Fadail al-Quran li-Ibn Kathir

Fadail al-Quran (The Virtues of the Quran) is a treatise on the virtues, compilation, transmission, and etiquette of the Quran by the Damascene scholar and historian Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 CE) Fadail al-Quran li-Ibn Ka…+1.

Composition and Relation to the Tafsir

Ibn Kathir originally composed the work to be placed at the end of his major exegesis, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim, as an appendix and conclusion Fadail al-Quran li-Ibn Ka…+1. In doing so, he followed the model of al-Bukhari, who positioned the section on the virtues of the Quran after the book of exegesis in his Sahih on the grounds that exegesis is more critical Fadail al-Quran li-Ibn Ka…. This initial arrangement is documented in the Meccan manuscript copied in 759 AH during the author's lifetime Fadail al-Quran li-Ibn Ka….

Ibn Kathir later altered this plan, placing the treatise at the beginning of the Tafsir as an introduction Fadail al-Quran li-Ibn Ka…+1. In the copy written during Ibn Kathir's lifetime by the Hanbali scholar Ibn al-Muhibb (Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn al-Muhibb, d. 776 AH), Ibn Kathir explained that he moved the virtues forward and discussed the merits of each surah before its exegesis to serve as an incentive for memorizing the Quran, understanding it, and acting upon its teachings Fadail al-Quran li-Ibn Ka…. He also referenced this introductory placement in his chronicle Al-Bidaya wa-l-nihaya, noting during his account of the compilation of the Uthmanic codex that he had treated the subject in Fadail al-Quran, which he wrote as an introduction at the start of his exegesis al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya.

Scope and Structure

The book is structured closely around the chapter arrangement of Kitab Fadail al-Quran in al-Bukhari's Sahih Fadail al-Quran li-Ibn Ka…+1. Ibn Kathir presents al-Bukhari's matn, extracts and details the hadiths, provides concise scholarly annotations, and concludes the work with a comprehensive general chapter assembling a collection of sound narrations Fadail al-Quran li-Ibn Ka….

The topics covered include:

• Hadiths on the general and specific merits of the Quran al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1.
• The history of the revelation, collection, and written compilation of the Quranic text al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1.
• The transmission of the text in the seven ahruf al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya.
• Methods, rules, and etiquette of recitation (tartil), as well as related legal rulings al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1.

Method

Ibn Kathir's methodology in Fadail al-Quran is characterized by five primary features:

1. Opening chapters and thematic discussions with relevant verses of the Quran al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya.
2. Citing multiple narrations with their chains of transmission, prioritizing reports from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya.
3. Incorporating statements and traditions of the Companions and Successors (al-Sahaba and al-Tabi'in) al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya.
4. Applying hadith criticism by declaring authenticity (tashih), evaluating variant transmissions, and assessing specific narrators in the isnads al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya.
5. Deducing doctrinal insights, practical benefits, and legal rulings from the transmitted reports al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya.

Publication

The work has been published both as an integral part of Tafsir Ibn Kathir and as a standalone monograph in Cairo and Beirut al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya. Standalone publications include an edition edited by Muhammad Ibrahim al-Banna (Mu'assasat 'Ulum al-Quran, Beirut) and a single-volume edition published by Maktabat Ibn Taymiyya in Cairo (1416 AH) al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1.