Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabiin lil-Tafsir

Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabiin lil-Tafsir: Dirasa Nazariyya Tatbiqiyya (The Companions' and Successors' Critique of Quranic Exegesis: A Theoretical and Applied Study) is a contemporary study on the principles of Quranic exegesis by the Saudi scholar Abd al-Salam bin Salih al-Jar Allah, examining how the Companions and the Successors evaluated and critiqued interpretations of the Quran Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi…+1.

Background and Composition

The work originated as a doctoral dissertation submitted to the Department of the Quran and Its Sciences in the College of Usul al-Din at Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University during the 1427–1428 AH academic year, prepared under the supervision of Zahir bin Awwad al-Alma'i Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi…. It was published in a printed edition by Dar al-Tadmuriyya in Riyadh in 1429 AH (2008 CE) Fusul fi Usul al-Tafsir+1.

The author intended the work to provide a theoretical grounding for exegetical criticism (naqd al-tafsir) as a distinct phenomenon, observing that previous classical and modern works had engaged with criticism primarily on an applied, case-by-case level rather than systematically outlining its origins, motives, fields, and foundational rules Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi…. The study was delimited to the eras of the Companions and Successors because their approaches formed the baseline for subsequent generations and shared common methodological foundations Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi….

Structure and Contents

The book consists of an introductory overview, four major parts (abwab), a conclusion, and reference indexes Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi…+1:

• Preliminary Section (al-Tamhid): Defines the core terminology and explores the Prophet Muhammad's critique of misinterpretations and its formative impact on the Companions Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi….
• Part One: Focuses on preventative efforts to avert exegetical error before it occurred, covering warnings against interpretive errors, the encouragement of sound understanding, and the nature of disagreement among early scholars Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi….
• Part Two: Details the motives, methods, and characteristics of early critique, including a dedicated chapter profiling the most prominent critics among the Companions—identifying Abdullah ibn Abbas as the most frequent critic, followed by Ali ibn Abi Talib and Abdullah ibn Mas'ud—and among the Successors across Mecca, Basra, and Kufa, such as Mujahid ibn Jabr, Ikrima, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Ata ibn Abi Rabah, al-Hasan al-Basri, Qatada ibn Di'ama, and Amir al-Sha'bi Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi…+1.
• Part Three: Analyzes the specific domains of critique, structured into chapters addressing the critique of exegetical methods, the evaluation of transmitters and figures of exegesis, and the scrutiny of exegetical statements Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi…+1.
• Part Four: Examines the underlying criteria and rules relied upon during critique, divided into textual/narrative foundations (riwaya) and rational/contextual foundations (diraya), as well as the broader legacy and impact of early critique on the development of Quranic commentary Naqd al-Sahaba wa al-Tabi…+1.