Nukat al-Quran al-Dalla ala al-Bayan fi Anwa al-Ulum wal-Ahkam
- Author died
- 360 AH
- Editions
- Dār Ibn al-Qayyim
Nukat al-Quran al-Dalla ala al-Bayan fi Anwa al-Ulum wal-Ahkam (Subtle Points of the Quran Indicating Clear Exposition in the Varieties of Sciences and Rulings) is an exegetical work by the traditionist and jurist Abu Ahmad al-Karji al-Qassab (d. c. 360 AH / 971 CE) that deduces theological doctrines and legal principles directly from Quranic verses.
Purpose and Scope
In his introduction, al-Qassab states that he compiled the book to extract the subtle meanings and insights (nukat) latent in Quranic verses across diverse religious disciplines, addressing points of dispute among people concerning the fundamentals of religion (usul al-din) and its practical laws (shara'i'). He intended the work to serve as a resource against theological adversaries and a refutation of innovators, criticizing those who strayed from the text of the Quran and relied instead on dialectical disputation (kalam) and figures such as Abu al-Hudhayl al-Allaf and Ibrahim al-Nazzam.
Structure and Method
The work follows the sequential order of the Quran's surahs, opening with Surat al-Fatiha and proceeding through Surat al-Baqarah and subsequent chapters. Rather than providing an exhaustive line-by-line linguistic commentary, the author selects specific verses and uses them to derive theological polemics and legal-linguistic rulings.
Throughout the text, al-Qassab formulates explicit refutations against early theological factions:
- Against the Murji'a, arguing from verses in Surat al-Baqarah that verbal declaration alone does not constitute valid faith and demonstrating that faith increases and consists of composite parts.
- Against the Jahmiyya and Mu'tazila, defending the literal attribution of divine actions and characteristics described in scripture.
- Against the Qadariyya, affirming divine decree (qadar) and the necessity of divine guidance (tawfiq) for human belief.
He also discusses legal and linguistic principles derived from verses, such as interpreting general phrasing as implying specific applications (khusus fi 'umum) and evaluating grammatical and contextual readings used by early authorities such as Abu Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam.
Editions
The work has been edited and published in modern scholarly editions:
- Edited by Ali ibn Ghazi al-Tuwayjiri and a team of researchers, published in four volumes by Dar Ibn al-Qayyim and Dar Ibn 'Affan (1424 AH / 2003 CE).
- Edited by Ibrahim ibn Mansur al-Junaydil, published by Dar Ibn al-Qayyim (1424 AH).
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