Salah al-Khalidi
- Died
- 1443 AH
- Born in
- -
Salah al-Khalidi (d. 1443 AH / 2022 CE) was a Palestinian-Jordanian scholar of Quranic exegesis (tafsir) and Islamic studies, known for his academic and pedagogical works on Quranic sciences and exegetical methodologies.
Early Life and Education
His full name was Salah ibn Abd al-Fattah ibn Muhammad al-Khalidi, belonging to the al-Khalidi family of Palestine, who trace their lineage to Muhammad ibn Khalid ibn al-Walid al-Makhzumi. He was born in the town of Jenin on 1 December 1947 CE, where he completed his primary, preparatory, and secondary education.
Al-Khalidi pursued higher education at al-Azhar University in Egypt, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Sharia in 1970 CE. He subsequently earned his master's degree and doctorate in Quranic exegesis from the College of Usul al-Din at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh in 1405 AH (1984 CE).
Career
Al-Khalidi held several administrative, educational, and preaching posts under the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf. He was assigned to preaching and religious guidance in Tafilah and subsequently served as an inspector of Islamic guidance in al-Salt. He later taught at the Ministry's College of Islamic Sciences—an institution dedicated to training imams, preachers, and lecturers—and was appointed dean of the college in late 1991 CE.
Following his retirement from ministry administration, al-Khalidi served as an assistant professor at the College of Dawah and Usul al-Din in Jordan. He also taught as an adjunct lecturer at the College of Sharia at the University of Jordan, Yarmouk University, and the Higher Teacher Training College. In addition to his university duties, he served as the imam and preacher at the Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf Mosque in Suwaylih, delivered public lectures, and published articles in periodicals such as al-Ummah, al-Mujtama', and Filastin al-Muslimah.
Scholarly Contribution
In the field of Quranic sciences, al-Khalidi authored Ta'rif al-Darisin bi-Manahij al-Mufassirin (Introducing Students to the Methodologies of Exegetes), wherein he delineated the conceptual distinction between an exegete's foundational methodology (manhaj) and rhetorical presentation (tariqah). He also addressed common contemporary misunderstandings of scriptural text in his study Taswibat fi Fahm Ba'd al-Ayat (Corrections in Understanding Certain Verses).
Death
Al-Khalidi died in 1443 AH (2022 CE).
Answer updated
List of Works
Taswibat fi Fahm Bad al-Ayat (Corrections in Understanding Certain Verses) is a single-volume work on Quranic exegesis and hermeneutics dedicated to identifying and correcting common contemporary misinterpretations of selected Quranic verses. Published in 1407 AH / 1987 CE as the fourth title in the series Min Kunuz al-Quran, it addresses widespread misunderstandings derived from personal predispositions or lack of exegetical grounding, establishing principles for sound interpretation through Quranic context, prophetic traditions, and classical commentary.
Mafatih lil-Ta'amul ma' al-Qur'an (Keys for Interacting with the Quran) is a methodological guide on Quranic contemplation and exegesis, published in 1986 CE as the foundational volume of the Min Kunuz al-Qur'an series. The book provides practical guidelines and principles to facilitate direct engagement with the Quran, unlock its deeper meanings, and apply its guidance to contemporary individual and societal issues through holistic reflection and traditional grounding.
al-Quran wa Naqd Mataain al-Ruhban (The Quran and the Refutation of the Monks' Criticisms) is an apologetic work written to defend the Quran against contemporary Christian polemics and demonstrate its freedom from error. Serving as the twelfth installment in the Min Kunuz al-Quran series and first published in 1428 AH / 2007 CE, the single-volume work provides a direct, detailed refutation of 243 objections and alleged errors across ten thematic categories, drawing on classical and modern exegetical literature.
al-Tafsir wa al-Tawil fi al-Quran (Exegesis and Interpretation in the Quran) is a thematic Quranic study dedicated to analyzing the concepts of tafsir (exegesis) and tawil (interpretation) across linguistic, Quranic, and Hadith usages. Written as the inaugural volume of a planned thematic exegesis series on Quranic terminology, the work examines classical and modern distinctions between the two terms, their occurrences across various chapters of the Quran, and their historical and theological applications.