Tafsir al-Mawardi = al-Nukat wal-Uyun
- Author died
- 450 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmīyah
Al-Nukat wal-ʿUyun (النكت والعيون, The Subtleties and Quintessences), commonly known as Tafsir al-Mawardi, is a classical commentary on the Quran written by the Shafi'i jurist and scholar Abu al-Hasan al-Mawardi (364–450 AH / 975–1058 CE) . The book is also recorded under the variant title al-ʿUyun wal-Nukat fi Taʾwil al-Qurʾan al-ʿAziz .
Purpose and Scope
In his preface, al-Mawardi explains the purpose of the work by stating that while the evident and straightforward meanings of the Quran are directly understood through recitation, obscure and hidden meanings can only be grasped either through transmission (naql) or independent reasoning (ijtihad) . Consequently, he limited the scope of the commentary to interpreting difficult or ambiguous passages, compiling the authoritative interpretations of early and later scholars (al-salaf wal-khalaf), identifying points of consensus and divergence, and recording plausible explanations that occurred to him, while intentionally omitting obvious meanings to maintain conciseness .
The commentary encompasses the entire Quran from Surat al-Fatiha to Surat al-Nas . The author prefaced the text with introductory chapters discussing subjects related to the sciences of the Quran, including the revelation of the Quran according to the seven modes (sabʿat ahruf) and the inimitability of the Quran (iʿjaz al-Qurʾan) .
Method and Sources
Al-Mawardi's methodology combines traditional transmitted reports (tafsir bi-al-maʾthur) with linguistic, legal, and theological analysis . In compiling transmitted material, he drew upon earlier commentaries such as those of Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Muqatil ibn Sulayman, and Muhammad ibn al-Sa'ib al-Kalbi, as well as biographical historical materials from Ibn Ishaq .
For philological and grammatical analysis, he made extensive use of early authorities and lexicographical works, citing al-Farra', al-Akhfash, Tha'lab, and al-Zajjaj on the meanings of the Quran (Maʿani al-Qurʾan), Qutrub's Iʿrab al-Qurʾan, Abu Ubaydah's Majaz al-Qurʾan, and Ibn Qutaybah's Gharib al-Qurʾan and Taʾwil Mushkil al-Qurʾan . He also incorporated material from Mu'tazilite scholars such as Isa ibn Ali al-Rummani (al-Jamiʿ li-ʿIlm al-Qurʾan) and Abu Muslim al-Isfahani (Ibn Bahr) . Furthermore, he occasionally quoted mystical interpretations, citing figures such as Sahl ibn Abd Allah al-Tustari and Bishr al-Hafi, or introducing such remarks anonymously under terms such as "ashab al-khawatir" or "al-isharah" .
Reception and Critical Assessments
The book was utilized and cited by subsequent Quranic commentators, including Abu al-Qasim al-Kirmani in Lubab al-Tafasir, Abu Hafs al-Nasafi, and al-Qurtubi .
The theological orientations reflected in the work generated critical discussion among Sunni biographers and scholars. Ibn al-Salah criticized the commentary, stating that al-Mawardi presented the views of both Sunni and Mu'tazilite commentators side by side without explicitly refuting the latter, and argued that in certain instances—such as verses relating to divine decree and human will (al-qadar)—he adopted Mu'tazilite interpretations . Ibn al-Salah noted, however, that al-Mawardi was not fully aligned with Mu'tazilism, as he disagreed with them on core tenets such as the createdness of the Quran, pointing to his commentary on verse 21:2 as evidence . In defense of al-Mawardi, al-Nawawi observed that he diverged from Mu'tazilite positions on multiple key issues—affirming that Paradise is created, that the Quran is uncreated, and rejecting that the Quran can be abrogated by the Sunnah—while Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani remarked that the label of Mu'tazilism should not be applied to him .
Abridgments and Print Editions
The work was abridged by the Shafi'i scholar Izz al-Din ibn Abd al-Salam (d. 660 AH) under the title Mukhtasar Tafsir al-Mawardi (also known as Tafsir al-Qurʾan) .
Modern published editions of al-Nukat wal-ʿUyun include:
- An edition edited by Khidr Muhammad Khidr, published by the Ministry of Awqaf in Kuwait (1402 AH / 1982 CE) .
- An edition edited by al-Sayyid ibn Abd al-Maqsud ibn Abd al-Rahim, published in Beirut by Dar al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah and Muʾassasat al-Kutub al-Thaqafiyyah .
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