Tafsir Ibn Kamal Pasha
- Author died
- 940 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Irshad
Tafsir Ibn Kamal Pasha (also known as Tafsir al-Qur'an) is a Quranic commentary authored by the Ottoman scholar and jurist Ibn Kamal Pasha (d. 940 AH / 1533–1534 CE). Written toward the end of his life, the commentary spans from the opening of the Quran up to Surat al-Saffat, as death interrupted its completion.
Scope and Composition
The commentary represents one of Ibn Kamal Pasha's final major scholarly endeavors, distilling his extensive writings across the legal, theological, and linguistic sciences into the exegesis of the Quran. Biographical accounts, including those of Tashkubrizadah in al-Shaqa'iq al-Nu'maniyyah and Najm al-Din al-Ghazzi in al-Kawakib al-Sa'irah, note that the author brought the exegesis close to completion before his death intervened. Haji Khalifa recorded in Kashf al-Zunun that the text reaches up to Surat al-Saffat.
Methodology and Characteristics
The work maintains a moderate length, striking a balance between expansive encyclopedic compilations and brief summaries. Its methodological characteristics include:
- Clarity and Critical Analysis: It is distinguished by precision in analytical editing (tahrir), clear phrasing, and focus on demonstrating the Quran's inimitability (i'jaz).
- Avoidance of Extraneous Materials: The text avoids reliance on unverified Isra'iliyyat (Judeo-Christian narrative traditions) as well as dubious philosophical digressions.
- Allusive and Spiritual Insights: It occasionally features allusive reflections (isharat), summarizing deep theological and spiritual meanings while remaining strictly anchored to the literal expressions and rules of the Quranic text.
Reception and Scholarly Influence
Bibliographers and biographers praised the commentary for its depth. Haji Khalifa described it as a subtle and fine exegesis containing noble investigative insights (tahqiqat sharifah) and remarkable treatments (tasarrufat 'ajibah), an assessment echoed by Ismail Pasha al-Babani in Hadiyyat al-'Arifin. In Shadharat al-Dhahab, Ibn al-'Imad referred to Ibn Kamal Pasha as the singular scholar, critical researcher, and "author of the Tafsir."
Subsequent scholars frequently cited and interacted with the work:
- Mahmud al-Alusi cited it in his exegesis Ruh al-Ma'ani, explicitly attributing discussions to Ibn Kamal Pasha's Tafsir, such as his analysis of Quranic references in Surat al-Ahzab.
- Shihab al-Din al-Khafaji engaged with it extensively in 'Inayat al-Qadi wa-Kifayat al-Radi (his supercommentary on al-Baydawi's Anwar al-Tanzil), frequently addressing Ibn Kamal Pasha's critiques and defending al-Baydawi's positions.
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