Manhaj Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab fi al-Tafsir
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- Editions
- Islamic University of Madinah
Manhaj Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab fi al-Tafsir (The Methodology of Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in Quranic Exegesis) is a scholarly study by Musaad bin Musaid al-Husayni examining the exegetical methodology, theological principles, and interpretive deductions of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, accompanied by a critical edition of a section of his tafsir.
Background and Purpose
The work originated as a master's thesis submitted to the Islamic University of Madinah under the title Manhaj Shaykh al-Islam al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab fi Tafsirihi ma'a Tahqiq Juz' min Tafsirihi. The author undertook the project to highlight an understudied dimension of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's scholarly output—namely, his approach to interpreting the Quran and deriving legal and theological rulings directly from its verses. Al-Husayni emphasized the close link between Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's adherence to the creed of the early generations (Salaf) and his exegesis, noting his tendency to apply Quranic meanings directly to social reform, societal remedy, and direct engagement with scripture.
Structure and Contents
The book is structured into two primary divisions: an analytical study (qism al-dirasah) and a critical edition (qism al-tahqiq).
The Analytical Study
The analytical study contains an introduction, an extensive preamble (tamhid), and three comprehensive parts (abwab):
- Preamble: Surveys Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's historical milieu, biography, education, travels, reformist mission, teachers, students, writings, death, and scholarly evaluations of his standing as an exegete.
- Part One (Traditional Exegesis / Tafsir bi-l-Ma'thur): Examines his methods of interpreting the Quran through the Quran, through the Prophetic Sunnah, and through the recorded traditions of the Companions and Successors, concluding with his approach to resolving differences among early authorities.
- Part Two (Reasoned and Deductive Exegesis / al-Tafsir bi-l-Ra'y): Discusses his stance on the intellect's role in relation to revelation, his qualifications in the Arabic language, syntax (nahw), and rhetoric (balaghah), and the practical manifestations of his deductions (individual word analysis, general thematic meaning, and direct extraction of legal and theological points), highlighting their harmony with the spirit of Islamic law and early exegesis.
- Part Three (Core Objectives and Themes): Divided into six chapters exploring his theological focus and defense of orthodox creed, refutations of opposing viewpoints, reformist aims, treatment of jurisprudence (fiqh) and legal theory (usul al-fiqh), approach to Quranic narratives and Israelite traditions (Isra'iliyyat), and engagement with Quranic sciences—such as variant readings (qira'at), occasions of revelation (asbab al-nuzul), virtues of the Quran, and abrogation (naskh).
The Critical Edition
The second division presents the critical edition of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's commentary on three complete Quranic surahs: Surah Yusuf, Surah al-Hijr, and Surah al-Nahl. The edition is preceded by a description of the consulted manuscripts, proof of authorship, and editorial methodology, and concludes with general analytical findings and indices of Quranic verses, hadiths, named persons, references, and subject matter.
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