Tafsir al-Maturidi = Tawilat Ahl al-Sunna
- Author died
- 333 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah
Ta'wilat Ahl al-Sunna (Arabic: تأويلات أهل السنة, lit. 'Interpretations of the People of the Sunna'), also known as Ta'wilat al-Qur'an or Tafsir al-Maturidi, is a comprehensive Qur'anic commentary by the Hanafi theologian and jurist Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (d. 333 AH / 944 CE) . It serves as a foundational source for Sunni exegesis, combining textual transmission (naql) with rational inquiry ('aql) and theological discourse .
Method and Structure
Al-Maturidi established a conceptual distinction between tafsir and ta'wil, defining tafsir as the definitive assertion of what God intended by a verse (often associated with transmitted reports), and ta'wil as the scholarly weighing and preference of one plausible meaning over others without absolute certainty .
In constructing his exegesis, al-Maturidi departed from the prevalent method of early commentators—such as Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari—who recorded complete chains of transmission (isnad) for every report . Instead, he dropped full chains and often cited divergent opinions anonymously or generically using formulas such as qala ba'duhum ("some have said") or qila ("it was said"), proceeding directly to critique, analyze, and select the interpretation most aligned with the text and reason .
The work addresses theological, legal, and linguistic dimensions across the Qur'an . When opening a new surah, al-Maturidi generally enters directly into the verse-by-verse commentary without preliminary discussions on its revelation period (Meccan vs. Medinan status), verse counts, or individual virtues .
Influence and Reception
Ta'wilat Ahl al-Sunna is held in high esteem among Maturidi and Hanafi scholars, who described it as unparalleled in its field . Later exegetes drew extensively upon its interpretations, including Abu Hafs al-Nasafi in al-Taysir fi al-Tafsir, al-Qurtubi, Abu Hayyan al-Gharnati in al-Bahr al-Muhit, and Mahmud al-Alusi in Ruh al-Ma'ani, as well as scholars such as Badr al-Din al-Zarkashi, Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, and Ibn Taymiyya .
An extensive work related to it was compiled by Ala' al-Din al-Samarqandi (author of Tuhfat al-Fuqaha'), titled Ta'wilat al-Maturidiyya fi Bayan Usul Ahl al-Sunna wa-Usul al-Tawhid, which functioned as an elaboration and commentary on al-Maturidi's text .
Manuscripts and Editions
Manuscripts bearing various titles—including Ta'wilat Ahl al-Sunna, Ta'wilat al-Qur'an, and Ta'wilat Abi Mansur al-Maturidi fi al-Tafsir—are preserved across several libraries, including the Koprulu Library in Istanbul, Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyya in Cairo, Tashkent, Damascus, Medina, and the British Museum . The book has been published in modern editions, including a 10-volume edition edited by Majdi Basallum (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya, 2005) and an edition edited by Ibrahim 'Iwadain and al-Sayyid 'Iwadain (Cairo: Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs) .
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