Tafsir Ibn Abi al-Izz Jaman wa Dirasatan
- Author died
- 792 AH
- Editions
- Majallat al-Jāmi‘ah al-Islāmīyah bi-al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah
Tafsir Ibn Abi al-Izz Jaman wa Dirasatan (The Quranic Exegesis of Ibn Abi al-Izz: Compilation and Study) is a scholarly compilation and study of the scattered Quranic commentary of the Hanafi jurist and theologian Ibn Abi al-Izz (731–792 AH / 1331–1390 CE), prepared by Shaye ibn Abdah al-Asmari .
Origin and Scope
Ibn Abi al-Izz did not author an independent, standalone work of Quranic exegesis; rather, his exegetical commentary was dispersed across his various writings, particularly his commentary on al-Tahawi's creed (Sharh al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya) and his legal work al-Tanbih ala Mushkilat al-Hidaya . The compiler gathered these scattered interpretations to make the exegetical insights of an author grounded in the creed of the early generations (al-salaf) accessible in one organized reference and to counter heterodox theological views .
Structure
The work is organized into two primary sections followed by a conclusion and scholarly indexes :
- Section One: Introduction and Overview: Divided into two main elements. The first discusses the reasons for selecting the topic, the research plan, and the editorial method . The second provides a concise biography of Ibn Abi al-Izz, detailing his lineage, birth, upbringing, teachers, students, theological and legal orientations, writings, judicial and academic posts, and death .
- Section Two: The Exegetical Text: Presents the extracted exegesis arranged sequentially by the surahs and verses of the Quran, accompanied by explanatory annotations, source documentation, and hadith verification (takhrij) .
- Conclusion and Indexes: A concluding chapter outlining the distinctive qualities of Ibn Abi al-Izz’s exegesis, followed by analytical indexes for Quranic verses, bibliographic references, and topical subjects .
Method and Exegetical Characteristics
In compiling the text, the editor gathered Ibn Abi al-Izz's explicit statements of exegesis from his writings while excluding incidental mentions of verse meanings where the text was not explicitly quoted . When Ibn Abi al-Izz cited multiple verses under a single overarching interpretation, the passage was placed under the first verse cited .
The study identifies several core features of Ibn Abi al-Izz's approach to tafsir :
- Blending transmitted exegesis (al-tafsir bi-al-ma'thur) with rational analysis (al-tafsir bi-al-ma'qul) .
- Relying on prominent classical exegetes, such as Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Ibn Abi Hatim, al-Tha'labi, al-Wahidi, al-Jassas, al-Baghawi, Ibn Atiyyah, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, and Ibn Kathir .
- Resolving apparent discrepancies among Quranic verses and emphasizing theological passages to refute dissenting sects .
- Prioritizing well-established interpretations, avoiding far-fetched opinions, and identifying the strongest opinion whenever disagreements are mentioned .
- Incorporating spiritual reflections (raqa'iq), linguistic nuances, grammatical parsing (i'rab), variant readings (qira'at), and the implications of pausing and resuming (al-waqf wa-al-wasl) .
Publication
The work was published as a two-part research study in the academic journal of the Islamic University of Madinah (Majallat al-Jami'ah al-Islamiyyah bi-al-Madinah al-Munawwarah) . The first part, covering the introduction through Surat al-Nahl, appeared in issue 120 (1423 AH / 2002 CE), and the second part, completing the remainder of the Quran, appeared in issue 121 (1424 AH / 2003 CE) .
Answer updated