Uthmaan bin Affaan (RA) has reported that Nabi (SAW) has said:
“The best amongst you are those who learn the Quraan and teaches it. ”
Narated in the book of Bukhari
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Quraan Recitation
Abu Umamah (RA) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (SAW) saying, ” Read the Quraan, for it will come as an intercessor for its reciters on the day of Qiyaamah”
Narrated in the book of Muslim
'Ulûm al-Qur'ân #4 – The Compilation of Tafsîr
Taken from the Book, ‘Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’an’, published by al-Hidaayah Ltd, and can be purchased online at www.Islaam.Biz
D. The Compilation of Tafsîr
After the period of the Successors, the stage of the actual compilation and writing of tafsîr began. The most important works were by scholars of hadîth, who, as part of their narrations and works of hadîth, also had sections on tafsîr. Therefore, during this stage, the narrations of tafsîr were considered a branch of hadîth literature. Some of the scholars of this period that were known for their tafsîr narrations include Yazîd ibn Hârûn as-Sulamî (d. 117 A.H.), Sufyân al-Thawri (d. 161 A.H.), Sufyân ibn ‘Uyaynah (d. 198 A.H.), Wakî’ ibn al-Jarâh (d. 197 A.H.), Shu’bah ibn al-Hajjâj (d. 160 A.H.), Aadam ibn Abî lyâs (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 tafsîr saw the separation of tafsîr literature from hadîth, and the emergence of independent works solely on tafsîr. Another stride during this stage was that every verse was discussed, so that tafîr was not only limited to those verses for which narrations from the Prophet (saws) and Companions existed; rather, these tafsîrs encompassed all the verses in the Qur’ân.
In attempting to answer who the first person to write a comprehensive tafsîr of the Qur’ân 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’îd ibn Jubayr (d. 95 A.H.).[2] Most likely, this work was not a complete tafsîr of the Qur’ân, but rather composed of narrations from the previous generations. An interesting narration in the Fihrist of Ibn Nadîm (d. 438 A.H.) reads as follows:[3]
| ‘Umar ibn Bukayr, one of the students of al-Farrâ, was with the governor Hasan ibn Sahl. He wrote to al-Farrâ: The governor sometimes questions me concerning (the tafsîr of) a verse in the Qur’ân, but I am unable to respond to him. Therefore, if you think it suitable to compile something with regards to the Qur’ân, or write a book concerning this, I can return to this book (whenever he asks me)’. al-Farrâ said to his students, ‘Gather together so that I may dictate to you a book on the Qur’ân’…and he told the muadhin to recite Sûrah al-Fâtihah, so that he may interpret it, until the whole book (i.e., the Qur’ân) was finished. The narrator of the story, Abû al-‘Abbâs, said, ‘No one before him every did anything like it, and I don’t think that anyone can add to what he wrote!’ |
Al-Farrâ 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 Mâjah (d. 273), of Sunan fame, also wrote a tafsîr of the Qur’ân, but again this was limited to narrations from the previous generations.
One of the greatest classics available is without a doubt the monumental tafîr of the Qur’ân by Muhammad ibn Jarîr at-Tabarî (d. 310 A.H.). This tafsîr, although heavily based on narrations, also discusses the grammatical analysis of the verse, the various qira’ât and their significance on the meaning of the verse, and, on occasion, Ibn Jarîr’s personal reasoning (ijtihâd) on various aspects of the verse. In many ways, this can be considered to be the first tafsîr to attempt to cover every aspect of a verse. Other tafsîrs followed quickly; in particular the tafîr of Abû Bakr ibn Mundhir an-Naisapûrî (d. 318 A.H.), Ibn Abî Hâtim (d. 327 AH.), Abû Shaykh ibn Hibbân (d. 369 A.H.), al-Hâkim (d. 405 A.H.) and Abû Bakr ibn Mardawayh (d. 410).[5]
This era also saw the beginning of the specialisation in tafsîr, with tafsîrs being written, for example, with greater emphasis on the grammatical analysis and interpretation of the Qur’ân. Greater emphasis was also placed on personal reasoning ( ijtihâd), and tafsîrs written solely for the defence of sectarian views (such as the tafîrs of the Mutazilah), and even for the defence of ones fiqh madhhab, such as the tafsîrs of the Hanafîs, Shâfi’îs and Mâlikîs) appeared. Another aspect that started during this era was the deletion of the isnâd from tafsîr narrations, and this led to the increasement of weak and fabricated reports in tafsîr literature.
A Summary
To summarise, it is possible to divide the history of tafsîr 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 hadîth of the Prophet (saws) dealing with tafsîr. Personal reasoning ( ijtihâd) 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, hadîth literature had begun to be compiled, and tafsîr narrations therefore become a part of hadîth works. Also during this time, the various hadîth 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 tafsîr works, based on the hadîth works of the previous generation, and thus tafsîrs became an independent science among the Islâmic sciences. This stage, which can be said to begin in the second half of the third century, also produced the first complete Qur’ânic tafsîr, whose commentary was not limited to only those verses concerning which narrations existed from previous generations. However, during this stage, the primary source of tafsîr 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 tafsîrs were written based on sectarian bias. For example, as-Suyûtî 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 tafsîr literature, as the isnâd disappeared from tafsîr works.
The final period of the history of tafsîr, which has lasted from the fourth century of the hijrah until today, saw the culmination of the science of tafsîr, and the emergence of various categories of tafsîr, such as tafsîr based on narrations, on personal reasoning, topic-wise interpretation, polemical interpretation, and jurisprudential interpretation (these will be discussed in greater detail below). Other tafsîrs sought to combine all of these topics into one work, thus giving a broad, all-encompassing approach to interpretation.
Footnotes
1 adh-Dhahabî,v.l,p. 152.
2 ibid.,v.l,p. 155.
3 ibid., v.l, p. 154, from the Fihrist
4 This work, unlike many others from its era, is available in manuscript form, and part of it has been published by Dâr al-Kutub al-Misriyah, 1956.
5 adh-Dhahabî, p. 152.
6 c£ adh-Dhahabî, v. 1, pps. 151-56.
7 as-Suyûtî, v. 2, p. 190.
Ulûm al-Qur'ân #3 – The History of Tafsîr
Ulûm al-Qur’ân #3 – The History of Tafsîr
Taken from the Book, ‘Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’an’, published by al-Hidaayah Ltd, and can be purchased online at www.Islaam.Biz
A. The Time of The Prophet (SAWS)
It is no surprise to discover that the science of tafsîr 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 Qûr’an. Allâh says,
| 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] |
The science of tafsîr 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 Qûr’an, and the circumstances during which it was revealed. They were aware of the reason behind the revelation of a verse (asbâb an-nuzûl), 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 Qûr’an, as the Qûr’an was revealed in their dialect. Therefore the Arabic of the Qûr’an was, in general, understood by them without any difficulties.
Lastly, and most importantly, the Prophet (saws) was alive, and the Qûr’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 Allâh! 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 Allâh.
The Companions were careful that they understood every single verse in the Qûr’an properly. Abû ‘Abd ar-Rahmân as-Sulamî (d. 75 AH.) reported that whenever the people who taught them the Qûr’an, like’Uthmân ibn ‘Affân, ‘Abdullâh ibn Mas’ûd, and others, learnt ten verses of the Qûr’an, they would not proceed further until they had understood whatever ideas and regulations those verses contained. They used to say, “We learnt the Qûr’an, and studied its ideas and injunctions all together.”[2]
This narration shows that the Companions were eager to understand Qûr’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 Qûr’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 tafsîr 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 tafîr were the Qûr’an, the statements of the Prophet (saws), the principles of Arabic grammar and rhetoric, their own personal reasoning(ijtihâd), and pagan and Judaeo-Christian customs that were prevalent at the time of the revelation of the Qûr’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 Qûr’an. As-Suyûtî wrote, “There are ten who were famous for their knowledge of tafîr among the Companions: the four Khulafâ ar-Râshidûn [3] ‘Abdullâh ibn Mas’ûd, ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Abbâs, Ubay ibn Ka’ab, Zayd ibn Thâbit, Aboo Mûsâ al-Ash’arî and’Abdullâh ibn Zubayr. As for the Khulafâ ‘Alî ibn Abî Tâlib 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 tafsîr narrations of Abî Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmân 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’ân, as the Companions were many and wide-spread. During later times, however, such as during the Caliphate of ‘Alî, the need to interpret the Qur’ân was much greater than before.
There were others besides these ten Companions who were well known for their knowledge of tafsîr, such as Anas ibn Mâlik, Abû Hurayrah, Jâbir ibn ‘Abdillâh and’Aa’ishah, except that they were not in the same category as the ten whom as-Suyûtî mentioned.
The most knowledgeable Companion with regards to the interpretation of the Qur’ân is considered to be Ibn ‘Abbâs. ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Umar said, “Ibn ‘Abbâs 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 ‘Abbâs, for he (saws) said, “O Allâh! Give him the knowledge of the Book, and of Wisdom!”and in another narration, “O Allâh! 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 Maymûnah was a wife of the Prophet (saws)
Ibn ‘Abbâs 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 ‘Abbâs 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 Allâh comes, and the Conquest [110:1] ?
Some of them did not reply, while others said, “We have been commanded to thank Allâh and ask for His forgiveness whenever we are helped and aided to victory.”‘Umar asked Ibn ‘Abbâs, “And do you think the same also, O Ibn ‘Abbâs?”He answered, “No!” ‘Umar asked, “Then what do you say.”
He replied, “This is an indication to the Prophet (saws) from Allâh that his life is about to end. The verse means, When the help of Allâh 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 ‘Abbâs, along with those of’Abdullâh ibn Mas’ûd, ‘Alî ibn Abî Tâlib, and Ubay ibn Ka’ab, are the most numerous narrations from Companions that are to be found in tafsîr 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’ân. This is because the people of their time understood much of what the Qur’ân 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 tafsîr 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’ân. The Successors used the same sources to interpret the Qur’ân 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’ân during this generation were: the Qur’ân, the statements of the Prophet (saws) that the Companions had informed them of, the Companions’ personal reasoning (ijtihâd) of the verse, the Arabic language, their own personal reasoning (ijtihâd), 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 Islâm. 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, Madînah and Kûfah. Each of these areas became leading centres of knowledge during the period of the Successors, including the knowledge of tafsîr.
In Makkah, where Ibn ‘Abbâs had taught, his primary students became the scholars of this area. In particular, Sa’îd ibn Jubayr (d. 95 A.H.), Mujâhid ibn Jabr (d. 104 A.H.), ‘Ikrimah (d. 104 A.H.), Tâwûs (d. 106 A.H.), and ‘Atâ ibn Rabâh (d. 114 A.H.) became leading authorities in this field, and their names are still to be found in many works of tafsîr.
In Madînah, the influence of ‘Ubay ibn Ka’ab was the strongest in the arena of tafsîr, and his students Abû al-‘Aaliyah (d. 90 A.H.), Muhammad ibn Ka’ab al-Quradî (d. 118 A.H.) and Zayd ibn Aslam (d. 136 A.H.) emerged as the scholars of tafsîr in Madînah during this period.
In Kûfah, ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ûd left behind his great legacy to ‘Alqamah ibn Qays (d. 61 A.H.), Masrûq (d. 63 A.H.), and al-Aswad ibn Yazîd (d. 74 A.H.). Other Successors from Kûfah who were famous for their knowledge of’ tafsîr were: ‘Aamir ash-Sha’bî (d. 109 A.H.), al-Hasan al-Basrî (d. 110 A.H.) and Qatâdah as-Sadûsî (d. 117A.H.)
During this period, greater emphasis was placed on Judaeo-Christian tradition (known as Isrâ îliyât), and because of this, many of these narrations entered into Islâmic literature. Most of the people who narrated these traditions were Jews and Christians who had embraced Islâm, such as ‘Abdullâh ibn Salaam (he was a Companion, d. 43 A.H.), Ka’ab al-Ahbâr (he embraced Islâm 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 Mâlik ibn Jurayj (d. 150 A.H.). Much of the Judaeo-Christian traditions prevalent in tafsîr literature can be traced back to these scholars.
Also during this time, the differences in interpreting the Qur’ân 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
1 Reported by al-Bukhârî
2 Ibn Taymiyyah, p. 12.
3 A term that means ‘The rightly-guided caliphs’, used to denote the first four caliphs, Abû Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmân and ‘Alî.
4 as-Suyûtî, v. 2, p. 239.
5 adh-Dhahabî, v. 1, p. 72 (the reference to adh-Dhahabî, whenever it appears in this chapter, refers to Dr. ad-Adh-Dhahabî’s Tafsîr wa al-Mufasirûn, unless otherwise specified).
6 Reported by al-Bukhârî.
7 Reported by al-Bukhârî.
'Ulûm al-Qur'ân #2-The Necessity and Importance of Tafsîr
‘Ulûm al-Qur’ân #2-The Necessity and Importance of Tafsîr
Taken from the Book, ‘Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’an’, published by al-Hidaayah Ltd, and can be purchased online at www.Islaam.Biz
The question arises:
Why is there a need for tafsîr After all, does not Allâh say in the Qûr’an: Verily this Qûr’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 Qûr’an a complete source of guidance in and of itself as it says,
| 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] |
Indeed, it is true that anyone who approaches the Qûr’an with a pure heart, seeking the guidance of Allâh, will find it. As Allâh says,
| This (Qûr’an) is a declaration for mankind, a guidance and an admonition for those who ward off evil [3:138] |
But this in no way implies that a person who is unaware of the numerous hadîth of the Prophet (saws) in explaining the Qûr’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 qirât,and of the knowledge of the abrogated rulings, and of all of the other topics of ‘Ulûm al Qûr’an will benefit from the Qûr’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 ‘Ulûm al Qûr’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 Qûr’an.
As-Suyûti also discusses the necessity of tafsîr in his al-Itqân.[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 tafsîr 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 Qûr’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 tafsîr to explain what is meant by the word. It can be said that the purpose of tafsîr is to elaborate the principles which the Qûr’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 Qûr’an (i’jâz).
Therefore, the job of a mufâssir is to explain all of the above points to mankind. From the above discussion, the importance of tafsîr should become apparent. The science of tafsîr is meant to explain to mankind the Book that has been revealed to them from Allaah. The Qûr’an is like a treasure trapped in a glass receptacle; mankind can view and benefit from this treasure, but they are in need of tafsîr,for tafsîr acts like the key that unlocks the treasure, so that mankind can benefit from it to the greatest possible extent. Iyâs ibn Mu’âwiyah (d. 122 A.H.) said, “The example of a people who recite the Qûr’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 tafsîr is like a person who comes to them with a lamp and reads to them what is in the message.” And the Successor Sa’ îd ibn Jubayr (d. 95 A.H.) said, “Whoever recites the Qûr’an and does not explain it, is like an ignorant person.”[3]
As-Suyûti said, (The science of tafsîr) 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 Sharî’ ah and knowledge of the religion, and this knowledge can only be obtained through the understanding of the Book of Allâh.[4]
Apart from these reasons, the Qûr’an itself commands its readers to ponder over it, and to reflect upon its meanings, for it says,
| (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] |
It is the science of tafsîr which is the fruit of ‘pondering over its verses.’
Footnotes
1 As-Suyûti, v.2, p. 223.
2 cf. Ik, pps. 64-66.
3 Both quotes taken from Zarabozo, ibid., p. 12.
4 As-Suyûti, v. 2, p. 224; cf. Zarabozo, p. 12.
'Ulûm al-Qur'ân #1 – Defining Tafsîr and Ta'wîl
Taken from the Book, ‘Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’an’, published by al-Hidaayah Ltd, and can be purchased online at www.Islaam.BizThe 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.
I. 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
1 az-Zarkashi, v. 2, p. 147.2 as-Suyuti, v. 2, p. 223.
3 cf., as-Suyuti, v.2, pps. 221-2, ar-Rumi, pps. 8-9, Zarabozo, p. 14.
The return of the Qur'aan
The ‘Return’ of the Qur’aan
The statement of’Amr ibn Deenar (d. 126 A.H.) was quoted earlier in which he said,
| “I have met the Companions of the Prophet (saws) and those that came after them for seventy years, all of them said, Allaah is the Creator and everything besides Him is created, and the Qur’aan is the kalaam of Allaah, from Him it came, and to Him it will return.”’ [1] |
This statement, which was used in the section concerning the kalaam of Allaah, mentions the fact that the Qur’aan will ‘return’ to Allaah. What is the meaning of this phrase which was said by so many Companions and Successors?
Among the signs of the Day of Judgement is the increase of ignorance, and the disappearance of knowledge. The Prophet (saws) said,
| “Before the Day of Judgement, there will be a time (or ‘days’) in which Ignorance will be sent down, and Knowledge will be raised up.” [2] |
The ‘raising up of Knowledge’ has been interpreted by the Prophet (saws) himself to mean the death of scholars. The Prophet (saws) said,
| ‘Allaah does not snatch away knowledge from the chests of His servants, but He takes away knowledge by the death of scholars, until, when there are no more scholars remaining, the people take ignorant leaders (i.e., as scholars). And these leaders will be asked (by the people), and they will respond without any knowledge, and they will be misguided, and misguide others.” [3] |
And as the Day of Judgement comes closer, more and more ignorance will appear, and knowledge will lessen, until, in the very last of time, the Qur’aan itself will be taken away, and raised up from amongst mankind. This will occur after the time of ‘Eesaa, when the only people remaining will be the worst of all of mankind; the generation upon whom the Trumpet of the Day of Judgement will be blown while they are still alive.
The Prophet (saws) said,
| “Islaam will disappear just like the colours of a dress fade away, until people will not even know what fasting, prayer, the rites (of Hajj and charity are. And the Book of Allaah will be lifted up one night, so that not even one verse will remain. And a group of old people will remain, who will say, ‘We found our forefathers on this kalimah: Laa ilaaha ila Allaah, so we too say it.”’ [4] |
Ibn Mas’ood said,
| “Indeed, the Qur’aan will be taken away from your midst; one night it will be raised up, and it will leave from the chests of men, and nothing will remain of it on the earth.” [5] |
‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr stated,
| “The Day of Judgement will not come until the Qur’aan returns from whence it was revealed. It will have a sound like the buzzing of bees and it will say, ‘O my Lord! From you I came and to you I am returning. I am recited, but not acted upon; I am recited, but not acted upon.”’ [6] |
Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 A.H.) stated, in explanation of these narrations,
| “It will be raised up one night, towards the very end of time, from the mus-haf and the chests of men, so not a single word will remain in the hearts, nor will a single letter remain in the mus-haf” [7] |
It appears, therefore, that although knowledge in general will not be taken away from the chests of men, the Quraan, towards the end of time, will, and Allaah knows best.
In any case, the hadeeth are explicit that the Qur’aan will be raised up from the earth, and this is the meaning of the phrase of the salaf: ‘…and to Him it will return’. The time when this ‘raising up’ occurs will be the end of time, the time in which the Qur’aan has been abandoned by the people; when they leave the Qur’aan, it is only befitting that the Qur’aan is taken away from them.
An Appeal
The present work has been an attempt to present to the reader a glimpse of the power and beauty of the Qur’aan. There can be no doubt that the Qur’aan is the greatest miracle of the Prophet (saws) – a miracle that can be appreciated by all of mankind. Yet, despite the power and status of the Qur’aan, many Muslims are heedless of it.
It is distressing to see that the Muslims of today have turned away from this great treasure that has been revealed to them – the very Speech of Allaah. They have made the Qur’aan a sacred family heirloom; to be treasured in exotic and expensive covers, yet to be uninhabited by the best of all covers – their hearts; to be recited and listened to in the best and most melodious of voices, yet to ignore its meanings; to be placed high above all other objects in any room, yet to occupy the lowest station in their daily lives; to be read when a death has occurred, yet to be ignored by the living; to be written in the fanciest of scripts and on the most expensive of papers, yet to be heedless of its commandments and prohibitions.
| ‘What is the matter with them, that they have turned away from the Remembrance?’ [74:49]
‘O Mankind! What has made you careless concerning your Lord, the Most Generous?’ [82:6] |
O Muslims! O Believers of the Qur’aan! Beware that you do not fall into those whom the Prophet (saws) will complain about to his Lord on the Day of Judgement:
| ‘And the Messenger (will) say: ‘O My Lord, indeed my people took this Qur’aan as something worthy of being abandoned!’’ [25:30] |
The scholar Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 758 A.H.) said,
| There are various types of ‘abandonment’ of the Qur’aan:
1) To abandon listening to it and believing in it. 2) To abandon acting upon it, and ignoring its lawful and prohibited ordinances (Halaal and haraam), even if one believes in it and recites it. 3) To abandon judging by it, and resorting to it as a judge when there are differences in the essence of the religion or other matters. 4) To abandon pondering over it, and understanding it, and seeking the explanation of it. 5) To abandon using it as a cure in all types of diseases of the heart, and instead to seek to cure these diseases by other means. And all of these categories are included in the statement of Allaah, ‘And the Messenger (will) say: “0 My Lord, indeed my people took this Qur’aan as something worthy of being abandoned!’’ [25:30] even though some of these types of abandonment are worse than others. [8] |
How many of these types of abandonments are we guilty of?
O Muslims! Have you not read the outcome of the one who turns away from the Qur’aan?
| ‘And whoever turns away from My Remembrance (the Qur’aan), for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up, on the Day of Judgement, blind. He will say, ‘O My Lord! Why have you resurrected me blind, when I used to see (in this world)?’ (Allaah) will respond, ‘Likewise (in this manner), Our verses came to you, but you ignored them. And, likewise, today you shall be ignored’’ [20:124-126]. |
The one who was blessed with sight, but turned away from the light and guidance of the Qur’aan, deserves that his sight to be snatched away from him, for of what use was it? If his sight was blind to the light of the Qur’aan, then, on the Day of Judgement , it shall be blind to all else.
| ‘And whoever is blind in this world (to the Qur’aan), then he will be blind on the Day of Judgement, and even more astray!’ [17:72] |
The Prophet (saws) said,
| “Indeed, Allaah will honour people (i.e., in this world and the Hereafter) by this Book, and He will debase others by it.” [9] |
There are only two categories of people when it comes to the Qur’aan; those that will be honoured because of it, and those that will be humiliated because of it. The Prophet (saws) also said,
| “Whoever puts (the Qur’aan) ahead of him, it will lead him to Paradise; and whoever throws it behind him, it will drag him into Hell.” [10] |
Which of these two categories do you wish to be in?
Taken from the Book ‘An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’aan’ Publushed by al-Hidaayah Publications Ltd.
Footnotes
1 Reported by al-B ayhaqee in his Sunan.
2 Reported by al-Bukhaaree.
3 Reported by al-Bukhaaree.
4 Reported by Ibn Maajah; authenticated in Saheeh al-Jaami’.
5 Reported by at-Tabaraanee.
6 ad-Darimee, ar- Radd, p. 189.
7 Majmoo’ al-Fatawaa, v. 3, p. 198. Also see Waabil, p. 135.
8 Ibn al-Qayyim, p. 113. The five categories have been translated in meaning, not verbatim.
9 Reported by Muslim.
10 Reported by at-Tabaraani.
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