Awdah al-Tafasir
- Author died
- 1402 AH
- Editions
- al-Maṭba‘ah al-Miṣrīyah wa-Maktabatuhā
Awdah al-Tafasir (The Clearest of Exegeses) is a concise, single-volume Arabic commentary on the Qur'an authored by the Egyptian scholar Muhammad Abd al-Latif al-Khatib (d. 1402 AH / 1982 CE), who also signed his name as Muhammad Muhammad Abd al-Latif Ibn al-Khatib.
Background and Purpose
Al-Khatib stated in the introduction to the first edition that his passion for reading major classical commentaries from an early age, coupled with debates he had with scholars and literati over perceived contradictions and distorted narratives, motivated him to compose a concise exegesis of the Qur'an. His aim was to provide readers with the essential substance and distilled insights of classical authorities—such as Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, and al-Zamakhshari—while stripping away spurious narratives, Jewish folkloric interpolations (Isra'iliyyat), and fabricated traditions.
Methodology and Characteristics
In composing the commentary, al-Khatib consulted standard Arabic lexicons on the margin of the Qur'anic text and weighed the opinions of classical exegetes, choosing what he found compelling or articulating his own understanding when prior opinions appeared unsatisfactory. The work exhibits several distinct methodological features:
- Focus on Clarity: The commentary avoids protracted grammatical dissection, complex morphological arguments, and strained linguistic interpretations, prioritizing direct explanation of meanings and resolution of textual difficulties.
- Defense of Prophetic Infallibility: It systematically rejects accounts and tales deemed contrary to orthodox dogma or compromising to the infallibility (‘isma) of prophets and angels.
- Engagement with Contemporary Issues: Al-Khatib extended his discussions on passages that were frequently criticized by Christian missionaries and external polemicists, providing detailed rational and textual responses. He also occasionally highlighted Islamic legal rulings (ahkam) in relation to statutory laws.
- Intellectual Restraint: In instances where he could find no satisfying classical or contemporary explanation for an ambiguous point, he acknowledged human limitation and refrained from speculative interpretation.
Publication History
Awdah al-Tafasir went through multiple print editions. In the preface to the expanded sixth edition—published by al-Matba‘a al-Misriyya wa-Maktabatuha in Ramadan 1383 AH / February 1964 CE—the author noted that previous printings had quickly sold out, prompting him to revise and expand the work to offer broader explanations while maintaining an accessible format.
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