Tafsir al-Quran al-Thari al-Jami
- Author died
- -
- Editions
- Dār al-Miʿrāj and Dār Jawāmiʿ al-Kalim
Tafsir al-Quran al-Thari al-Jami (full title: Tafsir al-Quran al-Thari al-Jami fi al-I'jaz al-Bayani wa-l-Lughawi wa-l-'Ilmi) is a contemporary multi-volume Quranic exegesis authored by the physician, surgeon, and preacher Muhammad al-Hilal .
Composition and Purpose
The author spent over twenty-five years compiling the work, drawing on classical Quranic studies, thematic exegesis (al-tafsir al-mawdu'i), Arabic linguistics, grammar, rhetoric, and modern scientific findings . Al-Hilal sought to write an accessible, comprehensive commentary addressing linguistic, rhetorical, and scientific aspects of inimitability (i'jaz) in the Quran, utilizing his professional background as a surgeon to elucidate scientific and medical references in the text . He noted that his intention was purely for the sake of God, with the work intended to be distributed freely to scholars and students of knowledge .
Structure and Methodology
The author organized his commentary according to specific methodological principles set out in his introduction:
- Textual Division: The Quranic text is divided into thematic units, each matching a single page of the Quran in Ottoman script (al-rasm al-'uthmani), followed immediately by its exegesis .
- Context and Linguistics: Relevant occasions of revelation (asbab al-nuzul) are introduced where necessary for clarity . The work focuses on analyzing individual words and particles, defining their lexical roots, exploring derivations, and explaining precise semantic distinctions between synonymous or closely related terms .
- Comparative and Thematic Analysis: The author compares similar verses (al-mutashabihat) across different chapters and within the same chapter, cross-referencing earlier and later passages to prevent repetitive commentary .
- Rhetorical and Scientific Inimitability: Attention is given to the rhetorical eloquence of the Quranic wording alongside scientific interpretations corresponding to modern knowledge .
- Multiple Interpretations and Citation Style: When an ayah accommodates multiple valid interpretations, they are presented, while weak or doubtful opinions are avoided . Detailed references are omitted beneath individual verses to maintain readability, with a consolidated list of sources placed at the conclusion of the commentary .
Reception and Publication
The work received introductory forewords from Muslim community figures in North America. Dr. Ismail al-Shaykh, head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in North America, commended the work for combining surgical expertise with rhetorical and linguistic clarity in a straightforward style accessible to general readers . Prof. Dr. Umar Shahin, former president of the North American Imams Federation and former vice president of Mishkah University—the institution where al-Hilal earned his doctorate—also reviewed drafts of the work, praising its balance between religious and academic sciences .
The commentary was published in print in twelve volumes jointly by Dar al-Mi'raj and Dar Jawami' al-Kalim . It was also published digitally on an official dedicated website, though certain electronic versions had minor gaps affecting Surahs al-Muzzammil, al-Layl, and al-'Asr due to a technical error on the host site .
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