Tafsīr Class 1 - An Introduction to Tafsīr
Prelude: The Qur’an — Pillar of Īmān
Allah calls us to reflect on His signs:
● From the food we eat
َ فَ ْليَنظُ ِر اِإْل ن
سانُ ِإلَ ٰى طَ َعا ِم ِه
“Then let mankind look at his food.”
(Qur’an, Abasa 80:24)
● To our creation from a drop of fluid
َألَ ْم يَ ُك نُ ْطفَةً ِّمن َّمنِ ٍّي يُ ْمنَ ٰى
“Had he not been a sperm-drop from semen emitted?”
(Qur’an, Al-Qiyāmah 75:37)
● To our existence as male and female
الذ َك َر َواُأْلنثَ ٰى
َّ قَ ََو َما َخل
“And [by] He who created the male and female.”
(Qur’an, Al-Lail 92:3)
A fundamental question:
Does it not matter to you if you do not know your Creator?
ِ س ُك ْم َأفَاَل تُ ْب
َصرُون ِ ُ َوفِي َأنف
“And in yourselves—will you not then see?”
(Qur’an, Adh-Dhāriyāt 51:21)
How to Benefit from the Qur’an
1. Recitation and understanding
○ Merely reciting is not enough.
○ You are reading the words of the Creator.
How can we merely chant them without understanding, when us humans yearn
for understanding
ٍ َأفَاَل يَتَ َدبَّرُونَ ا ْلقُ ْرآنَ َأ ْم َعلَ ٰى قُلُو
ب َأ ْقفَالُ َها
“Do they not then reflect on the Qur’an, or are there locks upon their hearts?”
(Qur’an, Muhammad 47:24)
2. Acting upon its teachings
○ Every act of obedience is gratitude for Allah’s favour.
○ Protection from evil comes through following the ways of our Prophet ﷺ.
○ Our true spiritual parents are the Prophets:
■ They cared for every aspect of our well-being.
■ Their trials surpass anything we endure.
فَاتَّبِ ُعونِي يُ ْحبِ ْب ُك ُم هَّللا ُ َويَ ْغفِ ْر لَ ُك ْم ُذنُوبَ ُك ْم
“So follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive your sins.”
(Qur’an, Āl-‘Imrān 3:31)
3. Contemplation (Tadabbur)
○ The Qur’an:
■ Contains examples for reflection.
■ Helps us know where to strive and compete in good deeds.
■ Draws our understanding of the characteristics of good and bad
people.
ِ َاب َأن َز ْلنَاهُ ِإلَ ْي َك ُمبَا َر ٌك لِّيَ َّدبَّ ُروا آيَاتِ ِه َولِيَتَ َذ َّك َر ُأولُو اَأْل ْلبَا
ب ٌ ِكت
“[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, that they might reflect
upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.”
(Qur’an, Ṣād 38:29)
What is the Qur’an?
● The greatest miracle of the Prophet ﷺ.
● Unlike past miracles, it is:
○ Eternal — remains until the Day of Judgement.
○ Accessible and preserved.
● It provides:
○ Rulings and guidance for every time and place.
○ Arguments against falsehood and answers to doubts.
ِّ ِإنَّا نَ ْحنُ نَ َّز ْلنَا
َالذ ْك َر وَِإنَّا لَهُ لَ َحافِظُون
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder [the Qur’an], and indeed, We will
be its guardian.”
(Qur’an, Al-Ḥijr 15:9)
Virtues of the Qur’an
1. Al-Furqān (The Criterion): distinguishes truth from falsehood.
تَبَا َر َك الَّ ِذي نَ َّز َل ا ْلفُ ْرقَانَ َعلَ ٰى َع ْب ِد ِه لِيَ ُكونَ لِل َعال ِمينَ نَ ِذي ًرا
َ ْ
“Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the
worlds a warner.”
(Qur’an, Al-Furqān 25:1)
2. A guide for all humanity — though true benefit is for believers.
ٌ َ ِ ٰ َه َذا بَيَانٌ لِّلنَّا
َس َو ُهدًى َو َم ْو ِعظة لِّ ْل ُمتَّقِين
“This is a clear statement to [all] the people and a guidance and instruction for those
conscious of Allah.”
(Qur’an, Āl-‘Imrān 3:138)
3. A cure (Shifā’): healing for physical and spiritual ailments, especially for the hearts.
َشفَا ٌء َو َر ْح َمةٌ لِّ ْل ُمْؤ ِمنِين ِ َونُنَ ِّز ُل ِمنَ ا ْلقُ ْر
ِ آن َما ُه َو
“And We send down from the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy for the
believers.”
(Qur’an, Al-Isrā’ 17:82)
4. Full of certainty:
ٰ
َب فِي ِه ُهدًى لِّ ْل ُمتَّقِين ُ َذلِ َك ا ْل ِكت
َ َاب اَل َر ْي
“This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of
Allah.”
(Qur’an, Al-Baqarah 2:2)
5. Full of blessings and goodness:
○ Brings light, guidance, and success.
○ Immense reward in studying and acting upon it.
ِإنَّ ٰ َه َذا ا ْلقُ ْرآنَ يَ ْه ِدي لِلَّتِي ِه َي َأ ْق َو ُم
“Indeed, this Qur’an guides to that which is most upright.”
(Qur’an, Al-Isrā’ 17:9)
Why Study Tafsīr?
● To get as close as possible to the Qur’an’s true meanings.
● Tafsīr al-Sa‘dī: (The book we are using)
○ Comprehensive yet concise.
○ Explains the Qur’an through:
■ The Qur’an itself
■ The Sunnah
■ Stories of past nations
● The Qur’an is like a mirror:
○ Verses complement and explain one another.
Human Nature & the Qur’an
● Human beings need:
○ Motivation and role models — hence the Qur’an’s stories and examples.
○ Knowledge of Allah’s Names and Attributes:
■ To know your Creator.
■ To keep ego and hypocrisy in check.
ِ َو ِعبَا ُد ال َّر ْح ٰ َم ِن الَّ ِذينَ يَ ْمشُونَ َعلَى اَأْل ْر
ض ه َْونًا
“And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth
easily…”
(Qur’an, Al-Furqān 25:63)
● Encourages us to practice what we preach:
○ Maintains humility.
○ Makes you an example for others, in good or bad.
The Seven Sciences of the Qur’an
(Proper classical labels and brief explanations)
1. ‘Ulūm al-Lughah (Arabic Language Sciences)
○ Grammar, morphology, vocabulary.
2. ‘Ilm al-Tafsīr (Exegesis)
○ Explanation through Qur’an, Sunnah, Sahabah’s sayings, linguistic context.
3. ‘Ilm al-‘Aqīdah (Theology & Beliefs)
○ Tawḥīd, attributes of Allah, the unseen.
4. Asbāb al-Nuzūl (Reasons for Revelation)
○ Knowing the context behind verses.
5. ‘Ilm al-Aḥkām (Legal Rulings)
○ Extracting jurisprudential rulings.
6. Nasikh wa Mansūkh (Abrogation)
○ Verses that abrogate or replace earlier rulings.
7. Qirā’āt (Modes of Recitation)
○ Knowledge of authentic recitation styles.
Themes of the Qur’an
1. People of Salvation and Doom
The Qur’an frequently describes the attributes and characteristics of:
● The people of salvation (the righteous):
○ Those destined for Paradise.
○ Descriptions of their virtues, patience, devotion, humility.
○ Their reward and praise in the Hereafter.
● The people of doom (the wicked):
○ Those destined for punishment.
○ Their traits, disbelief, hypocrisy, arrogance.
○ Their punishment and harm in the Hereafter.
Why this matters:
● To help us reflect on the consequences of our actions.
● We choose good deeds because we see how beautiful the reward is, even if the path
is difficult.
● Likewise, we avoid sin because we fear punishment.
Hence Allah encourages:
ٰ
ِ َ َوفِي َذلِ َك فَ ْليَتَنَاف
َس ا ْل ُمتَنَافِسُون
“And for this let the competitors compete.”
(Qur’an, Al-Mutaffifīn 83:26)
And we remind each other after acts of worship:
تَقَبَّ َل هَّللا ُ ِمنَّا َو ِمن ُك ْم
“May Allah accept [good deeds] from us and from you.”
Because it’s not merely about how much we do—but about how much is accepted by Allah.
2. Exemplary Stories and Human Nature
The Qur’an provides stories of prophets and righteous people as:
● Role models:
○ Humans naturally incline toward examples.
○ Stories inspire us to strive for righteousness.
● Warnings:
○ Lessons from those who deviated.
Key ideas:
● The actions we do make us an i‘tibār—an example and lesson—for others, whether
for good or evil.
● The Qur’an demands we practice what we preach:
َ ُس ْونَ َأنف
س ُك ْم َ ََّأتَْأ ُمرُونَ الن
َ اس بِا ْلبِ ِّر َوتَن
“Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves?”
(Qur’an, Al-Baqarah 2:44)
ِ ص ِه ْم ِع ْب َرةٌ ُأِّلولِي اَأْل ْلبَا
ب َ َلَقَ ْد َكانَ فِي ق
ِ ص
“There was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding.”
(Qur’an, Yusuf 12:111)
3. Rulings and Boundaries
● Commandments on lawful and unlawful matters.
● Examples: wealth management, marriage, inheritance, transactions.
● Rulings come with divine wisdom.
سبِياًل َ شةً َو
َ سا َء ِ َالزنَ ٰى ِإنَّهُ َكانَ ف
َ اح ِّ َواَل تَ ْق َربُوا
“And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an
immorality and is evil as a way.”
(Qur’an, Al-Isrā’ 17:32)
4. Attributes of Allah
● Knowing Allah’s names and attributes is the most important knowledge.
● Leads to love, awe, humility, and sincere worship.
ْ هَّللا ُ اَل ِإ ٰلَهَ ِإاَّل ُه َو لَهُ اَأْل
ْ س َما ُء ا ْل ُح
سنَ ٰى
“Allah – there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the best names.”
(Qur’an, Tā-Hā 20:8)
5. Conditions and Signs of the Ākhirah (Hereafter)
● Details of the Day of Judgment.
● Paradise and Hell.
● Encouragement to strive for the Hereafter.
6. Arguments Against Falsehood and Responses to Doubts
● Refutations of false beliefs.
● Logical proofs for Islam’s truth.
َوتِ ْل َك ُح َّجتُنَا آتَ ْينَاهَا ِإ ْب َرا ِهي َم َعلَ ٰى قَ ْو ِم ِه
“And that was Our [conclusive] argument which We gave Abraham against his
people.”
(Qur’an, Al-An‘ām 6:83)
Key Takeaways
● The Qur’an guides to knowledge, action, and reflection.
● Understanding it requires:
○ Correct knowledge
○ Sincere intention
○ Lifelong effort
ُ َوالَّ ِذينَ َجا َهدُوا فِينَا لَنَ ْه ِديَنَّ ُه ْم
سبُلَنَا
“And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways.”
(Qur’an, Al-‘Ankabūt 29:69)
Final Reflection
“Nothing is random. Every word in the Qur’an is placed with divine wisdom. To
read without seeking understanding is to hold a treasure but never unlock it.”
