al-Tafsir al-Wasit - al-Zuhayli
- Author died
- 1436 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Fikr
al-Tafsir al-Wasit (lit. 'The Intermediate Exegesis') is a three-volume commentary on the Quran by the Syrian scholar Wahba al-Zuhayli (d. 1436 AH / 2015 CE) . It was written for readers of intermediate cultural education, occupying a middle tier between al-Zuhayli's extensive sixteen-volume work, al-Tafsir al-Munir, and his single-volume summary, al-Tafsir al-Wajiz .
Origin and Composition
The material for al-Tafsir al-Wasit originated as daily radio addresses recorded by al-Zuhayli and broadcast over a period of seven years (1992–1998 CE) on Syrian state radio and the Sawt al-Sha'b radio station . Initially, these consisted of six-minute morning segments titled Qisas min al-Qur'an (Stories from the Quran), aired every weekday except Friday, and were later expanded into ten-minute segments titled al-Qur'an wa-al-Hayat (The Quran and Life), aired on Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays at 6:15 AM . Having initially focused on Quranic narratives—which were also printed separately under the title al-Qissa al-Qur'aniyya: Hidaya wa-Bayan—al-Zuhayli subsequently proceeded to deliver a full commentary spanning the entire Quran .
Methodology and Structure
Al-Zuhayli designed the work to combine simplicity and depth, aiming to make Quranic interpretation accessible without obscurity or ambiguity . The key methodological features of the commentary include:
- Thematic Grouping: Passages are arranged into thematic units, each introduced with an overarching thematic summary before addressing individual verses .
- Clarification of Vocabulary and Grammar: Obscure terms are explained, and grammatical analysis (i'rab) is included whenever essential to clarify the meaning .
- Occasions of Revelation: Authentic circumstances of revelation (asbab al-nuzul) are presented alongside the relevant verses .
- Integration of Text and Reason: The work synthesizes traditional transmission (al-tafsir bi-al-ma'thur) and rational analysis (al-tafsir bi-al-ma'qul), relying on major classical exegetical references .
- Exclusion of Unsound Narratives: It avoids unverified tales and Israelite traditions (Isra'iliyyat) commonly cited in earlier classical works, relying instead on authentic hadiths and cross-referencing related Quranic verses .
Publication
al-Tafsir al-Wasit was published in three volumes by Dar al-Fikr in Damascus (in conjunction with Dar al-Fikr al-Mu'asir in Beirut), with its first edition appearing in 1422 AH (2001 CE) .
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