Tafsir

What is Tafsir?

Tafsir is the science of explaining the Quran — clarifying the meanings of its verses, the context in which they were revealed, and the rulings and guidance they contain. It is how a believer moves from reading the words to understanding the message. Every generation of Muslims has produced tafsirs, from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself — who explained the Quran to his Companions — to the great written works of the classical and modern periods.

Its Basis in the Quran

Allah says: "[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses..." (Quran 38:29). And: "So do they not reflect upon the Quran, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?" (Quran 47:24). The Quran commands its own study; tafsir is the disciplined form of that study.

Sources of Tafsir

Classical scholars identify the sources of sound tafsir in a hierarchy:

• The Quran itself — one verse explaining another.
• The Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ — his statements and actions that clarify a verse.
• Reports from the Companions (sahabah), especially Ibn Abbas — known as tarjuman al-Quran, "the interpreter of the Quran".
• Reports from the Successors (tabi'un), particularly the students of Ibn Abbas.
• The Arabic language — as the Quran was revealed in Arabic.
• Reasoned reflection (ijtihad) within the bounds of the Sharia.

The Two Broad Approaches

• Tafsir bi al-Ma'thur — tafsir by transmitted reports (Quran, Sunnah, sahabah, tabi'un). Examples: at-Tabari, Ibn Kathir.
• Tafsir bi al-Ra'y — tafsir by reasoned analysis, remaining faithful to language and Sharia. Examples: ar-Razi, az-Zamakhshari (linguistic), al-Qurtubi (fiqh-focused).

Great Tafsir Works

• Tafsir at-Tabari — the earliest comprehensive tafsir preserved (d. 923 CE).
• Tafsir Ibn Kathir — the classical reference for tafsir by transmitted reports (d. 1373).
• Tafsir al-Qurtubi — famed for its fiqh and juristic content.
• Tafsir al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb) — the great encyclopedia of theological and rational tafsir.
• Modern works such as Fi Zilal al-Quran of Sayyid Qutb, the tafsirs of Muhammad Abduh and Rashid Rida, and (in Turkish) the tefsirs of Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır and Hak Dini Kur'an Dili.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between tafsir and tarjamah (translation)?

A translation renders the Quran's literal meaning into another language, always inevitably imperfect. Tafsir explains what the verse means, what it implies, and how it applies. A translation is a mirror; a tafsir is a commentary.

Can anyone give tafsir?

The Prophet ﷺ warned against speaking about the Quran without knowledge (Tirmidhi 2952). Tafsir requires knowledge of Arabic, hadith, reasons for revelation, abrogation, and the principles of exegesis. Reflection is open to all; formal tafsir is the work of scholars.