al-Tafsir al-Bayani lima fi Surat al-Nahl min Daqaiq al-Maani
- Author died
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- Editions
- Dar Al-Waddah
Al-Tafsir al-Bayani lima fi Surat al-Nahl min Daqaiq al-Maani (The Rhetorical Exegesis of the Subtleties of Meaning in Surat al-Nahl) is a contemporary Quranic commentary on Surat al-Nahl written by Sami al-Qudumi (Sami Wadi Abd al-Fattah al-Qudumi). It forms the first publication in his exegesis series, Silsilat al-Rayhan fi Tafsir al-Quran (The Rayhan Series on Quranic Exegesis).
Background and Purpose
The author undertook the work after receiving requests to compose an accessible, instructional exegesis. He observed that classical comprehensive commentaries were largely accessible only to specialized scholars and advanced students, whereas simplified contemporary works were often restricted to overarching meanings without satisfying those seeking deeper insights into the text. After a dream in which he was encouraged to write on exegesis, he proceeded with the composition once his methodology became clear.
Structure and Methodology
The book is structured around an instructional three-tiered format for each verse:
- Vocabulary (al-mufradat): explaining the meanings of individual words.
- Overall meaning (al-ma‘na al-ijmali): providing a clear, holistic overview of the verse without delving into specialized linguistic or legal discussions.
- Detailed meaning (al-ma‘na al-tafsili): outlining deduced benefits and detailed points covering rhetorical (bayani), jurisprudential, creedal, and linguistic aspects.
To ensure accessibility, the author tested drafts by presenting passages to educated readers who were not specialists in Islamic law, discussing unclear phrases, and revising the language accordingly.
The author drew on earlier commentaries alongside his own additions, employing general attribution rather than detailed citation notes for brevity, citing the precedents of Abu al-Su'ud and Ibn Ashur in doing so. The exegesis proceeds verse by verse without relying on frequent cross-references to earlier comments unless nearby. Every cited hadith is referenced with a statement on its authenticity or weakness. The work highlights structural and thematic harmony (al-munasabat) between verses, adheres to the theological approach of early generations (al-salaf al-salih) regarding the verses of divine attributes, and critiques earlier scholarly opinions when necessary without naming individual exegetes.
Publication
The work spans roughly four hundred pages and was published by Dar al-Waddah in Amman, Jordan.
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