Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Tafsir li-Ibn Qasim

Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Tafsir (Arabic: حاشية مقدمة التفسير) is a treatise and commentary on the principles of Quranic exegesis (usul al-tafsir) and Quranic sciences by the Hanbali scholar Abd al-Rahman ibn Qasim (1312–1392 AH / 1894–1972 CE; also recorded as 1319–1392 AH) Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta…+1.

Purpose and Overview

The work serves as an explanatory gloss (hashiya) composed by Ibn Qasim on his own concise treatise on Quranic hermeneutics, titled Muqaddima fi Usul al-Tafsir Hashiyat al-Rawd al-Murbi…+1. In the preface, the author states that his objective in writing the commentary was to clarify the aims of the primary text, assist students seeking to grasp the meanings of the Quran, and provide foundational principles to arrive at the intended divine meaning in accordance with the way of the early generations (al-Salaf al-Salih) Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta….

Structure and Contents

The text arranges core topics in Quranic studies and exegetical methodology, combining the concise base text with Ibn Qasim's expanded commentary below it Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta…. Its central chapters include:

• The Nature of the Quran and Revelation: Affirming the creed of the Salaf that the Quran is the uncreated speech of Allah in both letters and meanings, heard by the angel Jibril directly from Allah and recited to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta…. It refutes divergent doctrines advanced by philosophers, Jahmis, Mu'tazilis, Kullabis, and Ash'aris Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta….
• Circumstances and Locations of Revelation: Discussions on the classification of chapters into Meccan and Medinan, the counts of surahs and verses, and classifications based on time and season, such as daytime, nighttime, summer, and winter revelations Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta….
• Linguistic and Legal Rules of Exegesis: The divisions of general (al-'amm) and specific (al-khas) terminology, connected and disconnected specifiers (al-mukhassas al-muttasil wa-al-munfasil), and instances where the Quran specifies the Sunnah Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta….
• Abrogation (al-Nasikh wa-al-Mansukh): Linguistic and legal definitions of abrogation, its three categories (abrogation of both recitation and ruling, of recitation alone, or of ruling alone), and the principle that abrogation applies exclusively to commands and prohibitions Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta….
• Clear and Ambiguous Texts (al-Muhkam wa-al-Mutashabih): The definition of decisive and ambiguous verses, the critique of those who pursue ambiguous texts for discord, and the distinct meanings of ta'wil across Quranic usage, early Salafi exegesis, and later theological scholasticism (al-mutakallimun) Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta…+1.
• Rejection of Metaphor (Nafy al-Majaz): A detailed discussion denying the division of language into literal (haqiqa) and figurative (majaz) within the Quran and Sunnah, relying heavily on the arguments of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta….
• Inimitability and Rhetorical Forms: Aspects of Quranic miraculous inimitability (i'jaz), the use of parables (amthal), divine oaths (aqsam), and modes of speech categorized into informative statements (khabar) and performative expressions (insha') Hashiyat Muqaddimat al-Ta…+1.

Publication History

The work was printed and circulated during the author's lifetime Hashiyat al-Rawd al-Murbi…. Later reprints include a second edition issued in 1410 AH (1989/1990 CE) Manhaj Ibn Aqil al-Hanbal…+1.