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"Amongst the last verses to be revealed were the verses pertaining to interest, and the Prophet (saws) passed away before explaining them to us."[6] |
This narration explicitly shows that the Prophet (saws) used to make sure that the Companions understood the Qur'ān, since the only reason that the verses of interest were not explained in great detail was due to the sudden death of the Prophet (saws).
As was mentioned earlier, there are only a small percentage of verses for which explicit narrations exist from the Prophet (saws). The verse concerning the interpretation of 'wrongdoing' (6:82) as shirk has already been given above. This example illustrates the necessity of the interpretation of the Prophet (saws), for even the Companions, despite their knowledge of Arabic, could not understand the correct interpretation of this verse until they had asked the Prophet (saws).
Another example is the hadīth of the Prophet (saws) in which he explained '...those whom You are angry with,' and '...those who are astray,' (1:7) as the Jews and Christians.[7]
He also explained the 'middle prayer' (2:238) as the Asr prayer,[8] the 'additional (reward)' (10:26) as the seeing of Allāh by the believers in Paradise,[9] and that al-Kawthar (108:1) was "...a river that my Lord has given me in Paradise."[10]
In addition to such explicit examples of tafsīr, there exist numerous examples from the life and sayings of the Prophet (saws) which explain certain verses of Qur'ān, but are not recorded as explicit statements of tafsīr. For example, the Prophet (saws) stated,
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"Hell will be brought forth on that Day (i.e., Day of Judgement). It will have seventy thousand ropes (attached to it), and on each rope, there will be seventy thousand angels dragging it."[11] |
Although this hadīth does not mention any verse in the Qur'ān, it can be used to interpret verse 90:23, 'And Hell will be brought that Day." The hadīth describes how it will be brought. In another example, the penalty prescribed for theft is,
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"As for the thief male or female, cut off his/her hand" (5:38). |
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The Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) explains that the thief's hand is only to be cut off if he steals above a certain monetary value, and that in such a case the right hand is to be cut off from the wrist joint.[12] These additional details needed for understanding this verse are not present in the Qur'ān itself In another verse, the Qur'ān proclaims,
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Say, I do not find in that which has been revealed to me anything which is forbidden to eat by anyone who wishes to eat it except a dead animal, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine...' [6:145] |
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However, this verse is not exhaustive, as the Sunnah adds to this list all animals with fangs or claws, and excludes from the general ruling of dead animals seafood and locusts.[13]
From these and other examples, it is possible to say that the Prophet (saws) explained the Qur'ān in the following manners:[14]
1) By his implementation of general or vague commands. For example, the Qur'ān orders the believers to pray and perform Hajj. The Prophet (saws), by his actions and statements, showed the believers the exact procedure and timings of prayer, and the specific rites of Hajj.
2) By explaining unclear concepts in verses. For example, the verse commanding the believers to begin their fasts,
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...when the white thread becomes clear from the black thread [2:187] |
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was explained by the Prophet (saws) as being the streaks of light in the sky after dawn.
3) By specifying the exact connotation of a word or phrase. The example in which the Prophet (saws) specified that the 'injustice' referred to in 6:82 was shirk falls in this category.
4) By constraining a general ruling or verse. The example' of the specification of 'thief'and 'hand' by the Prophet (saws) was given above.
5) By generalising a specific ruling or verse. An example of this is when some Companions came to the Prophet (saws) and asked him concerning the verse,
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And if you travel through the land, there is no sin upon you if you shorten your prayers, if you fear that those who disbelieve may harm you [4:101] |
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The Companions could not understand why the Prophet (saws) and the Muslims were still shortening their prayers during travel, despite the fact that there was no longer any fear from enemy attacks. The Prophet (saws) responded,
"(The concession to shorten prayers even in a state of security) is a charity which Allāh has given you, therefore accept the charity."[15]
6) By explaining the intent of a verse. The example in which the Prophet (saws) explained
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..those whom You are angry with, and those who are astray [1:7] |
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as the Jews and Christians falls under this category.
7) By adding extra commands or prohibitions to the verse. An example of this is the Prophet's (saws) prohibition of joining a woman with her maternal or paternal aunt in marriage (i.e., as co-wives), whereas the Qur'ān only prohibits combining a woman with her sister (4:23).
8) By emphasising the meaning of the verse. In other words, by practising and affirming the laws in the Qur'ān. For example, all hadīth stressing good treatment to wives merely affirm the verse,
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And live with them on good terms (and kindness) [4:19] |
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9) By showing that the verse was abrogated. This category has already been discussed.[16]
These few examples should be sufficient to illustrate that the Sunnah is of equal importance to the Qur'ān in deriving laws and understanding the Qur'ān. The Qur'ān can never be understood properly without the Sunnah.Even the Companions, whose knowledge of the Arabic language was unparalleled, had difficulty understanding many verses until the Prophet (saws) cleared up the exact meaning for them.
These two sources of tafsīr, tafsīr of the Qur'ān by the Qur'ān, and tafsīr of the Qur'ān by the Sunnah,are the two ultimate sources for understanding the Qur'ān. Neither is allowed to contradict itself or the other, and both sources must be taken simultaneously in order to arrive at a correct understanding. These two sources are also the final authority on the interpretation of the Qur'ān - no interpretation is allowed to contradict or supersede the interpretation of the Qur'ān by the Qur'ān and the Sunnah.
Footnotes
Tafsir by the Statement of The Companions
After the Qur'ān and Sunnah, the next important source for understanding the Qur'ān is the understanding of the Companions. The statements of the Companions are taken as a fundamental source of tafsīr for the following reasons:
1) The primary reason is that the Companions are a generation that was chosen by Allāh to accompany the Prophet (saws), and to pass on the religion and teachings of Islām to later generations. Their character and religious knowledge has been testified by Allāh and the Prophet (saws), for Allāh says in the Qur'ān,
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Muhammad (saws) is the Messenger of Allāh. And those who are with him (i.e., the Companions) are severe against the disbelievers and merciful amongst themselves. You see them bowing and falling down in prostration, seeking the Bounty of Allāh and His Pleasure... [48:29] |
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In more than one verse of the Qur'ān, Allāh mentions the fact that
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He is well pleased with them, and they with Him [99:8] |
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Thus clearly showing the superiority of the Companions over other generations. The Prophet (saws) said,
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"The best of all mankind are my Companions, then those that will follow them, then those that will follow them."[1] |
2) The Companions actually witnessed the revelation of the Qur'ān. Many of its verses were revealed to cater to problems that had risen amongst them. As such, they were familiar with the asbāb an-nuzūl,with the makī and madanī verses, and with the nāsikh and mansūkh,and did not need to go searching for this knowledge, as later generations would have to do.
3) The Qur'ān was revealed in the Arabic that the Companions spoke. Therefore, many words and phrases that later generations had difficulty understanding were clear to the Companions.
4) The Companions were the most knowledgeable of generations with regards to pre-Islāmic customs. Therefore, they understood the references in the Qur'ān to such customs.
There is a difference of opinion whether the interpretation of a Companion is of definitive authority. In other words, once a Companion has given an interpretation of a verse, must that interpretation be accepted, as is the case with the previous two sources of tafsīr?
Al-Hākim an-Naisapūrī (d. 404 A.H.), the author of al-Mustadrak, considered any interpretation by a Companion to be equivalent to a hadīth of the Prophet (saws), for he believed that all such interpretations must have originated from the Prophet (saws). However, this opinion is not accepted in its generality, and the majority of scholars, such as an-Nawawī (d. 676 A.H.), As-Suyūtī (d. 911 A.H.), and Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 A.H.), held the view that the interpretation of a Companion is equivalent to a hadīth of the Prophet (saws) only when it concerns matters which are not based on personal reasoning ( ijtihād), such as reports concerning sabab an-nuzūl, or the knowledge of the unseen.
This is because such knowledge could not have originated from the Companions' ijtihād, and must have come from the Prophet (saws). A report from a Companion not concerning these topics cannot be taken as equivalent to a hadīth of the Prophet (saws); rather, it is given a status below that of a. hadīth.[2] However, this does not diminish the status of the tafsīr from the Companions. The Companions were the most knowledgeable of this nation, and as such their personal reasoning ( ijtihād) occupies a status above that of any later scholar.
Az-Zarkashī summarised this point when he said,
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As for the interpretation of the Companions, it is investigated into: if this interpretation was based upon language, then they are the scholars of the language, and there is no doubt that they should be given credence to in this interpretation. If this interpretation relies upon what they saw of asbāb an-nuzūl, or other circumstances (i.e., of pre-Islāmic customs), then again there is no doubt concerning this type of interpretation.[3] |
After the interpretation of the Qur'ān by itself and by the hadīth of the Prophet (saws), the Companions relied upon four primary sources to interpret the Qur'ān:[4]
1) Their knowledge of Arabic language, rhetoric, grammar and pre-Islāmic poetry.
2) Their knowledge of the pre-Islāmic customs of the Arabs.
3) Their knowledge of the habits of the Jews and Christians at the time of the revelation of the Qur'ān.
4) Their personal reasoning and their keen intellect (which, of course, was based upon knowledge).
Another integral aspect of the tafsīr of the Companions is the shādh and mudraj qira'āt which were discussed earlier. It is necessary to take these qira'āt into account when interpreting a verse. As mentioned earlier, such qira'āt cannot be considered as the Qur'ān, but may be studied as tafsīr.
One of the interpretations of this type of qira'āt is that they were added, not as Qur'ān, but for the sake of interpretation by the Companions. For example, in the shādh qirā'a of Ibn Mas'ūd, the verse which told the believers to "fast three days" (5:89) as an expiation of an unfulfilled oath was read by him as: "fast three consecutive days." Due to this shādh qirā'a, later scholars differed over whether it was necessary to fast three consecutive days, or whether it sufficed to fast any three days if one did not fulfil an oath.
To conclude, if the Companions agreed to an interpretation of a verse, that interpretation must be accepted, since it qualifies as ijmā'. On the other hand, if there exist narrations from one Companion concerning the interpretation of a verse, and there does not exist any narrations to the contrary from other Companions, this interpretation is also accepted, but is not equivalent in strength to the interpretation given by the Prophet (saws). If there exist various narrations from different Companions which are not contradictory in nature, then all such interpretations are accepted. If there exist contrary narrations from different Companions concerning the same verse, in this case the researcher can choose between the different interpretations, depending on which interpretation seems to have the strongest evidence to support it.
Tafsīr by the Statement of the Successors
Before moving on to the next section, a brief note concerning the tafsīr narrations from the Successors would be useful. Some scholars took the tafsīr of the Successors to be the next source of tafsīr after the tafsīr of the Companions. As proof for this stance, they relied on the statements of certain prominent Successors concerning their knowledge of the Qur'ān. Qatādah (d. 110 A.H.) said,
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"There is not a single verse in the Qur'ān except that I have heard something concerning it." |
Mujāhid (d. 103 A.H.) said,
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"I recited the Qur'ān to Ibn 'Abbās three times. In each recitation, I stopped at every verse, asking him concerning its interpretation." |
This is why Sufyān ath-Thawree (d. 161 A.H.) said,
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"When you hear an interpretation from Mujāhid, this should be sufficient for you!"[5] |
Other scholars, however, rejected this view. They claimed that an interpretation of a Successor could not have originated from the Prophet (saws), as could the interpretation of a Companion, since they never saw the Prophet (saws). Also, they did not witness the revelation, as did the generation before them, and their trustworthiness is not guaranteed specifically for every one of their generation, unlike the Companions (in other words, the trustworthiness of every single Companions is guaranteed by the Qur'ān, whereas this is not the case for the Successors, for they have been praised as a. generation, and not individually).
Therefore, the correct view in this matter, as Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 A.H.) said, is that if the Successors give the same interpretation to a verse, then their interpretation must be accepted, but if they differed among themselves, then the opinion of one group will have no authority over the other group, nor over the generations after them. In such cases, one must resort to the Qur'ān, the Sunnah, the Companions, and the Arabic language in order to obtain the correct interpretation.[6]
Footnotes
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