INTRODUCTION TO

TAFSEER

By:
Hadhrat Mufti Taqi Usmaani Saahib
(daamat barkaatuhu)
Contents
Wahy ................................................................................................ 1

How did Rasulullah  receive Wahy .................................. 5

Forms Of Wahy ............................................................................... 5

Makki and Madani Surahs............................................................... 6
Asbaab-un-Nuzool (Causes of Revelation) ..................................... 9

How the Qur-aan Shareef was preserved ..................................... 10

Different Qiraat ............................................................................. 13

Divisions in the Qur-aan Shareef ................................................... 15

Rumuzul- Awqaaf (Stop Signs)...................................................... 17
The Science of Tafseer................................................................... 19
Sources of Tafseer ......................................................................... 21
Few Words About Israeeli Riwaayaat........................................... 28

An important word of caution...................................................... 30

 Introduction to Tafseer

WAHY
The Qur-aan Shareef was sent down to Rasulullah 
through wahy ‘revelation’. Therefore it is imperative to know
what it means and why it is necessary for humankind to receive it.
Allah Ta’ala has sent man to this world to test him as to how he
lives in this world and how he makes use of all the Divine bounties
spread all over the universe. The foremost requisite for a man to
pass this test is to have the correct ‘knowledge’. He must know
the nature and traits of the things he needs; the method of their
use to his benefit and the way he can please his Creator to pass
the rest of his life. In order to equip him with this knowledge,
Allah Ta’ala has provided him with three sources through which
he may acquire it.
1st Allah Ta’ala has given us 5 senses: Eyes to see, ears to hear,
nose to smell, tongue to taste and limbs to touch and feel. Each
one of these senses gives us knowledge in its own sphere of
work. We know many things by seeing them with our eyes, many

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 Introduction to Tafseer

others by touching them with our limbs, and still others by

smelling or tasting them or listening to their sounds.
2nd intellect: There are numerous things, however, that cannot be
known merely through these senses. We can neither see them
with our eyes, nor touch them with our limbs, or hear their voice
or feel them through their smell or taste. In order to acquire
knowledge of such things Allah Ta’ala has blessed us with another
source of knowledge, that is, our reason and intellect. It is our
intellect that leads us to the realities that are beyond the reach of
our physical senses.
But, just as our senses can work only within their domain, beyond
which they are unable to provide any information to us, our
intellect too has its own limits beyond which it can either not
work or may lead to confusing information. It is this area in which
Allah Ta’ala has granted to us a third source of knowledge which
is called Wahy (revelation).
Let us take a practical example. If I have a gun in my hand, I can
acquire the knowledge of its size, design and its colour as soon as
I see it with my eyes. By touching it, I may know that it is made of
a solid metal, that is, iron. By triggering it with my finger, I may
know that it throws a bullet forcefully to a certain distance. By
smelling the bullet, I may know that it contains ammunition. All
this information is given to me by my senses. But if I try to know

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 Introduction to Tafseer

how this gun came into existence, my outer senses will not be
able to give me any answer about it, because I did not see the
process of its manufacturing. Here, my intellect will comes
forward and tells me that this sophisticated weapon cannot come
into existence on its own or only by chance. There was certainly a
skillful person who has designed and produced it. Although the
person is not before my eyes, nor can I hear his voice, I still know
for sure that he really exists or existed some time before. This
information is given to me by my reason and intellect.
Now, there comes another question. Which use of this weapon is
allowed by Allah Ta’ala, the creator of the entire universe? Here
again, my reason can help me to a certain extent. Since Allah
Ta’ala dislikes injustice, my intellect can tell me that killing an
innocent person with this gun should not be allowed. But who is
really innocent and who is really guilty? These are the questions in
which my intellect leaves me confused. For example, if a person
had murdered an innocent person, there may be two arguments
in two different directions. The first argument may contend that
the murderer has committed a heinous offence; he has deprived
the deceased of his life without any just reason, and has brought
immeasurable misery to his family, therefore, he deserves to be
subjected to the same fate, so that it may deter others from
committing the same offence. The opposite argument, however,

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 Introduction to Tafseer

is that if we kill the murderer, it will neither bring the deceased

back, nor will it remove the misery of his family; rather it will bring
another misery to the family of the murderer who was by no
means a party to the offence. Both arguments are based on pure
reason, which is unable to produce an absolute answer
acceptable to all. It is such questions in which we need decisive
guidance from our Creator, and He provides it through the third
source of knowledge, that is Wahy.
3rd Wahy: In order to bless humankind with the guidance of Wahy,
Allah Ta’ala selects some pious persons as prophets, sends down
His guidance to them and directs them to convey it to others. All
the prophets (alayhimus salaam) right from Aadam (alayhis
salaam) up to the last prophet Sayyiduna Muhammad 
were sent to this world for this purpose. The Wahy revealed to
Sayyiduna Muhammad  as a book is called the Qur-aan
Shareef, which is the last Divine book revealed for the benefit of
the mankind for all times to come.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

HOW DID RASULULLAH 

RECEIVE WAHY

Rasulullah  received the first revelation when he was

forty years old and was sitting in seclusion in the cave of Hira, a
part of a mount in Makkah, known today as Jabalun Nur (The
Mount of Light). Averse from idolatry that prevailed in the entire
Arabia in those days, he used to seclude himself in this cave to
worship Allah Ta’ala alone. It was a night of the month of
Ramadhaan in the state of such seclusion that the angel Jibraa-eel
(alayhis salaam) came to him in the cave, and revealed the first
five verses of Surah Al-’Alaq (Surah 96). This was the beginning of
the gradual revelation of the Qur-aan Shareef that continued for
twenty three years after that.

FORMS OF WAHY
Once, Haarith lbn Hisham , a noble Sahaabi of Rasulullah
 asked him how revelation came to him. He answered,
“At times it comes to me like the chiming of a bell, and this mode
of revelation is the hardest on me. Then it comes to an end when I
fully comprehend the words of the angel, committing them to my

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 Introduction to Tafseer

memory. And at other times, the angel comes to me in the form

of a man who talks to me, and I comprehend and memorize what
he says.” Sayyidah Aa’ishah  who has reported this saying
of Rasulullah , tells us that even in the coldest days of
winter, when he received wahy, his forehead used to be full of
sweat due to the stress he felt during the experience (Bukhari).
Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thaabit  narrates that once Rasulullah
 had his head resting on Zaid’s thigh when Wahy started
descending on him. He felt such a pressure on his thigh that it
seemed as though his thigh will be crushed by the pressure.
(Bukhaari)
When the angel came to Rasulullah  in human form he
usually took a form resembling Sayyiduna Dihyah Al-Kalbi ,
who was famous for his masculine beauty and handsomeness.
(Musnad of Ahmad 2:107)

MAKKI AND MADANI SURAHS

Surah is a chapter of the Qur-aan Shareef. Each one of them has a
title, which is usually taken from a word used in that Surah.
Rasulullah  lived in Makkah for thirteen years after the
first Wahy was revealed to him. Then he migrated to Madinah,

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 Introduction to Tafseer

where he lived for ten years. The verses revealed before Hjrah
(migration) are called Makki and those revealed after migration
are termed as Madani. It is not necessary that the Makki verses
are revealed in the city of Makkah. Instead, all the verses revealed
before Hijrah migration are called Makki even though they are
revealed somewhere out of the city of Makkah. Similarly, all the
verses revealed after Hijrah (migration) are called Madani even
though they are revealed when Rasulullah  travelled
outside Madinah. So much so, that some verses like 4:58 and 48:1
were revealed when he was in Makkah or in its vicinity during the
conquest of Makkah or on the expedition of Hudaibiyyah; still
they are categorized as Madani because they were revealed after
Hijrah.
The Surahs of the Qur-aan Shareef that mostly comprise of Makki
verses are called Makki, and those comprising mostly of Madani
verses are termed as Madani. Most of the Surahs are either totally
Makki or totally Madani. For instance, Surah Al Muddassir is
totally Makki and Surah ‘AI-’lmraan is totally Madani. But there are
some Makki Surahs in which some Madani verses have found
place. Conversely, there are some Madani Surahs that have a few
Makki verses. Every Surah is thus called Makki or Madani
according to the majority of its verses.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

The subjects discussed in Makki Surahs are mostly the basic

articles of faith and their proofs spread all over the universe,
refutation of idolatry, its wrong beliefs and rituals, the objections
raised by the pagans against Rasulullah  and the Qur-aan
Shareef, narration of the stories of earlier prophets (alayhimus
salaam), description of the horrible events of the Qiyaamah (Day
of Judgment), the pleasures and bounties in Jannah (Paradise)
and horrors of Jahannam (Hell). Since in the Makkan period,
Rasulullah  and the Muslims were passing through
merciless persecution at the hands of the pagans of Makkah, the
Makki Surahs have a good number of verses that were originally
meant for consoling them on such hardships, nevertheless
containing messages of universal application for all times to
come.
Madani verses, on the contrary, were revealed at a time when
Rasulullah  had established an Islamic state in Madinah.
The subjects discussed in these Surahs are therefore mostly
related to the issues arising in the Madani period, like
argumentation with Jews and Christians, armed struggles against
enemies of Islam for which detailed rules of Jihaad are laid down.
Moreover, detailed laws of social, economic and political life are
mostly found in Madani Surahs, while Makki Surahs contain very
few such laws.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

ASBAAB-UN-NUZOOL
(CAUSES OF REVELATION)
Many verses of the Qur-aan Shareef were revealed in the
background of certain events. In the terminology of the Tafseer of
the Qu-raan Shareef, these events are called Asbaab-un-Nuzool or
‘Causes of revelation’. In the Urdu commentaries of the Qur-aan
Shareef, these are named as ‘Shaan-e-Nuzool. The details of
Asbaab- un-Nuzool are reported by the Sahaabah  of
Rasulullah  in narrations, some of which are reliable and
some others are weak. Hence, the scholars have critically
appraised their authenticity in a meticulous manner. The
authentic reports of Asbaab-un-Nuzool are very helpful for the
study of the relevant verses in their true perspective; rather it is
very difficult to understand many of them correctly without the
help of their Asbaab-un-Nuzool. Nevertheless, all Mufassireen and
Jurists are unanimous on the point that if the words of a verse are
general, the ruling established in the relevant verse is not
restricted to the particular event reported as its cause of
revelation.
For example, the verse ‫ تنكحوا المشكت حت يؤمن‬ ‘(Do not marry
polytheist women unless they bring Imaan. 2:221)’ was revealed

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 Introduction to Tafseer

when a pagan woman offered herself for marriage to Marthad

, a Sahaabi of Rasulullah . The verse prohibited him
from marrying her. Although it was revealed in that particular
event, its general words extend the prohibition to all Muslims and
thus the principle laid down by the verse has universal application.
Therefore, authentic Asbaab-un-Nuzool should be taken as a
source of correct interpretation of a verse, but the principle
established by it should never be restricted to any particular event
if the words of the verse are general.

HOW THE QUR-AAN SHAREEF WAS

PRESERVED

As stated earlier, the Qur-aan Shareef was not revealed in the

form of a book sent down in a single revelation. It was rather
revealed in a gradual process that continued for twenty three
years. Whenever a verse or a number of verses was revealed to
Rasulullah , he committed it to his memory. Since he
was unlettered, he could not write the verses himself, therefore,
he had appointed a number of his Sahabah  as scribes of
the Qur-aan Shareef. As soon as he received a revelation, he
would call one of them and dictate the verses he received in the

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 Introduction to Tafseer

fresh revelation. Once they wrote them, he would order them to

read whatever they had just written, so that any shortcoming
might be corrected instantly. Due to shortage of paper, the verses
were mostly written on pieces of palm-leaves, bones, skins of
animals and on stones. Rasulullah  used to direct the
scribes where to place the new verses in a particular Surah. Once
they were dictated by Rasulullah  in this way, the other
Sahaabah  used to read and learn them by heart and
prepare their copies for their own benefit. A large number of the
noble Sahaabah  of Rasulullah  had thus
memorized the Qur-aan Shareef and committed it to writing as
well. Rasulullah  used to teach them how to recite the
verses, and how to pronounce its words. On the basis of this
education, an independent science was developed by the
scholars, which is called the Science of Tajweed and Qiraat. He
 also taught them the correct interpretation of the Qur-
aan Shareef, on the basis of which the ‘Science of Tafseer’ has
been developed as a separate branch of knowledge.
Although the Qur-aan Shareef was memorized and written by a
large number of the Sahaabah  of Rasulullah , it
was generally in the form of verses and Surahs written on
aforementioned objects, and was not compiled in a standard
book form. However, soon after the demise of Rasulullah

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 Introduction to Tafseer

, his first noble Caliph Abu Bakr  appointed a

committee, headed by the noble Sahaabi, Zaid bin Thaabit ,
to compile the Qur-aan Shareef in a complete book form. Zaid bin
Thaabit  was already one of the scribes of Rasulullah
 who used to write the verses of the Qur-aan Shareef
when they were revealed, and was also one of those who had
learnt the Qur-aan by heart. He invited all the Muslims who had
the Qur-aan Shareef or some of its parts with them in written
form. After consulting all such material and confirming it with his
own memory coupled with the testimony of many witnesses, he
compiled the first standard script of the Qur-aan Shareef in a book
form.
When Persia and Syria were conquered by the Muslims and Islam
spread outside Arabia, Sayyiduna Uthmaan bin Affaan , the
third Caliph of Rasulullah  once again appointed Zaid bin
Thaabit  for preparing seven standard copies of the Qur-aan
Shareef. Zaid bin Thaabit  repeated the same procedure as
he had adopted for the first time when compiling the first
standard script. Sayyiduna Uthmaan lbn ‘Affaan  also
arranged the surahs of the Qur-aan Shareef in their present order.
These seven standard copies were sent to seven main cities of the
Muslim world, so that they might be a point of reference
whenever needed. The script adopted in these seven copies is

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 Introduction to Tafseer

called Rasmu-Uthmaani (the script of ‘Uthmaan ) which, by

the consensus of the ‘Ummah, is held as the recognized script of
the Glorious Book, and it is not permissible to write the Arabic
text of the Qur-aan Shareef in any other script.

DIFFERENT QIRAAT
Although the Qur-aan Shareef is a Divine book of guidance for the
whole mankind, and its true benefit can be drawn by
understanding its message and following its directives, yet mere
recitation of its verses is an act of worship in its own way. So
much so, that Rasulullah  has declared that the
recitation of one letter from the Qur-aan Shareef carries the
reward of ten virtuous acts. That is why the recitation of its verses
has been mentioned by the Qur-aan Shareef, at a number of
places, as an independent function of Rasulullah ,
separate from its explanation and education (see 2:129, 2:151,
3:164 and 62:2). Since the Qur-aan Shareef has to be preserved in
its exact form for all times to come, its recitation and
memorization — even without understanding its meaning — has
been an important subject of learning in educational institutes
throughout Muslim history. As mentioned earlier, Rasulullah
 himself used to teach the Sahaabah  how to

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 Introduction to Tafseer

recite it. As the Arabic language in which the Qur-aan Shareef was
revealed had many dialects prevalent in different tribes of Arabia,
it was allowed to recite it in different dialects, so that every tribe
might feel at ease when reciting the Qur-aan Shareef. These
different ways of reading it are termed as Qiraat. The script
adopted by Sayyiduna Uthmaan bin Affaan  for the copies
prepared by him accommodates all these qiraat within the scope
of its way of writing. The scholars of the Ummah have not only
preserved the text of the Qur-aan Shareef and its meanings, but
also all the qiraat allowed by Rasulullah . A special
science of qiraat is developed for that purpose. The way of
pronunciation of each and every letter of the Qur-aan Shareef has
been standardized, and its rules are explained in the books of a
separate science, known as Tajweed, in such details that even a
non-Arab may understand how to pronounce correctly a
particular letter or word. Since the recitation of some verses of
the Qur-aan Shareef is one of the compulsory components of
every Salaah, it is incumbent upon every Muslim man and woman
to learn the basic rules of Tajweed, at least to the extent
necessary for correct pronunciation of the letters as well as the
words of the Qur-aan Shareef, so that they may recite the
required verses in Salaah according to their correct pronunciation.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

Even a slight mistake in pronouncing a particular word may

change the meaning of a verse altogether.

DIVISIONS IN THE QUR-AAN SHAREEF

Juz
The Glorious Qur-aan is divided today into thirty parts that are
almost equal in size, which are called Ajzaa (plural of Juz) in
Arabic and paras in Urdu and Persian. This division is not based on
subjects or meanings of the Qur-aan Shareef. That is why some
parts end with an unfinished statement. Some contemporary
scholars are of the view that Sayyiduna Uthmaan bin Affaan 
had prepared the copies of the Qur-aan Shareef in thirty equal
parts but I could not find any authentic report to that effect. It
seems that this division was made at a later stage to facilitate
gradual teaching of its text to the children.

Ruku
Another division found in many editions of the Qur-aan Shareef in
a number of Muslim countries, especially in the subcontinent of
India and Pakistan is that of “Ruku” translated in English as
‘sections’. These are marked on the margins of every passage

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 Introduction to Tafseer

with the Arabic letter ‫ع‬. The basic purpose of these signs — as is
clear from the term ‘ruku’ which means ‘to bow’ and which is one
of the obligatory acts in every Salaah — is to mark an average
portion of a Surah that may be recited in one rakaat of Salaah,
after which one can bow in ruku.
This division is based on the meanings of the text, identifying a
certain passage that can reasonably be separated from the
previous and subsequent passages. It has been the practice of the
Ummah to recite the entire Qur-aan in the nights of the month of
Ramadaan during the Taraaweeh Salaah that consists of twenty
rakaats every night. The total number of Rukus in the Qur-aan
Shareef is 540. If one ruku is recited in every rakaat of Taraweeh,
recitation of the entire Qur-aan may be completed on the 27th
night of Ramadan (Al-Fataawa Al Hindiyyah V:1 Pg. 94). It is not
known with certainty as to who has made this division of ruku’s
and in which period.
It should be noted that the text of the Qur-aan Shareef in its
original form does not have signs of ruku’s.

Manzil
Another division made at some later stage is that of Hizbs or
Manzils. This division was made to identify a certain portion of the
Qur-aan Shareef that should be preferably recited every day.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

Some elders of early days had divided the Qur-aan Shareef into
seven hizbs, so that recitation of the Qur-aan Shareef might be
completed once in a week. Others used to recite one part every
day to complete the recitation every month. In some countries
like Saudi Arabia, however, daily recitation was restricted to one
half of one part, completing the recitation in sixty days. Thus,
every one half of a part is marked in those editions as one Hizb.

RUMUZUL- AWQAAF
(STOP SIGNS)
Many editions of the Qur-aan Shareef, especially those published
in our subcontinent, have some signs in the form of Arabic letters
inserted at certain places in the text. These signs are called
Rumuz-ul-Awqaaf. The purpose of these signs is similar to that of
the punctuation signs in modern writings. These signs are
particularly helpful for those who recite the Qur-aan Shareef as an
act of worship, though without understanding the Arabic text.
These signs are to tell the reader where to stop in the sequence of
verses and where to continue reading without any pause. Here is
an explanation of these signs:

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 Introduction to Tafseer

‫ط‬ This sign indicates that a statement stands completed

here, and it is better to stop for a breath at this point.

‫ج‬ This sign means that a part of a statement is completed

at this point, and therefore one can stop here also.

This is an indication that the statement is not yet

‫ص‬ completed, but since the statement has become too
long, one can stop here for taking a breath instead of
any other place in the statement.

This sign warns the reader that there is a chance of a

grave error in the meaning if one does not stop here and
‫م‬ connects the marked word with the subsequent one. It
is therefore highly recommended that the reader should
stop at this point, and commence the coming sentence
with a fresh breath.

This sign denotes that it is recommended not to stop

here, and if someone stops at this point it is better to
‫ال‬ repeat the preceding word or sentence before
continuing further.

This sign is placed where the sentence may be

interpreted in two different ways. According to one
interpretation, one should stop at one place, while the
‫مع‬ other interpretation requires a pause at another place.
At both such places, a sign of three dots is available to
direct the reader that he may stop at either of the two
places, but not at both of them.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

This sign indicates that the reader should pause here a

‫سكته‬ little without breaking the breath, because reading
without pause may lead to a wrong impression about
the meaning of the sentence.

This sign is similar to ‫ سكته‬but the pause required here is

‫وقفه‬
a little longer, still without breaking the breath.

‫ق‬ This means that some scholars recommend to stop here,

while some others do not.

This signifies that there is no harm in pausing here, even

‫قف‬ though a layman may wrongly presume that a stop at
this point may change the meaning.

‫صل‬ This sign means that it is better to continue reading

without any pause on this point.

This is similar to the preceding sign ‫ صل‬according to

‫صل‬
some scholars only.

THE SCIENCE OF TAFSEER

Tafseer is an Arabic word which means “to open” or “to explain”.
Technically, the science of Tafseer is a branch of knowledge
meant to interpret and explain the verses of the Qur-aan Shareef.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

It has been the consistent practice of Allah Ta’ala that He never

sent a Divine book without a prophet, whose basic objective was
to explain the contents of the book and to teach the people how
they should mould their lives according to the guidance provided
by that Divine book. The Qur-aan Shareef itself makes it clear that
the major function entrusted to Rasulullah Muhammad 
was “to teach the Book” (see 2:129, 151, 3:164, 62:2) and “to
explain to the people what is revealed to them.” (See 16:44).
Accordingly, Rasulullah  has not only conveyed the
words of the Qur-aan Shareef accurately, but has also explained
to his noble Sahaabah  how to recite it and how to
understand its correct meanings.
It is on the basis of the explanations given by Rasulullah 
and his blessed Sahaabah , who learnt the Qur-aan Shareef
directly from the Prophet , that the Muslim scholars
have developed the science of Tafseer as a branch of knowledge,
which not only explains the meanings of the Glorious text, but
also lays down the principles of its interpretation, so that its true
essence is fully preserved and protected against all sorts of
distortions.
The science of Tafseer has its own fascinating history, which
cannot be described in this short introduction. Nevertheless, it

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 Introduction to Tafseer

will be pertinent here to summarize the basic sources on which

this science has placed its reliance while interpreting the Qur-aan
Shareef.

SOURCES OF TAFSEER
The Qur-aan Shareef itself
The first source of Tafseer is the Qur-aan Shareef itself, because
one verse of the Qur-aan Shareef is very often explained by
another verse. For example, there is a dua in the very first Surah
of the Qur-aan Shareef:
َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ْ َّ َ ٰ َ ۡ ٰ ّ ‫ا ِۡهدِنَا‬
‫ت عل ۡي ِه ۡم‬ ‫صط الِين انعم‬ ِ 4 ‫الص َط ال ُم ۡستق ِۡي َم‬
ِ
“Take us on to the straight path _the path of those on whom you
have bestowed Your grace” (1:5)
This verse refers to those who are blessed with Allah’s grace, but
it does not identify them in detail. However, there is another
verse that identifies different categories of these people in clear
terms. It says:
َّ ‫ َعلَيْه ۡم ّم َِن‬A‫ا‬
َ ْ ‫الب ّي‬ ُ ّٰ ‫ال ْي َن ا َ ْن َع َم‬َّ َ َ َ ٰٓ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ َ ّٰ
‫ي‬ ِِ ِ ِ ‫ والرسول فاولئ ِك مع‬A‫َو َم ۡن يُطِعِ ا‬
َ ْ ‫الصلِح‬
ۚ‫ي‬ ّٰ ‫الش َه َدآءِ َو‬ ُّ َ َ ْ ْ ّ ّ َ
‫الص ِدي ِقي و‬
ِ ِ ‫و‬

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“Those who obey Allah and the Messenger are with those whom
Allah has blessed, namely, the prophets, the Siddiqeen, the
Shuhadaa and the righteous” (4:69)

In this way, the latter verse has explained the former one. Since
there are numerous such examples in the Qur-aan Shareef, the
Mufassireen place their foremost reliance on this source of
Tafseer.

The Ahaadith
Hadith, an Arabic word, is defined as “the words spoken or the
acts done by Rasulullah ”. Since the major function
entrusted to Rasulullah  was to interpret and teach the
meanings of the Qur-aan Shareef, as explained earlier, it goes
without saying that his explanations are the most reliable source
of interpretation of the Qur-aan Shareef. These explanations were
at times given verbally, and at other times by his acts and
practices. It will be wrong to presume that all the explanations
given by the Prophet  were based only on his personal
opinion or understanding. In fact, the Divine revelation received
by him was of two kinds: one in the form of the text of the Qur-
aan Shareef, and the other in the form of non-textual revelations
that he at times received from an angel sent by Allah Ta’ala, and

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 Introduction to Tafseer

at other times through the ideas put into his blessed heart directly
from Allah Ta’ala. This is because, while revealing the Qur-aan
Shareef to him, Allah Ta’ala Himself gave him a promise in the
following verse:
َْ َ َ َّ ُ
‫ث َّم ا ِن عليْ َنا َب َيانه‬
“Then (after getting the Qur-aan Shareef recited to you) it is upon
Us to explain it.” (75:1 9)

It is evident from this verse that Allah Ta’ala Himself has explained
the Qur-aan Shareef to the Prophet  through some non-
textual revelations. It is, therefore, of utmost importance for
correct understanding of the Qur-aan Shareef to know how
Rasulullah  has expounded its rulings and how he put
them into practice. To quote a simple example: the Qur-aan
Shareef has ordered us “to establish Salaah and pay Zakaah”. But
it is nowhere mentioned in the Glorious Book how Salaah should
be established, what is the detailed manner in which it has to be
performed, what are the prescribed times of it performance,
which acts are prohibited during Salaah, and so on. Likewise, the
Qur-aan Shareef has not described the detailed rules of paying
Zakaah. All such details are given by none but Rasulullah
 through his words and acts.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

It is for this reason that Ahaadith have a vital role in correct

understanding of the Qur-aan Shareef. Any attempt to interpret it
against the explanations given by authentic Ahaadith cannot but
mislead the reader.
In order to check the authenticity of Ahaadith, the scholars have
developed unique sciences of Isnaad and Usool-ul-Ahaadith where
by the status of every narration can be checked by a systematic
criticism. It is imperative, therefore, for a reliable interpretation of
the Qur-aan Shareef that the interpreter is well- versed not only in
the relevant Ahaadith, but also in these sciences, so that he may
distinguish the authentic reports from non-authentic ones. Hence,
it is not correct to interpret the Qur-aan Shareef on the basis of a
report found somewhere without checking its authenticity and
without ensuring that no other stronger report goes against it.

The explanations of the Sahaabah 

The third source of Tafseer is the statements of the blessed
companions of Rasulullah . Since they received their
education directly from him and had the first-hand knowledge of
all the circumstances behind the revelation of a particular verse of
the Qur-aan Shareef, they are naturally the most authentic source
of knowledge of Tafseer after Rasulullah  himself. If

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 Introduction to Tafseer

there is a consensus of Sahaabah  on the interpretation of a

verse, the Mufassireen just follow that and discard any other
interpretation offered by someone else. However, if their
interpretations are conflicting, the Mufassireen prefer one of
them according to the principles laid down in the relevant
sciences of Usool–ut-Tafseer, Usool-ul-Fiqh and Usool-ul-Hadith.

The explanations of the Taabi’een

Taabi’een are the pupils of the Sahaabah . Since they learnt
the Qur-aan Shareef from the Sahaabah  of Rasulullah
, the importance of their explanatory statements can
never be ignored. Hence the Mufassireen have taken them as the
fourth source of Tafseer. Their explanations are sometimes based
on what they learnt from the Sahaabah  but at other times
they reflect their own opinion. Therefore, many Mufassireen do
not take their statements as strongly as those of the Sahaabah
. The fact, however, is that these statements are of great
value while determining the correct meaning of a verse of the
Qur-aan Shareef.

The Arabic Language

Since the Qur-aan Shareef was revealed in Arabic, a complete
command over this language is necessary for anyone who intends

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 Introduction to Tafseer

to interpret it. Particularly in the case of the verses in which an

explanation is not reported from the aforementioned sources, we
have no other means to interpret it except the language itself.
Moreover, where two different interpretations are reported, the
one more conforming to the Arabic grammar and usage is
normally preferred. Here again, one needs to have a thorough
knowledge of Arabic vocabulary and its grammar, which are
frequently used by the Mufassireen as an important source of
Tafseer.

Deliberation / Reflection
The Qur-aan Shareef invites people to deliberate over its verses
for acquiring guidance from it. The miraculous Qur-aanic style is
such that every person can benefit from it according to his or her
level of understanding. A layman can easily receive guidance in
general religious matters, while a competent scholar may deduce
the rulings of Shariah through a deeper study of its text coupled
with Ahaadith of Rasulullah  and other relevant material.
Besides, the more one gives deep consideration to the
expressions of the Glorious Text, the ‘wider’ is the scope of the
subtle points of wisdom embedded in it. Such discoveries of its
miraculous expressions can never end. But two points are
necessary here to note.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

Firstly, all the necessary articles of Islamic faith and all matters
relating to the rulings of Shariah are fully laid down by the Qur-
aan Shareef and Rasulullah  in a way that Islam has
emerged as a perfect religion. The Qur-aan Shareef itself says:
ُ َْ ْ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ ََْ
ْ‫كم‬ ‫الوم اكملت لكم دِين‬
Today, I have perfected your religion for you (5:3)
It is therefore impossible that a new idea is injected by such
deliberations in the basic articles of Islamic faith or the overall
structure of Islamic injunctions established by the sources of
Shariah and recognized by the Ummah throughout centuries.
Secondly, this exercise requires vast knowledge and correct
perception. Any incompetent exercise based merely on one’s
assumptions may be dangerous and misleading. It is this type of
exercise against which Rasulullah  has warned us in the

ْ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ْ َ
following words:

‫ار‬َّ ‫ال‬ َ
‫ِن‬‫م‬ ُ ‫ه‬ َ
‫د‬ َ
‫ع‬ ‫ق‬ ‫م‬ ‫أ‬‫و‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ت‬‫ي‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ف‬ ‫م‬ ‫ِل‬
‫ع‬ ‫ي‬ ‫غ‬‫ب‬ ‫آن‬‫ر‬ْ ‫ف الْ ُق‬
ْ َ َ ْ َ
ِ ٍ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫من ق‬
‫ال‬
Whoever interprets the Qur-aan Shareef without proper knowledge
should seek his abode in the Fire (of Hell)

One of the criteria that may distinguish between right and wrong
conclusions drawn by independent deliberations is that if the

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 Introduction to Tafseer

conclusion drawn is against other clear statements of the Qur-aan

Shareef or the explanations given by the Prophet 
through his words or acts, or against the consensus of the
scholars of the Ummah, who have devoted their lives to
understand the Glorious Qur-aan and the Sunnah in their true
perspective, it is certainly wrong. However, new points of
guidance that are not against the aforementioned principles may
well be inferred by competent study of the Glorious Text.

FEW WORDS ABOUT ISRAEELI

RIWAAYAAT
The narratives that reached us by Jewish or Christian sources are
called Israa-eeliyaat in Arabic and ‘Israelite Traditions’ in English.
Many narratives of the past prophets  and communities
are common between the Qur-aan Shareef and the Biblical or
Talmudic resources. But very often the narratives given by the
Qur-aan Shareef are more brief and concise than the stories given
by Israelite Traditions. When many Jews and Christians, who were
well aware of these traditions, embraced Islam in the days of
Rasulullah  or after his demise, they narrated Israelite
traditions before Muslims, which gave details of the brief stories

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 Introduction to Tafseer

narrated by the Qur-aan Shareef. Thus the Israelite traditions

found their way into the books of Tafseer. The true status of such
narrations is that neither all of them are correct, nor are all of
them false. Hafiz lbn Kathir, the well-known Mufassir, has
categorized them into three different kinds:
• There are traditions the truth of which is confirmed either
by the Qur-aan Shareef or by authentic Ahaadith.
Obviously, those are to be believed as true.
• Contrarily, there are some Israelite traditions the truth of
which is denied by the Qur-aan Shareef or Sunnah of
Rasulullah  or they are clearly against the basic
principles voiced by them. For instance, it is mentioned in
the Bible that Sayyiduna Sulaymaan  (Solomon) had
taken to idolatry in his later years. This description is
expressly denied by the Qur-aan Shareef in Surah Al-
Baqarah (2:102). Similarly, it is mentioned in the bible that
Rasulullah Nooh  (Noah) committed adultery with
his own daughter. This is totally against the well-
established principle in Islam that the prophets of Allah are
protected against all sorts of sinful acts, let alone
committing adultery with one’s own daughter. Such
Israelite traditions have to be rejected and believed as
false.

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 Introduction to Tafseer

• The third are those traditions about which Islamic

resources are silent. Regarding such traditions, Rasulullah
 has directed us to remain silent too. We are
neither supposed to reject them nor to hold them as true.
Since we have no authentic source to verify their truth, it is
better to avoid such narratives.

AN IMPORTANT WORD OF CAUTION

Before ending with this introduction, it is necessary to note an
important point about Tafseer. The Qur-aan Shareef was revealed
for two basic objectives: 1st , it reminds mankind of the realities
that must form part of one’s belief, like the Oneness of Allah
Ta’ala, the Messenger-ship of Nabi Muhammad  and the
Life after Death. In order to embed these realities in our hearts,
the Qur-aan Shareef invites our attention to the signs of Allah’s
supremacy spread all over the universe; it gives us general advices
about our behaviour in regard to these realities. It narrates to us
the history of previous communities who obeyed or disobeyed
the Divine commands and advices, and gives an account of how
they were rewarded or punished. It reminds us of the temporary
nature of this world and the eternity of the Life Hereafter. It
depicts to us the scenes of Jannah and Jahannam, so that we may

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 Introduction to Tafseer

be aware of the fate we have to face in that life according to our

good or bad acts in this world; and above all, it creates a sense of
responsibility in the minds of those who read it in search of
guidance. Reading the Qur-aan Shareef for this purpose is open to
every person, regardless of his academic qualification. The only
requisite for such a study is to have an honest and unbiased quest
for guidance. Therefore, this objective may be achieved by simple
reading of the text in Arabic, if one knows the Arabic language, or
its translation if he does not know Arabic. It is about this objective
that the Qur-aan Shareef declares itself to be easy for seeking
advice:
ْ َ ْ ّ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ
‫سنا الق ْرآن ل ِلِك ِر ف َهل م ِْن ُّم َّدك ٍِر‬ ‫ول ق د ي‬
Surely, We have made this Qur-aan easy for seeking advice. So, is
there anyone who seeks advice? (54:17)
The 2nd objective of the Qur-aan Shareef is to explain the laws that
govern the individual and collective life of the Muslims, and to lay
down the principles under which detailed rules and sub-rules of
those laws may be inferred and deduced. These laws relate not
only to the ways of worship, but also to the social, economic and
political affairs of the Ummah (Muslim community); rather they
extend to the international relations as well. It is this field of
Tafseer that requires a real competent knowledge of all relevant

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 Introduction to Tafseer

sciences that have been referred to above while discussing the

sources of Tafseer.
Unfortunately, a superficial trend is being developed today by
some people that the Qur-aan Shareef being an easy book of
guidance, every layman can interpret the delicate articles of faith
and the complex laws mentioned or indicated by it. The idea is
stretched to the extent that even the knowledge of Arabic
language is not held necessary for such an interpretation. It is
deemed sufficient to study the Glorious Book with the help of a
translation, and to form an independent opinion about the laws
of Shariah. Such people often argue that the Qur-aan Shareef
itself declares that it is easy for every reader, and therefore no
specialized knowledge is required for understanding any of its
verses.
This is an irrational and dangerous attitude towards the Qur-aan
Shareef, which is based on confusing its different subjects and
objectives. The Qur-aan Shareef is, no doubt, easy for every
reader in so far as its first objective is concerned. The very verse
that declares the easy nature of the Qur-aan Shareef makes this
point very clear when it says:
ْ َ ْ ّ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ
‫سنا الق ْرآن ل ِلِك ِر ف َهل م ِْن ُّم َّدك ٍِر‬ ‫ول ق د ي‬

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 Introduction to Tafseer

Surely, We have made this Qur-aan easy for seeking advice. So, is
there anyone who seeks advice? (54:17)
As for ‘seeking advice’ in matters of general guidance, as
mentioned in the first objective of the Qur-aan Shareef, it is
undoubtedly easy, and this is the meaning of this verse. But it
does not mean that the complex issues of the Qur-aanic Laws and
beliefs are also open for every person without adequate
knowledge of the sources of Tafseer mentioned above. Had it
been so, Rasulullah  would not have been entrusted
with the task of ‘teaching of the Book’, because none of his
Sahaabah  needed a teacher to understand the meaning of
the Arabic words used in the Qur-aan Shareef. All of them were
well-equipped with the knowledge of the Arabic language and
usage. Still, they spent years in learning the Glorious Book from
Rasulullah . It is thus evident that even the knowledge
of Arabic language is not sufficient for having proper access to
the second objective of the Qur-aan Shareef, for, it requires a
thorough knowledge of how the Prophet  had
interpreted a particular verse, how he had acted upon it and
which of the Ahaadith reporting his words and acts are authentic
upon which one can place his reliance in these matters. That is
why the Sahaabah  of Rasulullah  and their
followers devoted their entire lives for learning this aspect of the

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 Introduction to Tafseer

Glorious Book and developed the science of Tafseer as explained

above. Unless one has equipped himself with this science by
learning it from competent Mufassireen, he is not eligible to form
or express an opinion in the matters pertaining to the second
objective of the Qur-aan Shareef.
Every branch of knowledge in this world requires specialized
knowledge that cannot be acquired by self-study alone. If a
person claims to be a doctor after self-study of the medical
science without learning it from a competent professor, no one
can accept his claim, nor can he be allowed to play with the lives
of the patients on the basis of his self-study. If such disorder is not
acceptable in any branch of knowledge, how can it be tolerated
for the science of Tafseer, on which depends the eternal life of
the Hereafter? It is pertinent to quote once again the Hadith in

ْ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ْ َ
this regard:
َّ َ ُ َ َ ْ ُْ ْ َ َ ْ َ
ِ‫ي عِل ٍم فليتبوأ مقعده مِن الار‬ ِ ‫آن بِغ‬
ِ ‫من قال ِف القر‬
Whoever interprets the Qur-aan Shareef without proper knowledge
should seek his abode in the Fire (of Jahannam)

Author

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