al-Manar fi Ulum al-Quran ma Madkhal fi Usul al-Tafsir wa Masadirihi
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- Editions
- Mu'assasat al-Risalah
al-Manar fi Ulum al-Quran ma Madkhal fi Usul al-Tafsir wa Masadirihi (The Lighthouse in the Sciences of the Quran with an Introduction to the Principles and Sources of Exegesis) is a contemporary treatise on Quranic sciences and exegetical methodology by Muhammad Ali al-Hasan.
Publication and Purpose
The work was authored while Muhammad Ali al-Hasan was affiliated with the United Arab Emirates University and includes a foreword by Muhammad Ajjaj al-Khatib, who served as the chair of the university's Islamic Studies department and dean of the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies in Sharjah. It was published in Beirut by Mu'assasat al-Risalah, with its first edition appearing in 1421 AH (2000–2001 CE), followed by a second edition. Designed primarily to meet the academic and curricular needs of university students, the book seeks to combine classical scholarship with modern pedagogical presentation, emphasizing direct source attribution, clear explanations, and scholarly weighing of differing views (tarjih).
Content and Structure
The book begins with an introductory overview tracing the historical development of Quranic sciences (ulum al-Quran) and exegesis (tafsir) from early oral transmission to written compilation, reviewing classical authorities such as Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, Waki ibn al-Jarrah, al-Tabari, al-Zarkashi, and al-Suyuti, as well as modern textbooks in the field.
The body of the work covers core subjects within the discipline, structured into chapters that treat specific themes:
- Foundations of the Quranic text: Chapter one examines the linguistic and theological definitions of the Quran, its names, the Arabic language of the revelation, the inimitability of the text (i'jaz), the translation of the Quran, and Quranic storytelling (al-qissah fi al-Quran).
- Principles and sources of exegesis: Chapter six, dedicated to usul al-tafsir, addresses the definitions and distinctions between tafsir (exegesis) and ta'wil (interpretation), outlines the historical stages of exegesis, details the authoritative sources of interpretation, specifies the prerequisite qualifications for an exegete (shurut al-mufassir), and analyzes the various categories and genres of tafsir.
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