al-Tafsir al-Wasit li-Tantawi
- Author died
- 1431 AH
- Editions
- Dār Nahḍat Miṣr lil-Ṭibāʻah wa-al-Nashr wa-al-Tawzīʻ
al-Tafsir al-Wasit li-l-Qur'an al-Karim (The Intermediate Exegesis of the Noble Quran) is a comprehensive twentieth-century Quranic commentary by Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi (1347–1431 AH / 1928–2010 CE), the late Grand Imam of al-Azhar and former Grand Mufti of Egypt.
Purpose and Scope
Tantawi authored the exegesis to provide an analytical, moderate commentary written in an accessible contemporary style. His stated aim was to extract the core insights of earlier commentators while purging weak transmissions, unfounded tales, and specious interpretations, thereby presenting the Quran's universal guidance, legal rulings, moral instructions, and eloquence in a clear manner suitable for modern readers.
Methodology and Structure
Before embarking on the verse-by-verse analysis of each surah, Tantawi introduces it with an overview covering the time and circumstances of its revelation, its verse count, the rationale behind its title, its structural connection to preceding chapters, and its primary thematic objectives (al-maqasid al-ijmaliyyah).
Within the commentary, the author follows a structured analytical method:
- Linguistic and Contextual Analysis: He begins by explaining vocabulary linguistically before defining intended Quranic meanings, followed by verified occasions of revelation (asbab al-nuzul) when available.
- Overall Meaning and Rhetoric: He articulates the broader meaning of each passage, detailing its rhetorical features (wujuh al-balaghah wal-bayan), moral lessons, manners, and legal injunctions.
- Supporting Evidence and Sourcing: Interpretations are substantiated through cross-referencing parallel Quranic verses, prophetic hadiths, and statements from early authorities (al-salaf al-salih). Tantawi rigorously documents his citations, referencing the hadith sources and recording the place and date of publication for works cited for the first time.
- Selective Grammar and Preponderance: He avoids elaborate discussions of conflicting grammatical parsing (i'rab), restricting himself to predominant opinions. Where scholarly interpretations diverge, he presents the variants succinctly and weighs them to identify the most sound view (al-ra'y al-rajih).
Reception and Characteristics
Scholars have noted the commentary's clarity and engaging dialogical presentation, in which hypothetical objections or questions are raised and answered in a structured manner. Commentators on modern exegesis emphasize its critical discernment, particularly its virtual absence of unverified biblical lore (Isra'iliyyat) and its focus on deriving subtle wisdom directly from Quranic phrasing.
Publication
The work spans fifteen volumes and over 7,000 pages. It was published in Cairo by Dar Nahdat Misr across multiple volumes issued between January 1997 and March 1998.
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