Being fully aware of the various viewpoints and opinions of Muslim commentators on the Qur`an who have spent their entire lives engrossed in the Qur`an, and who can rightfully be called the ‘teachers of the science of the Qur`an’ is another foundatio...

Being fully aware of the various viewpoints and op...

Paying attention to the context of the verses, that is which comes before and after a particular verse (which we wish to comment upon) is in some ways, a branch of the sixth prerequisite of tafsir – consideration of the harmony that exists in a...

Paying attention to the context of the verses, tha...

A Consideration of the Harmony between all the Verses of the Qur`an1 What has been mentioned so far makes up the primary foundation of Qur`anic exegesis. However, one of the important conditions for the correctness of tafsir and its strength is that...

A Consideration of the Harmony between all the Ver...

Some of the verses of the Qur`an pertain to Islamic law and jurisprudence. They talk about the acts and deeds of those obligated to observe the Islamic laws and explain their rulings. The number of such verses in the Qur`an are not few and some scho...

Some of the verses of the Qur`an pertain to Islami...

The Noble Qur`an was revealed over the span of twenty-three years, following a chain of questions and answers [from the people] or with various events and incidents taking place. Having knowledge of the history of revelation of the verses offers us ...

The Noble Qur`an was revealed over the span of twe...

With complete clarity, the Qur`an introduces itself as the explainer of all things, when it states: وَ نَزَّلْــنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِـبْـيَاناً لِّكُلِِّ شَيْءٍ “And We have sent down The Book (Qur`an) upon you (Muhammad) as a clarifier of all...

With complete clarity, the Qur`an introduces itsel...

Knowledge of the meaning of the individual words of the Qur`an is one of the fundamental prerequisites for the commentary of the Qur`an, since understanding compounded word is only possible after comprehending its original components. At this point,...

Knowledge of the meaning of the individual words o...

The first prerequisite in the exegesis of the Qur`an is that the commentator must have a complete knowledge of the rules of Arabic grammar so that under the shadow of this comprehensive knowledge, he is able to clearly differentiate the ‘the subject ...

The first prerequisite in the exegesis of the Qur`...

The Twentieth Century of the common era, corresponding to the fourteenth century of the Islamic calendar, started off with an awakening of the Eastern world, especially the Muslims. In this century, the magical spell of colonialism was, to an extent,...

The Twentieth Century of the common era, correspon...

If these reports on the collection of the Qur'an were accepted as true, then an argument suggesting some possible omissions becomes plausible, and together with it, one has to concede that some additions also ‑nay have occurred. The way the process o...

If these reports on the collection of the Qur'an w...

These reports contradict the unanimous belief of all the Muslims that the only way of establishing the authenticity of the Qur'an is tawattur, which means `a continuous and wide spread acknowledgement'. If we believe these reports, then it would foll...

These reports contradict the unanimous belief of a...

The greatness of the Qur'an itself, and the painstaking effort by the Prophet (‘s) to arrange for its memorization and reading, and the inclination of the Muslims to do the same with reverence and expectation of being rewarded by Allah, all point to ...

The greatness of the Qur'an itself, and the painst...

These reports contradict the Qur'an itself. Numerous verses of the Qur'an prove that complete Surahs existed, each dis­tinguished from the other. They were in the hands of the people, even those who were idolaters or the people of the Books. The ...

These reports contradict the Qur'an itself. Numero...

These traditions are in conflict with all those tradition which stress that the Qur'an was recorded and compiled during the time of the Prophet (‘s) himself. It has been reported by a group which include: Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ahmed b. Hanbal, Tirmidhi, N...

These traditions are in conflict with all those tr...

Report n. 14 14. And Abu Qalabah said: "In the days of Uthman's caliphate, a tutor would teach recitation according to a particular person, while another would teach recitation according to another person; so when the boys (students) met, they disa...

Report n. 14 14. And Abu Qalabah said: "In the d...

Report n. 6 6. Muhammad b. Sheen says: "Umar got killed, without having compiled the Qur'an". Report n. 7 7. Al‑Hasan says: "Once Umar b. al‑Khattab inquired about a verse in the Qur'an. Someone said: "It was with so and so, but he was...

Report n. 6 6. Muhammad b. Sheen says: "Umar...

Report n. 1 1. Zaid b. Thabit says: "Abu Bakr sent for me after the battle of Yamamah, and I found Umar also present. Abu Bakr said: `Umar has come to tell me that the day of Yamamah has been hard for the reciters of the Qur'an, and he fears that o...

Report n. 1 1. Zaid b. Thabit says: "Abu Bakr se...

The question how the Qur'an was collected into a book form is among those topics which has led some to believe in interpol­ation or tampering having occurred in the Qur'an. The process, as generally described, makes such changes appear inevitable...

The question how the Qur'an was collected into a b...

It is abundantly clear from the last report quoted above that the word Tahrif (displacing the words of Allah from their rightful places) denotes the variations brought about by the qaris who most of the time based their mode of recitations on their o...

It is abundantly clear from the last report quoted...

It is imperative to investigate the correct interpretations of these reports and to clarify that they have different applications. The reports are of various types, and we must explain and comment on each type specifically. The first type: These are...

It is imperative to investigate the correct interp...

There are certain doubts which seem to lend some strength to those who believe in Tahrif. We must study them, and allay them one by one. First Doubt It is a fact that interpolation and omissions have occurred in Torah and Injil. According to the co...

There are certain doubts which seem to lend some s...