Ibn Uthaymin
Tafsir al-Uthaymin: al-Fatiha wa al-Baqara
- Author died
- 1421 AH
- Editions
- Dār Ibn al-Jawzī
Tafsir al-Uthaymin: al-Fatiha wa al-Baqara (Exegesis of al-Fatiha and al-Baqara) is a multi-volume Quranic commentary by the Saudi scholar Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin (d. 1421 AH / 2001 CE), expounding the first two chapters of the Quran alongside an introductory treatise on the principles of Quranic exegesis (Usul al-Tafsir) .
Composition and Publication
The material of the commentary originated in regular study circles and exegesis lessons delivered by Ibn Uthaymin over an extensive teaching career . After Ibn Uthaymin approved the transcription of the audio recordings of these lessons, his student Khalid ibn Hamid ibn Khalil transcribed the tapes for Surahs al-Fatiha and al-Baqara, read the transcripts back to the author, and verified them with him until they received his direct authorization . Khalil also provided documentation and grading for the cited prophetic traditions, after which the scientific committee of the Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin Charitable Foundation reviewed the text for publication .
The work was first published under the supervision of the foundation by Dar Ibn al-Jawzi in Dammam in 1423 AH (2002 CE) , followed by a second edition from the same publisher in 1431 AH (2010 CE) .
Structure and Content
The commentary opens with a treatise on Usul al-Tafsir, which Ibn Uthaymin initially wrote for students of the academic institutes affiliated with Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University and subsequently included as the foundational introduction to this work . This introductory section addresses several topics in Quranic studies:
- The revelation, preservation, writing, and compilation of the Quran under Caliphs Abu Bakr and Uthman ibn Affan .
- The definition, objectives, and foundational sources of exegesis—prioritizing interpreting the Quran through the Quran, the prophetic Sunnah, the narrations of the Companions, the statements of early Successors, and linguistic analysis .
- Biographical overviews of prominent early exegetes, the distinction between clear (muhkam) and ambiguous (mutashabih) verses, principles for reconciling apparent textual divergences, rules regarding oaths and stories, the scholarly stance on Israelite lore (isra'iliyyat), and linguistic analysis of pronouns and stylistic shifts (iltifat) .
The body of the book proceeds sequentially through Surat al-Fatiha and Surat al-Baqara, analyzing verses individually or in small thematic clusters .
Method
Ibn Uthaymin follows an analytical method (tafsir tahlili) combining textual explanation with thematic deduction . For each passage, he outlines the lexical and grammatical meanings of key terms, clarifies the overarching import of the verse, and deduces doctrinal, legal, and ethical benefits (fawa'id wa-ahkam) . In theological passages, such as the attributes of God and verses concerning faith, he adheres to traditional Sunni Athari positions, and in legal passages, he engages in detailed jurisprudence (fiqh) to deduce operational rulings and address contemporary ritual questions .
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