Introduction to Tafseer

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Introduction to Tafseer

• Ismael Mukhtar
• University of Manitoba
• March 14, 2008

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• What is tafseer? ????????
• Literal meaning to explain, clarify and unveil.
• In relation to Quran it refers to the science of
  interpreting, understanding and unveiling the
  apparent and non apparent meaning of the Quran.
• Why do we need tafseer?
• To properly understand Quranic concepts and
  accurately extract rules.

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• What is the difference between translation and
  tafseer?
• Translation focuses on capturing the Arabic
  meaning of the verses and translate it to other
  languages as closely as possible.
• Taseer goes beyond that to provide the context of
  the verse, its implications and its other subtle
  messages.

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• Sources of Tafseer ????????? ???????????
• Quran ?????? ??????
• Sunnah ???????
• Sahaba ????????? ???????????
• Qualifications of a mufasir ???????????
  ??????????
• Thorough knowledge of the above sources.
• The sciences of the Quran
• Thorough knowledge of classical Arabic

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• Types of Tafseer ????? ???????
• At-Tafseer bil-mathoor (?????????? ????????????)
  narration based tafseer.
• At-Tafseer bil Raye (????????? ????????????)
  opinion based tafseer.
• Acceptable
• Not acceptable.

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• Famous classical books of tafseer
• Taseer Al-Tabari ????? ??????
• Tafseer Ibn Kathir. ????? ??? ????
• Tafseer Ar-Razi (Mafateeh Al-Ghaib) ????? ??????
• Taseer An-Nasafi. ????? ??????
• Focused tafseer style of Mufasir
• Al-Qurtubi ????????

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• Famous names in Tafseer among Tabeen
• Meccan school Ibn Jubair, Mujahid, Ikrimah,
  Tawoos.
• Iraqi school Alqama, Masrooq, Qattada,
  As-Sha'bi.
• Pitfalls of Tafseer
• Israiliat
• Questionable narrations.

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Example of tafseer Ibn Katheer

• There is no Doubt in the Qur'an
• ???? ?????? ????? ?
• The Book, is the Qur'an, and Rayb means doubt.
  As-Suddi said that Abu Malik and Abu Salih
  narrated from Ibn Abbas, and Murrah Al-Hamadani
  narrated from Ibn Masud and several other
  Companions of the Messenger of Allah that, (In
  which there is no Rayb), means about which there
  is no doubt. Abu Ad-Darda', Ibn Abbas, Mujahid,
  Said bin Jubayr, Abu Malik, Nafi Ata', Abu
  Al-Aliyah, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, Muqatil bin
  Hayyan, As-Suddi, Qatadah and Ismail bin Abi
  Khalid said similarly. In addition, Ibn Abi Hatim
  said, "I do not know of any disagreement over
  this explanation.'' The meaning of this is that
  the Book, the Qur'an, is without a doubt revealed
  from Allah. Similarly, Allah said in Surat As-
  Sajdah,

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Quranic Terminology

• Aya?????? ?????? 6,236 longest verse 282,
  Surah 2.
• Surah ??? ??????? 114 longest Al-Baqara.
• Juza ??? ??????? 30
• Madani??? ????? ??????? 20
• Maki ??? ????? ?????? 82
• 12 differences.

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Surah Al-Hujjurat.??????? ??????????

• Name taken from verse 4 in which the word hujurat
  (compartment) has occurred.
• No. of verses 18.
• All revealed in Madina.